Shows at Cafe Coda
Café CODA facilitates the long-desired manifestation of a space with suitable staging, a tuned concert piano, and state of the art drum kit, to inspire great music to be played by great artists.
Café CODA presents the musical works of local, regional and world-class musicians as it offers a sizable contribution to the Midwest American music scene and have extended our audience to a global reach through live-streaming.
Cafe CODA1224 Williamson st.Madison, WI53703 Map
Stephane Wrembel is one of the most highly regarded guitarists in the world specializing in the style of legendary composer/guitarist Django Reinhardt. Born in Fontainebleau, France, Stephane learned his craft traveling the French countryside before graduating from Berklee College of Music in Boston. He has had a remarkable career, touring the world, while releasing 16 albums under his name and the nom de plume, The Django Experiment. His original compositions have been featured in Midnight in Paris ("Bistro Fada"), Vicki Cristina Barcelona "Big Brother") and Rifkin's Festival (original score). Midnight in Paris received the Grammy Award® for "Best Compilation Soundtrack." Stephane was selected by award-winning composer/producer Hans Zimmer to perform at the 2012 Academy Awards® as part of his "All Star Band" which also included Esperanza Spalding, Pharrell, and Shelia E. Stephane recorded Gypsy Rumble and toured nationally with famed mandolinist/composer David Grisman. He has opened or performed with Elvis Costello, Patti Smith, The Roots, Medeski Martin & Wood, Me'shell Ndegeocello, John Schofield, Larry Keel, Stochelo Rosenberg, Sam Bush and more.
In 2019, Wrembel released the highly regarded Django L'Impressionniste, featuring 17 of Reinhardt's preludes for solo guitar, followed by a book of his transcriptions in 2021. He is the only guitarist in the world to perform these 17 preludes in their entirety.
Since 2003, Wrembel has produced the Django a Gogo Festival, bringing together some of the finest musicians in the world to celebrate the Sinti quitar style to perform in prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall and The Town Hall.
Stephane's world-class band includes: Josh Kaye on guitar; Ari Folman-Cohen on bass; and Nick Anderson on drums.
Production: Cafe CODA
Tickets: $20 / $25
*Limited quantity of early bird tickets are available at a discounted price at cafecoda.club/buy-tickets
**Do I need to print my ticket?
No, but will help. Due to different systems, some people might not get the second email of tickets with QR codes.
You can either print your email receipts or simply show them on your phone upon arrival.
***Please check our FB page for announcements and cancellations.
ASTRO (Anders Svanoe’s Teleporting Rhythmic Orchestra)
Cafe CODA1224 Williamson st.Madison, WI53703 Map
ASTRO (Anders Svanoe’s Teleporting Rhythmic Orchestra)
Anders Svanoe-alto and baritone saxophones, clarinet
Tony Barba-tenor saxophone, bass clarinet
Pawan Benjamin-soprano and tenor saxophones, flutes, Shehnai
Tony Catania-tenor saxophone
Jim Doherty-trumpet
Dave Cooper-trumpet
Phil Zell-trumpet
Louka Patenaude-guitar
Henry Boehm-bass
Brad Townsend-bass
John Christensen-bass
Michael Brenneis-drums
Nick Zielinski-drums/electronics
Starting March 2nd, and every first Thursday of the month, Cafe Coda will present a new large improvising ensemble, ASTRO (Anders Svanoe’s Teleporting Rhythmic Orchestra) at 7:30. The group features an all-star group of improvisors and composers from the Madison area. The group will teleport musically from experimental to more familiar music written by baritone saxophonist, Anders Svanoe.
"The music here is anything but predicable and Svanoe writes memorable melodies, like the hard swinging bebop composition "Bird Strike" which would fit easily on a Pepper Adams recording. Svanoe's heated solo gives way to the the coolness of Doherty's trumpet. Elsewhere the saxophonist goes toe-to-toe with Conroy on the brief meditative piece "Spiral Staircase Glamour;" and extends the reflection on "Altimeter High," which could easily be confused with the music of Don Cherry. Then there's the cartoon theme/Albert Ayler march "Walk On The SAS" which mines madcap for relevance. The closing track "Subsonic" features the bassists' bowed and plucked sounds that give way to luscious harmonies. Svanoe's richly verdant horn opens the composition to images of blue skies blue.
