James McKain at the Jazz Gallery in Milwaukee on January 8, 2026

Back in January, Brooklyn-based saxophonist James McKain brought a quartet with him from the East Coast to the Milwaukee Jazz Gallery featuring Turkish-American pianist Ipek Eginli, bassist Evan Palmer, and percussionist Weasel Walter. The music was freely improvised and really benefitted from the textural approach each participant brought to the performance.

Purchase his most recent album here.

Recording information:

JAMES MCKAIN
2026-01-08
Milwaukee, WI
Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts

James McKain: tenor and baritone sax
Ipek Eginli: piano
Evan Palmer: bass
Weasel Walter: drums

Setlist:
01 One (17:40)
02 Two (21:24)

Total time = 39:04

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes for this blog

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

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (214 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (102 MB)

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Nicholas Elert at the Milwaukee Jazz Gallery on August 2, 2025

Here is a brief and enjoyable set from synthesizer wizard, audio engineer, and film composer Nicholas Elert from the Milwaukee Jazz Gallery back in August. It's a very enjoyable 21-minute set featuring two pieces build from sequencers and synthesizers which build up to a dizzying climax.

Buy his most recent album here.

Recording information:

NICHOLAS ELERT
2025-08-02
Milwaukee Jazz Gallery

Nicholas Elert: synthesizers

Setlist:
01 Performance (21:17)

Total time = 21:17

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes for the blog www.milwaukeetaper.com

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96
Software: Audacity, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (122 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (62 MB)

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video of this performance: 

Atlas Maior at the Milwaukee Jazz Gallery on October 25, 2025

I was very fortunate to be able to catch Atlas Maior, a delightfully flavorful world fusion jazz quartet from Austin, TX at the venerable Jazz Gallery back in October. I'll let the band's bio from their website do the heavy lifting of describing their sound: 

Atlas Maior creates original music that combines elements of Progressive Jazz, Middle Eastern, Latin American, and Indian music traditions. Band members Joshua Thomson (alto saxophone, flutes) and Josh Peters (oud, lavta) create a unique sound that balances intimate moments of sincerity with powerful melodies and incendiary rhythmic passages. Bolstered by a top-notch rhythm section, Atlas Maior writes original melodies exploring maqamat (Middle Eastern modal system) and harmonic progressions found in American jazz. The group composes with a wide variety of rhythms and incorporates traditional instruments including the Indian tablas, Middle Eastern dumbek, and Peruvian cajón.

Purchase their most recent album here.

Recording information:

ATLAS MAIOR

2025-10-25

Milwaukee, WI

The Jazz Gallery

Josh Peters: oud

Joshua Thomson: alto saxophone

Josh Flowers: bass 

Gray Parsons: drums 

Setlist:

01 Ignis Faatus - Hadal (16:27)

02 Orbits (4:42)

03 Basalt (4:53)

04 Zanate (8:27)

05 The Curse (9:12)

06 Neroli (5:15)

07 Ganbei (4:56)

08 Etch and Burn (5:26)

09 Riptide (10:46)

10 Sunbird (8:27)

Total time = 78:30

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

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (476 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (229 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

Jon Camp at the Jazz Gallery in Milwaukee on October 11, 2025

Jon Camp is a Washington, DC-based fingerstyle guitarist who came to the Milwaukee Jazz Gallery a week ago with his trio consisting of bassist Nick Arrivo and pedal steel guitarist Jamie Linder.

It was a delightful set full of rich melodies and lovely textures, with a very pleasant Americana feel. It seemed to me that a lack of percussion helped smooth out the mixture of instruments and allowed a lot of the lyricism to shine through.

Buy his brand new album here.

