JeJaWeDa at the Jazz Gallery in Milwaukee on October 4, 2026

This band is composed of trombonist Jeb Bishop, vocalist and sound poet Jaap Blonk, drummer Weasel Walter, and double bassist Damon Smith. They have had two stops in Wisconsin on their current tour -- Madison with BlueStem Jazz and here in Milwaukee last night at the Jazz Gallery.

I've seen all of these performers in various venues and bands many times going back as far as the late 1990s, but I still wasn't sure what was going to happen when their worldviews collided on the little stage in the corner of the Jazz Gallery. 

What transpired was a full bore, chaotic, high energy performance with several members of the band at times wandering off stage and engaging in such shenanigans as playing trombone (Bishop) and repeatedly tossing a huge cymbal on the ground (Walter). 

In a word -- it was a blast.

Purchase their most recent album here

Recording information:

JEJAWEDA
2026-10-04
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts

Jeb Bishop: trombone and electronics
Jaap Blonk: voice and electronics
Weasel Walter: drums and percussion
Damon Smith: double bass

Setlist:
01 First Improvisation (27:44)
02 Second Improvisation (16:31)

Total time = 44:15

Recorded with kind artist permission by Richard Hayes for this blog 

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in wide ORTF
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

audio downloads 

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16 bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (289 MB)

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320 kbps mp3 files (127 MB)

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Video of this performance by Marvin McGhee:

Jackson-Heinemann Quartet at Charles Allis Museum in Milwaukee on August 22, 2026

Reedist Keefe Jackson, bassist Jakob Heinemann, and drummer Adam Shead are no strangers to this blog. This hardworking trio based in Chicago (Jackson and Shead) and Los Angeles (Heinemann) have busy schedules and often (luckily for this blog) stop in Milwaukee. A year ago they played a captivating set at Bar Centro and this time they were joined in the current exhibition space at the Charles Allis Museum by Norwegian clarinetist Andreas Røysum.

  

There were some really interesting originals from each member of the group, peppered with a few choice covers of tunes by jazz legends John Tchai, Bobby Bradford, and Paul Motian.

Purchase Andreas' albums here.

Recording information:

JACKSON-HEINEMANN QUARTET
2026-08-22
Milwaukee, WI
Charles Allis Museum

Keefe Jackson: tenor sax, bass clarinet
Andreas Røysum: bass clarinet, clarinet
Jakob Heinemann: bass
Adam Shead: drums

Setlist:
01 Beacon [Heinemann] (8:39)
02 Crackup Capitulation [Jackson] (6:33)
03 En Plaine Air [Heinemann] (8:59)
04 Arabesque [Motian] (7;23)
05 Understanding Salt [Heinemann] (6:49)
06 Tick [Shead] (4:48)
07 She [Bradford] — Strange Train [Heinemann] (7:56)
08 Oles Anders [Tchai] (7:27)
09 Fail Safe [Heinemann] (4:22)

Total time = 62:56

Recorded with kind permission of the band by Richard Hayes for this blog

microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF in front of the band
recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii
software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

audio downloads 

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video of the first set by friend of the blog Marvin McGhee:

Sebastian Strinning at the Jazz Gallery in Milwaukee on October 25, 2024

Swedish saxophonist Sebastian Strinning performed twice in the same month in Milwaukee during the month of October 2024, bringing a different group each time. This particular show featured bass clarinetist Emily Beisel, bassist Jakob Heinemann, and percussionist Bill Harris. It was a high-energy set with completely improvised material.

Purchase his most recent album here.

  

Recording information:

SEBASTIAN STRINNING

2024-10-25

Milwaukee, WI

The Jazz Gallery

Sebastian Strinning: sax and bass clarinet

Emily Beisel: bass clarinet and electronics

Jacob Heinemann: bass

Bill Harris: drums

Setlist:

01 First Improvisation (41:09)

02 Second Improvisation (4:43)

Total time = 45:52

Recorded with explicit artist permission by Richard Hayes for this blog

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

audio downloads 

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16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (260 MB)

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320 kbps mp3 files (133 MB)

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video of this performance by friend of the blog Marvin McGhee

Brandon Seabrook at the Sugar Maple in Milwaukee on October 11, 2024

Brandon Seabrook's intense brand of avant garde jazz guitar performance, where sheets of sound descend upon the listener, is an exciting thing to experience. It can be overwhelming until the inevitable auditory adjustment has taken place. However I never feel assaulted by Seabrook's intensity -- instead it feels welcoming, with his energy and effort slowly pulling in the members of the audience into an ecstatic outpouring of emotion.

Purchase his latest album here.

Recording information:

BRANDON SEABROOK

2024-10-11

Milwaukee, WI at the Sugar Maple

Brandon Seabrook: guitar

Setlist:

01 First Piece (9:04)

02 Second Piece (8:09)

03 Third Piece (5:39)

04 Fourth Piece (5:21)

Total time = 28:13

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes for this blog

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

https://brandonseabrook.bandcamp.com

audio downloads 

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video of Brandon Seabrook in Brooklyn in October 2025:

Andrew Trim at the Jazz Estate in Milwaukee on June 25, 2026

Since the late 1970s, Milwaukee has been home to the Jazz Estate -- a reliably excellent place to see both local and touring jazz musicians. This history has had its ups and downs, however. 

During the first few months of the COVID pandemic, the Estate shut its doors, only to open up a bit later as a cocktail bar without its signature live jazz. In early 2025, the owner changed the format again, to feature live music but only opening for business on weekends. This format proved insufficient to keep the venue open, and a few months back the announcement came that the legendary club would once again close its doors.

