New Breed Jazz Jam with Jon Hoel, Paul Dietrich

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courtesy of New Breed

New Breed Jazz Jam

press release: Maxine Gordon, widow of legendary modern jazz saxophonist Dexter Gordon, is in the midst of a global tour to celebrate her new book, "Sophisticated Giant: The Life and Legacy of Dexter Gordon”.  She’ll be bringing her tour to the Greater Madison area during the week of October 28, 2019, as part of a 4-day residency.   Ms. Gordon’s book has received glowing reviews, e.g., from The New York Times, and received the 2019 "Book of the Year" award this past May from the national Jazz Journalists Association.

In addition to private sessions with students from the UW’s Odyssey Project, Madison East and Memorial High Schools, Sun Prairie High School, UW Continuing Education Division’s PLATO program, and the UW Afro-American Studies Department, Ms. Gordon will be appearing in four programs that are open to the public:

The New Breed Jam’s “Dexter Gordon Night,” with special guests Jonathan Hoel on tenor saxophone and Paul Dietrich on trumpet, performing music from Dexter’s repertoire, on Tuesday, October 29, 8:30-11:00pm, at North Street Cabaret, 610 North Street, $5.00 cover;

- “An Evening with Author Maxine Gordon & The UW Blue Note Ensemble,” a Wisconsin Book Festival event with Ms. Gordon reading excerpts from her book, an on-stage interview with her conducted by UW Afro-American Studies Professor Ethelene Whitmire, and musical interludes by the UW student ensemble that is exploring Dexter’s music this semester, on Thursday, October 31, 7:30 – 9:00pm, at Collins Recital Hall in the UW’s new Hamel Music Center, 740 University Avenue, Free admission;

- UW Mead Witter School of Music Jazz Area Masterclass, with Guest Speaker Maxine Gordon, led by Professor and UW Jazz Studies Director Johannes Wallmann, on Friday, November 1, Noon – 1:30pm, 1321 Humanities Building, 455 North Park Street, Free admission; and

- “Dexter Gordon Tribute Concert,” with music from Dexter’s repertoire performed by three outstanding saxophonists – Hanah Jon Taylor, Sharel Cassity, and Eric Koppa –  accompanied by pianist and UW Jazz Studies Director Johannes Wallmann with fellow UW faculty members Nick Moran on bass and Matt Endres at the drums, on Friday, November 1, 8:00-11:00pm, at Café CODA, 1224 Williamson Street. Tickets: $15.00 in advance (via a Brown Paper Tickets site that will soon be up and running) and $20.00 at the door.

Ms. Gordon’s book will be on sale at the North Street Cabaret and Café CODA concerts and at the Wisconsin Book Festival event.  She will be on hand at these concerts and at the Book Festival event to greet fans and sign her book. 

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Maxine Gordon’s Madison area residency is co-sponsored by the Greater Madison Jazz Consortium, the Wisconsin Book Festival, the UW Afro-American Studies Department, and the UW’s Mead Witter School of Music, with additional support from Hotel Indigo.