Recording information:

JON CAMP

2025-10-11

Milwaukee, WI

Jazz Gallery for the Arts

Jon Camp: guitar

Jamie Linder: pedal steel guitar

Nick Arrivo: bass

Setlist:

01 Habitat

02 Where Cicadas Go to Die

03 Goats’ Revenge

04 It Looms, It Blooms -> Turquoise Flower

05 Kerosene Goodbye

06 Also Ran

07 Proceed

08 Mining Twilight

09 Sixteenth of April

10 Bombus Bombus

11 Partisan’s Folly

12 When You Fall, I Fall

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF at stage lip

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes for this blog

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (221 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (148 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

Jon Camp performing at Rhizome in June:

Jim Warchol at the Jazz Gallery in Milwaukee on October 11, 2025

There was a mini guitar festival happening at the venerable Jazz Gallery in the Riverwest neighborhood of Milwaukee a few days ago, with Washington, DC-based melodic finger style guitarist Jon Camp and his trio performing along with ragenap+dathon (zones and drones on Fender 6-string basses from Chicago) and our next upload, Milwaukee legend Jim Warchol performing on guitar and electronics.

Jim is a veteran of the Milwaukee music scene, having been a member of Sometime Sweet Susan in the early 1990s through to his stints as avantgarde electronic project Loam, then as an integral member of percussionist Jon Mueller's Death Blues, and most recently with his current band, the post-rock outfit Dryhouse Ruins.

For this performance he soloed over a bed of pulsing electronic drones whose textures changed throughout the 22-minute set. The mood was dark yet with a hopefulness in the background. It's always a joy to watch Jim perform and I am really looking forward to checking out the record release show celebrating the new Dryhouse Ruins LP.

Recording information:

JIM WARCHOL
2025-10-11
Milwaukee, WI
The Jazz Gallery

Jim Warchol: guitar and electronics

Setlist:
01 improvisation (22:38)

Total time = 22:38

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF at stage lip
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96
Software: Audacity, xAct

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes for www.milwaukeetaper.com

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (104 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (66 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

video of Death Blues performing at Hopscotch Festival in 2012:

Heat On at the Jazz Gallery in Milwaukee on July 8, 2025

Chicago-based drummer Lily Finnegan's quartet Heat On featuring Ed Wilkerson and Fred Jackson on saxes as well as Nick Macri on bass came through Milwaukee last week to perform at the venerable Jazz Gallery. They were on a short tour to celebrate the release of their first album on Cuneiform Records.

The set contained all original compositions by Finnegan. These solid pieces were bought to life with Chicago free jazz legends Wilkerson and Jackson out front, but they were very capably supported by the strong foundation of Macri and Finnegan. It was a wonderful meeting of junior and senior Chicago musicians. 

Finnegan and Macri return to Milwaukee at the end of July as part of a showcase performance of Ken Vandermark's Edition XL at the Jazz Estate. Hopefully this blog will be able to record that night, but local music lovers should always keep in mind that despite efforts to preserve our precious musical culture, experiencing live music performances in real time will always be where it's at.

Buy their album here.

Recording information:

HEAT ON

2025-07-08

Milwaukee, WI

The Jazz Gallery

Ed Wilkerson: tenor sax and didgeridoo 

Fred Jackson: alto sax and "little instruments"

Nick Macri: bass

Lily Finnegan: drums and compositions

Tracklist:

01 RSJ 

02 Green Milk

03 Inverted Spoon

04 Beltline

05 The Great

Total time = 69:17

Microphones: Beyerdynamic MC930 in NOS in front row

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes for this blog

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (518 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (196 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

a video of the first set courtesy of our friends at BRAG Milwaukee:

Gustavo Cortiñas Quartet at the Milwaukee Jazz Gallery on April 13, 2025

On April 13th, the Jazz Gallery hosted an album release concert by the Gustavo Cortiñas Quartet from Chicago, featuring jazz luminaries Mark Feldman on violin, saxophonist Jon Irabagon, and guitarist Dave Miller, with Cortiñas on drums. The new album, The Crisis Knows No Borders, contains compositions by Cortiñas addressing climate change and its eventual effects on all humans regardless of geographic location.

It was exciting to have such an impressive group on the Gallery's small but storied stage, and I felt that this recording came out quite well.

