Michael Hackett Quintet

media release: Michael Hackett, Trumpet   Tom Gullian, Saxophone     Johnanes Wallmann, Piano     Nick Moran, Bass   Matt Endres, Drums

Dr. Hackett has performed extensively with touring entertainers and pops orchestras across the country backing up artists such as Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, and Perry Como. His playing has been featured in many national television and radio commercials, the movie sound track to The Aviator, and many commercially available recordings, including those with Scott Whitfields Jazz Orchestra East, three recordings with The Buselli/Wallarab Jazz Orchestra, and Basically Baker: the Music of David Baker.

Saxophonist Tom Gullion brings a deep, soulful performance style, a sophisticated avant-garde sensibility, and a quicksilver technique. Now, at the peak of his musical maturity, he is launching a new album entitled Carswell, which includes ground-breaking compositions featuring like-minded musicians such as percussionist Ernie Adams, Chicago, and has even found time to organize the Driftless Jazz Festival in Southwestern Wisconsin. "Humbly walking in the footsteps of Sonny Rollins and other who have taken time for reflection in their careers, I've found my path is to bring music to the people. And that's exactly what these new projects are about."

Johannes Wallmann has toured extensively throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, including several national tours with the Dennis Mitcheltree Quartet, and performances at Massey Hall (Toronto), Carnegie (Weill Recital) Hall, Merkin Hall, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Brooklyn Conservatory, Renee Weiler Hall, Steinway Hall (New York City), the Hong Kong Coliseum (HK), Pacific Coliseum (Vancouver), SkyReach Center (Edmonton), the Taj Mahal (Atlantic City), and in major jazz clubs throughout North America and Germany (Birdland, The Blue Note, the 55 Bar, Yoshis, The Rex, the Upstairs Jazz Bar & Grill, The Green Mill, Bakers Keyboard Lounge, The Jazz Estate, The Jazz Gallery, Café Coda, and many more). Wallmann has recorded or performed with trumpeters Ingrid Jensen, Brian Lynch, Ralph Alessi, and Russ Johnson; saxophonists Gary Bartz, Seamus Blake, Phil Dwyer, Dayna Stephens, Pete Yellin, Dennis Mitcheltree, and Russ Nolan; tubaists Howard Johnson and Marcus Rojas; guitarist Gilad Hekselman; vibraphonist Christian Tamburr; bassists Jeff Andrews, Matt Penman, Sean Conly and Martin Wind; drummers Danny Gottlieb, Tim Horner, Jeff Hirshfield, Terry Clark and Donald Bailey; jazz singers Kevin Mahogany and Jackie Allen; operatic tenor Dr. Francois Clemmons and the Harlem Spiritual Ensemble; Four Other Brothers (IL); the Billings Symphony Orchestra and Canto-pop star Faye Wong.

Nick Moran has toured internationally and performed with a diverse collection of internationally renowned acts, including Ben Sidran, Lee Scratch Perry, Clyde Subblefield, David Fathead Newman (Ray Charles sax player), Ana Laan, cajón ambassador Juan Cotito Medrano (Susana Baca, Novalima), dance hall pioneers Chaka Demus and Pliers, and hip hop pioneer DJ Kool Herc. In 2001, Nick was honored to record and perform with master of afro cuban percussion and Grammy Award winner Roberto Vizcaino Guillot.

Michael Brenneis has been an essential mover in the Madison improvised music community for twenty years. From his early work with Tomato Box and The Active Percussion Duo, to later projects such as Post Consumer Gnarl, The Ten Sleeps Trio, The Improvisors Workbench, and Executive Tea Set, he is consistently demolishing the boundaries of musical convention. In 2018 Michael was awarded an Artistic Development Grant by the Greater Madison Jazz Consortium to compose, record and premiere a large ensemble work entitled Plutonium.