The Stellanovas

press release: The Rural Musicians Forum closes its summer concert season on August 21 with “Music in the Fields,” an outdoor event at the Wyoming Valley Cultural Arts Center south of Spring Green. Madison’s perennial favorites The Stellanovas are featured for the evening. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.at the Wyoming Valley Cultural Arts Center, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The center is located at 6306 State Road 23, approximately 3 miles south of Taliesin near Spring Green.  

The Stellanovas play "cafe jazz"--intimate, swinging, original, dynamic music accompanied by unique instrumentation...violin, accordion, cello, ukulele, hawaiian guitar, drums, electric guitar, and vocals.  In describing the group, Andy Moore, producer of Wisconsin Television’s 30-Minute Music Hour, has said “They call it ‘café jazz,’ but that seems too calm. Their music is equal parts Hawaiian luau and Parisian wedding party. The love they bring to their music is as apparent as the precision with which they make it.”

As always, the spotlight is on Chris Wagoner (violin, ukulele, hawaiian guitar, accordion, vocals) and his wife, Mary Gaines. Chris is a founding member of Madison's Harmonious Wail, The Common Faces, The Bob Westfall Quartet, and The Moon Gypsies (the latter three co-founded with Mary Gaines). Chris has had his foot in just about every musical circle in Madison. Classically trained as a violinist, he met Mary while attending the UW-Madison. Switching to an alternating diet of jazz and classical violin studies, while playing in bands ranging from rock, blues, bluegrass, and country, to folk and jazz, Chris has been an in-demand performer and session musician in the region for almost two decades.

For her part, Mary Gaines (cello, vocals, guitar) was originally a jazz-guitar major at the University of WI-Stevens Point, and found her musical voice studying jazz cello under the tutelage of the great Richard Davis (bass player with artists ranging from Sarah Vaughn to Van Morrison) at the UW-Madison. Mary is also known for her amazing voice--often compared to Bonnie Raitt but definitely her own. She (along with her husband, Chris) has done extensive work as a session musician, appearing on albums such as Smashing Pumpkin's Gish, several Freedy Johnston, Willy Porter, and Carrie Newcomer albums, and scores of others.

For “Music in the Fields,” they are teamed with guitarist Ed Fila and drummer Erik Radloff. Chris and Mary first teamed up with Ed over ten years ago while playing for a house party and have been looking for an excuse to play together ever since! In addition to The Stellanovas, Ed performs regularly with his group Next Exit and co-leads The Ed Anders Quartet with saxophonist Anders Svanoe. He is also a member of Caravan Gypsy Swing Ensemble. Milwaukee’s Erik Radloff plays in every style from '60s funk jazz to hip-hop and soul, as well as newfangled blue grass and pop rock. Erik has appeared on over 40 recordings of various musical styles and has established himself as a multifaceted musician able to authentically play in any style while contributing his own creative ideas.

Outdoors – rain or shine. Bring lawn chairs/blankets and refreshments. Grounds open at 6:00 pm – Music at 7:30 pm. Pre-show wine tasting compliments of The Shed. Tickets at Arcadia Bookstore, Spring Green or the RMF website.