Madison Jazz Festival

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Kimberly M. Wang

A close-up of Dee Dee Bridgewater.

Dee Dee Bridgewater

Each June brings an embarrassment of riches for music fans when the Madison Jazz Festival returns, this year from June 7-16. Coordinated in partnership by Arts + Literature Lab and the Wisconsin Union Theater, the schedule features an array of concerts and a couple special events focusing on the late Richard Davis, a former UW professor and international music legend. On June 8, Chuck France discusses Davis’ work with vocalist Sarah Vaughan (10:30 a.m., Pinney Library), and June 13 features a screening of the new documentary String Theory: The Richard Davis Method, plus a discussion by director Michael Neelsen and others (7 p.m., Madison Museum of Contemporary Art). Ticketed concerts include guitarist Raul Midón (8 p.m., June 8, Cafe Coda); jazz-rockers Marbin (7 p.m., June 9, High Noon); and Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo performing music from the new album El Arte del Bolero Vol. 2 (7:30 p.m., June 10, ALL). The rest of the fest’s events are free to attend, including UW Memorial Union Terrace headliners the Orrin Evans Quartet (7 p.m., June 15) and Dee Dee Bridgewater’s We Exist quartet (7 p.m., June 16). Find the full schedule below and updates at madisonjazzfestivalwi.org.

media release: The Wisconsin Union Theater and Arts + Literature Laboratory have announced the schedule for the 2024 Madison Jazz Festival, which returns with 10 days of jazz across Greater Madison, June 7–16, 2024. There's something for everyone—free concerts, presentations, and ticketed shows featuring some of today's finest jazz artists. The complete schedule and ticket information for the three paid admission events can be found at: madisonjazzfestivalwi.org

Highlights early in Festival include singer/songwriter Raul Midón (June 8, Cafe CODA), who received back-to-back Grammy nominations for his albums Bad Ass and Blind (2017), and If You Really Want (2018), and Grammy-winning and MacArthur Fellow Miguel Zenón with Luis Perdomo (June 10, ArtLitLab) who will perform from their new album El Arte del Bolero, Vol 2. The free final weekend at the Memorial Union Terrace will feature headliners Orrin Evans Quartet (June 15) led by the fiercely independent jazz pianist Evans, and We Exist! Dee Dee Bridgewater Quartet (June 16), led by three-time Grammy winner Bridgewater.

The nine Madison Jazz Festival venues in 2024 include Arts + Literature Laboratory (111 S. Livingston Street, Suite 100), Pinney Library (516 Cottage Grove Road), Cafe CODA (1224 Williamson Street), Allen Centennial Garden (620 Babcock Drive), High Noon Saloon (701 East Washington Avenue), Warner Park (2930 North Sherman Avenue),  North Street Cabaret (610 North Street), Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (227 State Street), and Memorial Union Terrace (800 Langdon Street).

The schedule (Watch for updates at madisonjazzfestivalwi.org).

Friday, June 7, 7pm: “Puccini, My Love” by B.I.T. Duo at ALL (Free)

Saturday, June 8, 10:30am: Chuck France presents "At the Intersection of Sarah Vaughan University and Richard Davis Lane," Pinney Library (Free)

Saturday, Jun 8, 8pm: Raul Midón, "Lost & Found" at Cafe CODA (Tickets on sale now! $25 advance online, $30 at door)

Sunday, June 9, 5pm: The Dan Cavanagh Quartet, Summer Sunday series at Allen Centennial Garden (Free)

Sunday, June 9, 7pm: Marbin, progressive jazz-rock at High Noon Saloon (tickets soon at https://high-noon.com/)

Monday, June 10, 6-7:30pm: The New Orleans Tribute kicks off the NewBridge Summer Concert Series at Warner Park (Free)

Monday, June 10, 7:30pm: Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo “El Arte Del Bolero” at ALL (Tickets on sale now!)

Tuesday, June 11, 7pm: Lenard Simpson Quartet at North Street Cabaret (Free)

Tuesday, June 11, 9pm: Madison Jazz Jam feat. Leonard Simpson Quartet at North Street Cabaret (Free)

Wednesday, June 12, 7pm: Mr. Chair's Strings & Things at Cafe CODA (Free)

Thursday, June 13, 7pm: Screening of String Theory: The Richard Davis Method with producer Peter Dominguez, director Michael Neelsen, RDYB Executive Director Catherine Harris, Ben Ferris, and Chuck France at Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (Free)

Friday, June 14, 7:30pm: Celebration of Vocal Jazz feat. Adekola Adedapo, Donna Woodall, and Michelle DuVall at ALL (Free)  

Saturday, June 15: Jazz on the Terrace: MJF High School All Stars 1 p.m., Gerri DiMaggio 3 p.m,., Heirloom 5 p.m., Orrin Evans Quartet 7 p.m., Betty Guererro & La Combi (Celia Cruz tribute) 9 p.m.

Sunday, June 16: Jazz on the Terrace: Anders Svanoe's Teleporting Rhythmic Orchestra 1 p.m., John Christensen Quartet with Russ Johnson 3 p.m., Pawan Benjamin 5 p.m., Dee Dee Bridgewater Quartet 7 p.m.

The Madison Jazz Festival has been showcasing acclaimed jazz artists from near and far in Madison since 1987, founded by Isthmus publisher Vince O’Hern in cooperation with the Madison Civic Center as the Isthmus Jazz Festival. The Festival has been presented by the Wisconsin Union Theater since 2006, joined by Arts + Literature Laboratory since 2017. 

Major sponsors of the 2024 Madison Jazz Festival include The Capital Times, the John and Carolyn Peterson Charitable Foundation, Inc., and Wisconsin Public Radio. 

Additional partners include Dane Arts, Madison Arts Commission with funds from the Wisconsin Arts Board, Madison Jazz Society, Madison Music Collective, Cafe CODA, High Noon Saloon, New Bridge Madison, Istituto Italiano di Cultura Chicago, Graduate Madison Hotel, Gunderson Funeral and Cremation Care, Madison Concourse Hotel, WORT 89.9FM, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Audio for the Arts, Madison Gas and Electric,  with additional funds from the Endres Manufacturing Company Foundation, the Evjue Foundation, Inc., charitable arm of The Capital Times, the W. Jerome Frautschi Foundation, and the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation. Learn more at madisonjazzfestivalwi.org.