Mark Corroto- All About Jazz
This album thrives on ambiguity, bleeding between styles and moods. If it’s firmly rooted in jazz it also explicitly draws on Svanoe’s love of heavy metal. If Svanoe is building these pieces around definite, composed themes (the full trio shares composition credits on the masterfully eerie “Hotshot”), he’s also determined to bend them into oblique improvised corners. Don’t get comfortable (or uncomfortable) in any one mode for too long. “Rosy Cheeks” takes you into baritone-as-suave-tenor mode, a welcome if almost misleading turn in the album’s sequence.
Scott Gordon- Tone Madison
Production: Cafe CODA
*Do I need to print my ticket?
No, but will help. Due to different systems, some people might not get the second email of tickets with QR codes.
You can either print your email receipts or simply show them on your phone upon arrival.
**Please check our FB page for announcements and cancellations.
Friday Happy Hour - Luke Leavitt Duo | FREE!
Cafe CODA1224 Williamson st.Madison, WI53703 Map
Welcome to our Friday Happy Hour series! 🍻
Every 1st Friday of the month, we'll feature the Luke Leavitt Duo. 🎹
Luke Leavitt is a young talented jazz musician and sound geographer based in Madison. He’s also a PhD student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
#CafeCoda #Madison #LiveMusic #Jazz
Anna Webber's Shimmer Wince (BlueStem)
Anna Webber is a flutist, saxophonist, and composer whose interests and work live in the aesthetic overlap between avant-garde jazz and new classical music. In May 2021 she released Idiom, a double album featuring both a trio and a large ensemble, and a follow-up to her critically-acclaimed release Clockwise. That album, which the Wall Street Journal called "visionary and captivating," was voted #6 Best Album of 2019 in the NPR Jazz Critics Poll, who described it as “heady music [that] appeals to the rest of the body.” Her 2020 release, Both Are True (Greenleaf Music), co-led with saxophonist/composer Angela Morris, was named a top ten best release of 2020 by The New York Times. She was recently named a 2021 Berlin Prize Fellow and was voted the top “Rising Star” flutist in the 2020 Downbeat Critic’s Poll.
Production: Cafe CODA 🎼
Date: Friday, April 7th, 2023
Time: 8PM
Tickets: $20
*Do I need to print my ticket?
No, but will help. Due to different systems, some people might not get the second email of tickets with QR codes.
You can either print your email receipts or simply show them on your phone upon arrival.
**Please check our FB page for announcements and cancellations.
#CafeCoda #Madison #LiveMusic #Jazz
Saturday Morning Cool School | FREE!
Cafe CODA1224 Williamson st.Madison, WI53703 Map
Musician/educator, Hanah Jon Taylor, hosts his beloved 'Cool School' with young musicians centered around the art of improvisation. Grab your instruments and get ready to jam. Don't have access to an instrument? No problem, we will have a wide range of instruments available to play. No experience required. FREE!
12 years old and younger from 10:00 - 11:30
12+ from 11:45 - 1:00
Donations are welcomed at gofund.me/17128a4d
Cafe CODA1224 Williamson st.Madison, WI53703 Map
Do you like Tango? Do you want to learn elegant Tango moves?
Every 2nd and 4th Saturday, Joe Yang, owner of Wisconsin Tango, hosts a Milonga Matinee and class.
Come for both sessions or just one of them 🙂 No partner needed
Tango class: 2:00 - 3:00 PM ($10)
Tango Social: 3:00 - 5:00 PM ($5)
Pls pay the bar staff.
The fourth Saturday, Tango will be held in our new back space.
*masks are not required but encouraged.
www.wisconsin-tango.com/
Cafe CODA1224 Williamson st.Madison, WI53703 Map
Since 2003, Sam Robinson has played in venues all over Chicago and the Midwest. He currently leads the Sam Robinson Quintet, which plays straight-ahead jazz, mainly from the hard-bop / post-bop era. The band also performs original compositions in a similar style. In 2019, he released his debut album, “Sweet Love of Mine,” and in 2022 his second album, “Be With Me: Live at the Eastgate Café,” became available for purchase.
