June 1
Members include: WAMI Hall of Fame inductees and Summerfest/Jazz in the Park veterans Eddie Butts (Drums) and Warren Wiegratz (Sax and Flute), Mike Derose (Guitar), Dwayne Williams (Bass) and jazz master keyboardist Jerry Weitzer. Joining the band will be one of Milwaukee’s finest vocalists, Mr. Joe Jordan.
The Group covers material by Davis Sanborn, Grover Washington Jr., Jeff Lorber, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and Joe Sample with their own spin. If you enjoy great jazz played with a “killer groove,” don’t miss The Group.
Opening for The Group from 6:00 – 6:15 pm is Kavon Cortez Jones & The Next Paperback Hero, featuring Milwaukee poet Kavon Cortez Jones and guitarist Nathan Honoré.
June 8
June 15
The new record kicks hard like the three award-winning records preceding it. Cryin’ Mercy nabbed “Best Self-Released Album” at the International Blues Challenge in 2015. Charmed & Dangerous garnered “Song of the Year” at the Independent Music Awards and Wisconsin Music Awards in 2018. Guitar World magazine called the title track a “menacing, swampy blues” and it was in regular rotation on SiriusXM’s Bluesville in addition to many other programs and playlists. In 2019, Ten Thousand Watts reached #10 on the Billboard Blues Chart, hit #1 on both the iTunes and Amazon blues charts, while “Great Minds Drink Alike” captured first place in the blues category of the International Songwriting Competition.
All band members contribute as a songwriting team to be reckoned with. Memorable, incisive lyrics run the gamut from slyly suggestive (“Ten Thousand Watts“) to blues history tributes (“Three Forks“) and inventive contemporary themes (“Urgent Care”, “Back Button”).
Altered Five have consistently checked all the boxes, making lasting, deeply expressive original blues for the mind and body. Up front and leading the big blues train, Taylor exhorts and cajoles while carrying the weight of the lyrical content. Neither imitating nor hiding his debt to the legendary blues singers of the past, he commands deserved attention on his own. Schroedl propels, embellishes, and adds palpable power through his varied rhythm accompaniment and riveting guitar solos. While inspired by, but not tethered to the kings and titans of blues guitar, he has found his own estimable path to personal expression always at the service of the song.
The muscular yet limber rhythm section of bassist Mark Solveson and drummer Alan Arber lock into the full range of blues grooves from classic slow Chicago drag (“Holding on With One Hand“) and romping Texas shuffles (“Mint Condition“) to soulful R&B worthy of Stax Records (“Gonna Lose My Lady“). In addition, returning keyboardist Steve Huebler always provides a rich pad of lush harmony along with his own and soaring solos.
Whether live or on record, Altered Five performs seamlessly as a powerhouse entity encompassing the timeless blues virtues of passion and unwavering commitment funneled through technical excellence.
Opening for the Altered Five Blues Band from 6:00 – 6:35 pm is Tommy Odetto, singer and guitarist inspired by guitar greats including Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan and many more.
June 22
Listen to some of their music here: https://www.centeredhealingllc.com/music & https://open.spotify.com/search/urban%20empress
June 29
Christopher’s Project is a melting pot of diverse musical styles. Led by saxophonist Christopher Pipkins, the Project provides upbeat, family-friendly songs, something everyone will enjoy. Christophers Project is a concert you won’t want to miss!
July 6
See VIDEO here.
Bastille Days & July 20
July 27
This concert harkens back to the founding of the Electric Band which was formed when multi-Grammy Award winner Brian Lynch and Bill Bonifas teamed up to perform together for the “Legends of Milwaukee Jazz” in 2017. Since that time, the band performed live for the Milwaukee Ballet’s production of Conflux which was a collaborative performance choreographed by Petr Zahradnicek featuring Bill Bonifas’ original jazz compositions. Ballet critic Elaine Schmidt noted “Conflux was a gleeful fusion of jazz and dance.” Besides other concerts, the band continues to play regularly at Caroline’s Jazz Club.
The Band & Friends Include:
Bill Bonifas – Guitar
Eric Jacobson – Trumpet
Theo Merriweather, Greg Marcus – Keyboards
Eric Hervey – Bass
Evan Christian – guitar & vocals
August 3
Led by trumpet, the band blends jazz, soul and R&B music styles.
August 10
The FunkClub Wagon is a collective of prominent Milwaukee musicians who came together as a result of the Covid lockdowns. While the live music scene was evaporating, these innovative musicians found a way to bring people live music while allowing them to stay socially distant. They played on a trailer while touring MKE neighborhoods and on a boat for kayaking music lovers, and they spread some much needed joy in the community.
see VIDEO here.
Aug 17
See VIDEO here.
August 24
Bilingual and multicultural, Cache’s music features a wide variety of Afro-Latin Caribbean (Salsa Y Merengue) and Latin American music influenced songs and rhythms ranging from traditional up to contemporary, including original compositions and Latin Jazz. Cache MKE established a local reputation for it’s unique interpretations of latin music showcasing rich vocal harmonies, and for making this music accessible to non-Spanish and native speakers alike.
Cache Mke.’s easy rapport and on-stage humor makes their music accessible to audience of all ages, and their bilingual presentation attracts, and engages a wide diversity of listeners.
Aug 31
“…cinematically evocative instrumentals glossy enough to please fusion aficionados and possessed of sufficient technical command to merit respect from mainstream jazzbos.” “There are hooks aplenty.” – Jamie Lee Rake, Shepherd Express
“…spicy grooves and ensnaring solos.” “Kal Bergendahl Project execute cohesion, fun, passion, and excellence all in one…” – Ben Slowey, Breaking and Entering Milwaukee
The Kal Bergendahl Project (KBP) is a six-piece instrumental jazz-funk band. The vibrant unit features some of the area’s most familiar jazz faces displaying extraordinary musicianship and technical precision.
Blending free-flowing funk and memorable melodies; the ensemble is driven by a stellar horn section.
Groove and melodic hooks are weaved in their deeply focused musical landscape of Jazz-Funk, R&B and Soul.
The group’s latest release “Parallels Ch. IV” is available on all streaming platforms.
Joining the group for Jazz in the Park will be Milwaukee vocalist Donna Woodall “Come Together” The Beatles Soulfully Reimagined. Spanning the Beatles catalog using versions from artists such as: Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Marcus Miller & Herbie Hancock, the group funkifies the Fab Four.
825 N. Jefferson St.
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Email: info@easttown.com