Pawan Benjamin, Russ Johnson, Clay Lyons, John Christensen, Dave Stoler, Wayne Saltzman

Arts + Literature Laboratory and Wisconsin Union Theater have put together an outstanding series of events for the Madison Jazz Festival. A big draw is two full days of music at the fest’s traditional Memorial Union home on June 17-18, with music all day on the Terrace and ticketed evening shows by saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin & Phoenix and Lisa Fischer with Ranky Tanky. But don't sleep on the many events the prior week-plus, including an amazing twin bill of The Bad Plus and Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog (8 p.m., June 11, High Noon). It all kicks off with a pair of ensembles led by saxophonist-composers: the Dayna Stephens Quartet (7 p.m., June 8, Cafe Coda) and Mai Sugimoto Trio (7 p.m., June 9, ALL). June 10 celebrates the late Wayne Shorter, with a talk by Dave Stoler (10:30 a.m., Sequoya Library), a jam led by Chris Greene (1 p.m., Cafe Coda), and tribute concert (8 p.m., Cafe Coda). Find the full schedule below and tickets at madisonjazzfestivalwi.org.

media release: The Madison Jazz Festival presents a Tribute to Wayne Shorter featuring Pawan Benjamin (tenor), Russ Johnson (trumpet), Clay Lyons (alto); John Christensen (bass); Dave Stoler (piano); and Wayne Saltzman (drums). Celebrating the life and art of one of music’s most creative entities, this evening will showcase a retrospective of Wayne Shorter’s music. The concert will take place at Cafe CODA on Saturday, June 10, 2023 at 8:00pm. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door.  Seating is general admission. Advance tickets can be purchased at https://madjazzfesttribute.bpt.me. Online ticket sales end 2 hours before showtime. Tickets are also available at the door.

This event is part of an all-day celebration of Shorter, who passed away on March 2, 2023. In the morning at 10:30am, keyboardist Dave Stoler will give a talk on the Musical Legacy of Wayne Shorter at Sequoya Library. And in the afternoon, the Madison Jazz Jam will host a Wayne Shorter Jam Session featuring Chicago saxophonist Chris Greene at Cafe CODA from 1:00 to 4:00pm.

Find full schedule details at https://artlitlab.org/programs/greater-madison-jazz/madison-jazz-festival

June 8: Dayna Stephens Quartet at Cafe CODA, 7 pm

June 9: Mai Sugimoto Trio at Arts + Literature Laboratory, 7 pm

June 9: Michael Hackett Quintet at North Street Cabaret, 8 pm

June 10: "The Musical Legacy of Wayne Shorter" Talk by Dave Stoler at Sequoya Library, 10:30 am

June 10: Wayne Shorter Jam Session feat. Chris Greene at Cafe CODA, 1 pm

June 10: Wayne Shorter Tribute Concert at Cafe CODA, 8 pm

June 11: Janet Planet at Allen Centennial Garden, 5 pm

June 11: The Bad Plus + Marc Ribot at High Noon Saloon, 8 pm

June 12: Golpe Tierra at Warner Park, 6 pm

June 13: Miguel Zenon & Luis Perdomo in Conversation, St. Joseph Church (Good Shepherd Parish), 10:30 am

June 13: Miguel Zenon & Luis Perdomo: El Arte del Bolero at Arts + Literature Laboratory, 7 pm

June 14: DIG JAZZ: Rick Flowers and Amalgam X at Penn Park, 6 pm

June 15: Awake: Volume 2 - the Music of Don Cherry CD Release at Arts + Literature Laboratory, 7 pm

June 16: Marques Carroll Quintet at Cafe CODA, 8 pm

June 17: Jazz all day on the Memorial Union Terrace feat. Kassa Overall, 1-10:30 pm

June 17: A Conversation with Lakecia Benjamin, 3 pm

June 17: Lakecia Benjamin & Phoenix at Shannon Hall, 8 pm

June 18: Juneteenth Celebration of Black American Music on the Memorial Union Terrace, 2:30-9:30 pm

June 18: Ranky Tanky with Lisa Fischer at Shannon Hall, 8 pm