According to Chicago Jazz Magazine, Robinson plays, at times, with “elegant restraint and muted tones,” and at other times with “an intelligent extemporization that has a burnished sound and simmering passion.”
The members of the quintet are:
Sam Robinson – trumpet
Scott Angst – tenor saxophone
Linard Stroud – drums
Gabriel Datcu – guitar
John Sutton - bass
Production: Cafe CODA
Date: Saturday, April 8th, 2023
Time: 7PM
Tickets: $20
*Limited quantity of early bird tickets are available at a discounted price at cafecoda.club/buy-tickets
**Do I need to print my ticket?
No, but will help. Due to different systems, some people might not get the second email of tickets with QR codes.
You can either print your email receipts or simply show them on your phone upon arrival.
***Please check our FB page for announcements and cancellations.
#CafeCoda #Madison #LiveMusic #Jazz
Saturday Late Night Jam Session | FREE!
Cafe CODA1224 Williamson st.Madison, WI53703 Map
Every Saturday night, bring your instruments or just yourself to join in our Late Night Improvising Jazz Jam Session. All disciplines are welcome.
No fake books, please.
FREE!
***Please check our FB page for announcements and cancelations.
Spoken Word Night - Hosted by Rob DZ
Cafe CODA1224 Williamson st.Madison, WI53703 Map
Rob Franklin, also known as Rob Dz, is the Media Projects Bubblerarian for the Madison Public Library. As a Kennedy Center certified teaching artist for the Making Justice program his primary residency focus is on Hip Hop, Spoken Word and Personal Branding as positive forms of self-expression. As a musician, he has performed with the likes of Nas, Eminem, Common, Talib Kweli, and others. In 2017, he was inducted to both the American Folklife Center at the Library Of Congress and The National Museum of African American History and Culture as a member of The Story Corps program.
Tickets: $10 cover (buy tickets online or at the door)
Production: Cafe CODA
*Do I need to print my ticket?
No, but will help. Due to different systems, some people might not get the second email of tickets with QR codes.
You can either print your email receipts or simply show them on your phone upon arrival.
***Please check our FB page for announcements and cancelations
Friday Happy Hour - Jim Erickson Duo | FREE!
Cafe CODA1224 Williamson st.Madison, WI53703 Map
Welcome to our Friday Happy Hour series! 🍻
Every 2nd Friday of the month, we'll feature the Jim Erickson Duo.
Jim’s program includes selections from major jazz artists/composers thru the history of the genre. Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Dave Brubeck, Ahmad Jamal, McCoy Tyner, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Don Grolnick and more will be featured.
“Jim Erickson is proof, if any is needed, that there are major jazz talents performing in the United States outside of New York, Chicago, New Orleans and the West Coast.” Scott Yanow – Los Angeles, jazz author/reviewer
#CafeCoda #Madison #LiveMusic #Jazz
Cafe CODA1224 Williamson st.Madison, WI53703 Map
Charanga Agozá, a charanga ensemble based in Madison, Wisconsin, was formed in 2009. The group plays charanga, a dance oriented musical genre that originated in Cuba at the turn of the twentieth century and peaked in the 1950s. Charangas also became popular in New York City during the early days of the salsa movement in the 60s and 70s.
Musical styles featured in Charanga Agozá’s repertoire include danzón, cha cha, mambo, and modern day salsa played charanga-style.
The group consists of Amber Dolphin on violin, Jessie Mitchell on flute, Yanzel Rivera on vocals, Paul Muench on piano, John Mesoloras on double bass, Flaviano Estrella on trombone, Alfredo Rodriguez on congas, Salar Saleh on timbales, José Madera on percussion, and Jake Kruse on the Cuban tres.
Production: Cafe CODA 🎼
Date: Friday, April 14th, 2023
Time: Dance Lessons start at 7:30 and live music will follow.
Tickets: $10
*Do I need to print my ticket?
No, but will help. Due to different systems, some people might not get the second email of tickets with QR codes.
You can either print your email receipts or simply show them on your phone upon arrival.
