Madison All-Stars, UW Jazz Faculty Ensemble

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John Schaffer

This pre-Isthmus Jazz Festival event will honor the work of retiring UW professor (and former UW Mead Witter School of Music director) John Schaffer, as well as mark seven years of progress since the launch of the jazz studies program. Performers include the UW Faculty Jazz Ensemble (pianist Johannes Wallmann, saxophonist Les Thimmig, guitarist Louka Patenaude, bassist Nick Moran and drummer Matt Endres) and the Madison Jazz All-Stars, led by Schaffer on bass. Proceeds from the performance will benefit the Madison Jazz Consortium.

press release: Join us for a very special Jazz Junction concert to celebrate seven years of jazz community progress and honor the contributions of bassist and retiring UW Professor John Schaffer, while providing vital support for the Consortium’s jazz performance and education programs. 

The year 2012 saw two major jazz community milestones: the birth of the Consortium and the launch of UW's new Jazz Studies program. In addition to being a Professor of Music Theory and Jazz Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Professor Schaffer served 15 years (1996-2011) as Director of the School of Music. It was largely through Professor Schaffer's leadership that the necessary funds were raised, an endowed professorship was created, and the dynamic Johannes Wallmann was brought to campus as the Jazz Studies Program's first Director. 

Jazz Junction will include performances by the UW Faculty Jazz Ensemble (pianist Johannes Wallmann, saxophonist Les Thimmig, guitarist Louka Patenaude, bassist Nick Moran, and drummer Matt Endres) and the Madison Jazz All-Stars, a revolving group of top local musicians anchored by Professor Schaffer on bass.  Confirmed members of the All-Stars include vocalist Gerri DiMaggio, pianist Paul Muench, guitarist Vince Jesse, and drummer Jim Huwe, plus pianist Jim Erickson, drummers Rand Moore and Rich Larson, and guitarist  Doug Brown, with more being added each week.

Proceeds from this concert will support the programs and services produced by the Greater Madison Jazz Consortium. These include the Isthmus Jazz Fest community-based programming, our Strollin’ mini-fest series in neighborhoods around Dane County, the InDIGenous Jazz original music concert series, jazz artist residencies in Madison’s public elementary and middle schools, our Artistic Development Program that commissions new works from local jazz musicians, a grant fund that supports the efforts of our partner organizations to capture special programming opportunities, our online jazz calendar, and our free monthly e-newsletter. Visit our website for an up-to-date listing of upcoming jazz events in our community at www.jazzinmadison.org.

Tickets for this benefit concert are $30 for the show. Advance tickets purchased online are $5 off. A limited number of student tickets are available for full-time students with a valid student ID.

VIP Tickets $150 include reserved, best-in-house seating, a private VIP reception with John Schaffer and Johannes Wallmann, complimentary admission to the next Jazz House Party, and a copy of the "Best of InDIGinous Jazz Vol. 1" CD. (Purchase your VIP ticket before May 22 to be listed in the Jazz Junction program.).