On the final weekend of the venue, we were treated to a wonderfully engaging and confident double bill of Neil Davis and Andrew Trim, both strong local guitarists, and both backed by the capable rhythm section of bassist Clay Schaub and drummer Devin Drobka. Davis' excellent first set will be shared soon; we are now presenting Trim's fiery final set of the evening. The set opens with originals by both Schaub and Trim before leading to an unexpected Daniel Johnston cover and several jazz standards. Davis returns to the stage to partner with Trim for the final three tunes.

Purchase his latest album here.

Recording information:

ANDREW TRIM

2026-06-25

Milwaukee, WI

The Jazz Estate

Andrew Trim: guitar

Clay Schaub: bass

Devin Drobka: drums

Neil Davis: guitar (tracks 7-9)

Setlist:

01 Sisters [Schaub] (8:01)

02 MKE Blues [Trim] (7:03)

03 One For Bill [Trim] (7:00)

04 Early Morning Train Platform Blues [Trim] (7:48)

05 We See [Monk] (9:38)

06 Walking the Cow [Johnston] (7:06)

07 You Stepped Out of a Dream [Brown] (10:03)

08 Oleo [Rollins] (7:37)

09 Slow Blues (9:37)

Total time = 73:53

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes for this website

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF at stage lip

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

https://andrewtrim.bandcamp.com/

https://www.neildavisguitar.com/

https://milwaukeerecord.com/music/the-jazz-estate-will-close-june-27-have-a-grand-farewell-party-june-28/

audio downloads 

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16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (487 MB)

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320 kbps mp3 files (195 MB)

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video of Andrew Trim at Constellation in Chicago in 2022:

Jackson - Heinemann - Shead Trio at Bar Centro in Milwaukee on August 14, 2025

The Jackson-Heinemann-Shead Trio performed two sets of thoughtful and thrilling jazz at Bar Centro last August as part of a series of concerts promoting their new album Stinger on the Irritable Mystic label.

Keefe Jackson is a tenor saxophonist and clarinetist who moved to Chicago in 2001 from Fayetteville, Arkansas. He is often associated with the free jazz scene in Chicago but (like Josh Berman) seems to have arrived at free improvisation as a progression from a solid grounding in American post-bop jazz rather than from a "burn it all down" European perspective. His soloing is always tasteful and confident and his compositions complex and emotionally expressive.

Hailing from Madison, WI, Jakob Heinemann has recently moved to Los Angeles where he is busy teaching and performing in that growing jazz scene. 

Adam Shead is a busy percussionist in Chicago who leads the group Microplastique and who was featured on this blog with the Stein/Smith/Shead trio.

Buy their most recent album here.

Recording information:

JACKSON - HEINEMANN - SHEAD
2025-08-14
Milwaukee, WI
Bar Centro

Keefe Jackson: tenor sax, bass clarinet
Jakob Heinemann: bass
Adam Shead: drums

Setlist:
01 Dewey’s Tune (6:41)
02 Oles Anders (3:31)
03 Slant (6:40)
04 Yearning (7:16)
05 Silent Danish Girl (5:46)
06 Mushi Miyake (17:22)
07 Raija’s Bop (4:33)
08 God of the Fickle (9:56)
09 1 2 3 4 5 (6:37)
10 March for Mr A (3:22)
11 Unknown (7:13)
12 Unknown (4:43)
13 Easy (6:35)
14 Unknown (3:29)

Total time = 93:44

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF
Recorder: MixPre6ii
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads 

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16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (628 MB)

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video of the first part of this performance:

Tashi Dorji and Tyler Damon at Acme Records in Milwaukee on April 8, 2017

One of the early uploads to this blog was a late 2017 performance by Tashi Dorji and Tyler Damon at Acme Records. At that time I felt the need to explain who Tashi was and the story behind me discovering his music when he had only one or two releases to his credit. Nine years later, I don't have to educate folks about this Bhutanese free improvising guitarist.

This April 2017 show at Acme was my first chance to see Dorji perform in person, and I wasn't disappointed. This was a lengthy, intense, mind-shattering set of music, sixty-six minutes of free jazz spread over three pieces.

Purchase their music here.

Recording information:

TASHI DORJI

TYLER DAMON

2017-04-08

Milwaukee, WI

Acme Records

Tashi Dorji: guitar

Tyler Damon: percussion

Setlist:

01 Improvisation (16:29)

02 Improvisation (29:03)

03 Improvisation (19:44)

Total time = 65:16

Recorded with artist permission by Richard Hayes

Microphones: Church CA-14

Recorder: Sony PCM-M10 at 24/44

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads 

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16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (404 MB)

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320 kbps mp3 files (160 MB)

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video of Tashi and Tyler in September 2017 in Bloomington, IN:

MANAS at Acme Records in Milwaukee on January 8, 2020

In the relative calm of the final few weeks before a novel strain of Coronavirus came to the United States, Bhutanese guitarist Tashi Dorji and Vietnamese-American percussionist Thom Nguyen traveled to Milwaukee as part of a short tour. Together they are MANAS, the name of which seems to be a reference to the Buddhist concept of the mind, specifically the thinking mind.

Dorji's last appearance on this blog -- a fiery 2017 set at Acme Records with Tyler Damon -- was also a guitar and drums duo. This presents an interesting chance to compare the duos.

Buy their most recent album here.

Recording information:

MANAS
2020-01-08
Milwaukee, WI
Acme Records

Tashi Dorji: guitar
Thom Nguyen: drums

Setlist:
01 First (4:45)
02 Second (23:12)
03 Third (12:11)

Total time = 40:08

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes for this blog 

Microphones: Beyerdynamic MC930 in ORTF
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6 at 24/96
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (247 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that sort of thing

320 kbps mp3 files (121 MB)

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