**Please check our FB page for announcements and cancellations.
#CafeCoda #Madison #LiveMusic #Jazz
Cafe CODA1224 Williamson st.Madison, WI53703 Map
Madison Jazz Jam is a twice monthly jam session for musicians to work on improvisational skills while performing with veteran jazz players. Madison Jazz Jam welcomes musicians of all ages and levels. FREE! 🎷
#CafeCoda #Madison #LiveMusic #Jazz
Zachary Finnegan Group / Opened by Katie Ernst (BlueStem)
Cafe CODA1224 Williamson st.Madison, WI53703 Map
Zachary Finnegan is regarded as a rising-star trumpet artist based in Chicago, IL. He is currently on a world tour with 5-time Grammy Award winner, Michael Bublé, playing arenas and venues around the world. He has appeared on 11 albums and has played in the bands of renowned musicians such as the Buddy Rich Big Band, Christy Bennett, Jared Thompson, Camila Mennitte, Blueshift Big Band, Meghan Stagl, Carrington Clinton, and has shared the bandstand with the likes of Matt Ulery, Lenard Simpson, Thaddeus Tukes, Rob Dixon, and Marlene Rosenberg. Zach previously founded two bands entitled, “Crossroads Quintet,” and, “Omnos Quartet,” which both released debut albums respectively. Along with his freelance work in the midwest, he is a sideman in the popular hip-hop/jazz-fusion band, “Clint Breeze and the Groove.” Zach received his Bachelor's degrees at UW-Stevens Point and received his Masters degree at Indiana University.
Zach’s groups have played multiple festivals, most notably opening for Dave Liebman at the Riverfront Jazz Festival in 2017. He has headlined the Bull Falls Jazz Festival, and the Taste of Bloomington Festival. Other festivals he has performed at are the Indy Jazz Fest, CHREECE Festival, B’town Jazz Fest, Ear Taxi Festival and Feast of Lanterns Festival. Zach has traveled as a solo guest artist with the Wisconsin Ambassadors of Music Tour in various venues across seven European countries.
Katie Ernst is described by the Chicago Tribune as "a versatile young bassist who plays in far-flung bands and sings with uncommon delicacy and authenticity." Her solo set for double bass and voice combines her own songwriting and improvisations and weaves them together with distinctive reimaginings of folk, jazz, and contemporary songs.
Production: Cafe CODA 🎼
Sponsored by: BlueStem Jazz
Date: Saturday, April 15th, 2023
Time: 8PM
Tickets: $20
*Do I need to print my ticket?
No, but will help. Due to different systems, some people might not get the second email of tickets with QR codes.
You can either print your email receipts or simply show them on your phone upon arrival.
**Please check our FB page for announcements and cancellations.
#CafeCoda #Madison #LiveMusic #Jazz
Cafe CODA1224 Williamson st.Madison, WI53703 Map
Alyssa Smith is a musician, composer, and educator from Madison, Wisconsin. She is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation from the University of Michigan, and has her bachelor's degree in Piano Performance from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Alyssa performs as a soloist and collaborator in settings such as the Blue Llama jazz club, the Detroit Club, the Honeywell Arts Academy, and Madison’s own beloved jazz club Cafe Coda. As an educator, she runs a studio of over thirty private jazz and classical piano students at Oz’s Music. Her group the Alyssa Smith Trio primarily presents Alyssa’s originals, which aim to capture the unspoken human experiences we all share through music in a light-hearted yet unapologetically genuine way.
Ben Powell was born in 1998 and grew up in Kennett Square Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. He comes from a musical family who nurtured a love and passion for music from an early age. In the fall of 2019, Ben made his professional debut as Davy Zlatic in the First National Broadway Tour of the musical Bandstand. He is currently completing his undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan pursuing a BFA in Jazz Studies on acoustic and electric bass and a BMA in Vocal Performance as a bass-baritone.
Henry Ptacek is a drummer based in Madison, Wisconsin. He has studied with Vincent Davis, Ari Hoening, Peter Dominguez, Devin Drobka, Matt Endres and others. He’s had the opportunity to perform with Reggie Workman, Dafnis Prieto, Eddie Barbash and Helen Sung. Henry has been active in the Madison music community playing with many groups and hosted a jam session at Cafe Coda for 2 years.
Production: Cafe CODA
Date: Sunday, April 16th, 2023
Time: 7PM
Tickets: $10 / $15
*Limited quantity of early bird tickets are available at a discounted price at cafecoda.club/buy-tickets
**Do I need to print my ticket?
No, but will help. Due to different systems, some people might not get the second email of tickets with QR codes.
You can either print your email receipts or simply show them on your phone upon arrival.
***Please check our FB page for announcements and cancellations.
#CafeCoda #Madison #LiveMusic #Jazz
Lean Into Allyship Live: Transformation That Lasts
Cafe CODA
Presented by Justified Anger and the Black Like Me Podcast
The Lean Into Allyship series started back in 2020 as a way to hold monthly educational sessions that showed how systemic racism and equity seeps far deeper than overt horrific murders and into the fabric of how our country was built. During the series, the one theme that Dr. Gee emphasized every session was that would-be allies Educate, Donate, and Affiliate. After the past nearly three years of listening to incredible speakers around deeply meaningful topics (and you catch watch them all on the Justified Anger YouTube channel), the series will be wrapping up with one final event.
This special live event is a chance to hear from the LIA team on their allyship journey, as well as Dr. Gee and Rev Lilada Gee on the changing dynamics in the racial equity space and what it will take for this transformation to be sustainable. You don’t want to miss this night of music and community connection as a way to affiliate and get closer to this important work. As a preacher, author, podcaster, activist, and Griot, Rev.
Dr. Alex Gee is a master storyteller that draws listeners into his experience and leaves them laughing, thinking, and inspired in equal measure. Let us know you are "Going" at the Facebook event to RSVP. Rev. Lilada Gee is a dynamic woman, incredible artist and muralist, life-changing healer, daring preacher, published author, international inspirational speaker, and podcast host.
Watch previous Lean Into Allyship events: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLH2E34Og7i9N4mfCr00gdcYH1Wkanf_zl
Cafe CODA1224 Williamson st.Madison, WI53703 Map
Mantis is-
Anders Svanoe-baritone saxophone
Brad Townsend-bass
Nick Zielinski-drums
"While taking a bit of a breather from releasing his State of the Baritone series, Anders Svanoe joined forces with bassist Brad Townsend and drummer Nick Zielinski to record Mantis. Svanoe's compositions paired with two-thirds of Minneapolis' avant-fusion band ARP of the Covenant (unplugged here) deliver an assorted mix of highly emotive styles. The trio upgrades the saxophone trio format with freedom, though freedom anchored by some heavy grooves. The title track "Mantis" marches a procession only to be broken up first by Svanoe's baritone exorcism of notes. The march progresses, interrupted next by Townsend's scraping bowed soliloquy. This is followed by a pulse, which could be the sampled background for a hip hop star's lyrics. With this trio, anything is possible. "Intersection" morphs from a shuffle groove to punk rock drumming, as Svanoe works the upper register of his massive horn and Townsend's bass is bowed in a semi- classical manner.
Schizophrenic? Yes, but there is a method to the trio's madness with their mission is to get you to shake some booty. "Skeddadle" is the epitome of 60's soul jazz, one you might have associated with Blue Note's Leo Parker. Svanoe blows those boss bari notes before his hand clapping accompanies his partners. Townsend matches the baritone's weight on "Monk In The Land Of Oz" paired with some Clyde Stubblefield inspired drumming. When the trio turns to a ballad, "Rosy Cheeks," the light dims and the sound bleeds a most gentle graceful charm. We are entertained."
Mark Corroto
All About Jazz
"Anders Svanoe’s Mantis showcases a penchant for impulse from Madison’s preeminent baritone sax player. Backed by Brad Townsend on bass and Nick Zielinski on drums, Svanoe leads the group through passages of jazz cutting enough to draw blood. “Mantis,” the record’s 10-minute opener, has the trio baring their teeth, commanding a determined aggression that never lets up. On “Hot Shot,” the only Mantis track that was composed by the trio and not just Svanoe, the trio combatively work their way through a cavalcade of riffs and ideas, finding catharsis in bug-eyed interplay. On “Numbers,” Mantis‘ penultimate track and the shortest of the record, Svanoe, Townsend, and Zielinski remain cutthroat, repeatedly building and evaporating tension, forcing the listener to lean in for a game of cat-and-mouse that doesn’t have an easy resolution. Mantis closes with “Mitchell Field,” yet another composition that feels both frenetic and exactingly precise, ensuring the record’s place as one of the most exciting efforts in a superlative discography."
Steven Spoerl
Tone Madison
Production: Cafe CODA 🎼
Date: Friday, April 21st, 2023
Time: 7PM
Tickets: $15
*Do I need to print my ticket?
No, but will help. Due to different systems, some people might not get the second email of tickets with QR codes.
You can either print your email receipts or simply show them on your phone upon arrival.
**Please check our FB page for announcements and cancellations.
#CafeCoda #Madison #LiveMusic #Jazz
Human Show ep.17: Hope Springs Eternal. Feat. 3 generations of Vedders + 2 musical guests!
Cafe CODA1224 Williamson st.Madison, WI53703 Map
This will happen Sat. 4/22 at 3pm
Human Show ep. 17: Hope Springs Eternal. Feat. 3 generations of Vedders and 2 musical guests!
Barbara Vedder shares her hopes for the future, including but not limited to her recent 2nd Act on Madison’s City Council. Echnaton shares about some innovations toward a care network. And Micah is one of 2 musical guests. showing his amazing drum skills. We’ll also hear piano music from Johan Petty of Def Sonic, for our Piano Recital Feature. Hosted by Stephanie Rearick.
To learn more about Johan Petty, vitsit the link below. 👇
tonemadison.com/articles/def-sonic-and-the-unflinching-power-of-the-human-experience/
Production: Cafe CODA 🎼
Date: Saturday, March 25th, 2023
Time: 3PM
Tickets: FREE
**Please check our FB page for announcements and cancellations.
#CafeCoda #Madison
Tani Diakite & The AfroFunkstars
Cafe CODA1224 Williamson st.Madison, WI53703 Map
Tani is a musical force who has inspired an entire community of artists. With his Kamale n'goni, a West African ancestor to the banjo, and his plaintive singing, he never fails to drop the deepest blues around.
Over the years, watching Tani and the Afrofunkstars perform has been a treat for many. You never know what's going to happen or who will show up to play along with Tani and the band. Tani has been able to capture several performances over the years.
Production: Cafe CODA 🎼
Date: March 31st, 2023
Time: 7PM
Tickets: $10
*Do I need to print my ticket?
No, but will help. Due to different systems, some people might not get the second email of tickets with QR codes.
You can either print your email receipts or simply show them on your phone upon arrival.
**Please check our FB page for announcements and cancellations.
#CafeCoda #Madison #LiveMusic #Jazz
Colón Y Más, A tribute to Willie Colón
Cafe CODA1224 Williamson st.Madison, WI53703 Map
Celebrating the Godfather of modern Salsa, Willie Colón!
Colón Y Más
A Tribute to Willie Colón
Presented by Cafe Coda and La Junta
Willie Colon was a force in the latin music world and the trombone universe. Collaborating with iconic singers like Celia Cruz, Ruben Blades and most notably Hector Lavoe, Colon's music is a staple in the salsa/latin/jazz music genre.
This collaboration will feature three generations of some of Madison's best jazz trombonists: Nat McIntosh (Youngblood Brass Band), Darren Sterud (Mama Digdown's Brass Band), and Steven Beda (Latin Pride Orchestra), playing the iconic parts that became synonymous with salsa music.
Joining them will be a collaboration of some of Madison's most notable Latin/Salsa and Jazz musicians. Led by vocalists Betty Guerrero (La Combi) and Mario Mendoza (Grupo Candela) , and driven by the rhythms of pianist Chris Rottmayer (Chris Rottmayer Quartet), Peter Dominguez (Professor of Bass at UW), Yorel Lashley (Drum Power), José Madera (Charanga Agoza) and Francisco Martínez (Rebulu).
You can count on hearing some of the classic salsa tunes we all know and some you may not. Dancing is absolutely welcomed and encouraged! Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 the day of the show.
We are grateful to have the support of Alfredo and Augustin from La Junta, which can be heard every Saturday on 89.9 WORT from 4-6PM