Purchase their album here.

    

Recording information:

GUSTAVO CORTINAS QUARTET

2025-04-13

Milwaukee, WI

The Jazz Gallery

Jon Irabagon: saxophone

Mark Feldman: violin

Dave Miller: guitar

Gustavo Cortinas: drums 

Tracklist:

01 The Basic Economic Farsity (13:31)

02 The Growth Imperative (9:42)

03 Oil and Water Don't Mix (8:43)

04 Skepticism (13:54)

05 Sea Levels Rising (10:28)

06 The Crisis Knows No Borders (4:20)

07 Your Right Under The Sun (6:29)

08 The Man of Flesh and Bone (6:29)

Total time = 73:36

Microphones: Beyerdynamic MC930 pair in ORTF in front row; Shure SM58 in front of drums

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (455 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (191 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

a video of the concert:

David Lord at the Jazz Gallery in Milwaukee on March 17, 2024

David Lord came to Milwaukee a few weeks ago to perform at the Jazz Gallery as opening support for the group Hanami.

He has recorded three excellent albums of jazz guitar at cult recording studio Big Ego, both solo and with such players as Jeff Parker, Chris Schlarb, and Chad Taylor. He composes intricate, thoughtful, and concentrated pieces which repay repeated listening quite well.

All the pieces he played in this 37-minute set were named after various kinds of mushrooms.

Purchase his most recent album here.

Recording information:

DAVID LORD
2024-03-17
Milwaukee, WI at the Jazz Gallery

David Lord: guitar

Setlist:
01 Cloud Rust / Clouded Yellow / Swallowtail / Spot Puffin
02 Old Man of the Woods
03 Pale Orange Chantelle
04 Wolf's Milk Slime Mold
05 Tapering Russula
06 Fiery Agaric
07 Brush Footed Butterfly
08 Elemental Orb
09 Mossy Maze Polypore
10 Club Foot
11 Two Tone Brain Fungus / Mushroom Weeds
12 The Forest Butterfly
13 The Darkening Armillaria
14 Luminous Chanterelle
15 Giant Puffball

Total time = 37:14

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 pair in NOS in front row + Shure SM58 on floor in front of guitar amp
Recorder: Sound Device MixPre6ii at 32/96
Software: Audacity, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.kHz FLAC files (120 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (87 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

Hanami at the Jazz Gallery in Milwaukee on March 17, 2024

Milwaukee was fortunate in having guitarist Andrew Trim move here from Chicago a few years ago. Whether subbing for Russ Johnson in the Dave Bayles Trio at the raucous Uptowner bar, or laying down fiery John McLaughlin-inspired jazz rock chaos in Retroreflector at the legendary rock club Cactus Club, he has been a real highlight for the Milwaukee jazz scene recently.

The band Hanami came to the Jazz Gallery in Milwaukee for an hour of warm jazz on a cool and dark night not much suited to a cherry blossom viewing party. Inside the venue, however, there was plenty of sunlight and color.

   

I think the promotional material for their latest album describes their background quite well:

"When guitarist Andrew Trim and multi-reedist Mai Sugimoto came together in 2011 to raise funds for the victims of Japan’s Tohoku tsunami, it was intended to be a one-off concert. But the concert turned into band “Hanami,” (named for the Japanese custom of experiencing the fleeting beauty of cherry blossoms), and the band recorded a debut album (modern jazz takes on traditional Japanese songs), and the wheels were set in motion for something much larger than the initial concept. While Trim and Sugimoto, both of whom lived in Japan as children, were reluctant to record many more Japanese songs for fear of being branded a cover band, dreams of that country still swim through this latest album, which is all originals except for a cover of the 1901 song “Kojo no Tsuki,” or “The Moon over the Ruined Castle."

   

  

Buy their latest album here.

Recording information:

HANAMI

2024-03-17

Milwaukee, WI at the Jazz Gallery

Andrew Trim: guitar

Mai Sugimoto: alto sax

Jason Stein: bass clarinet

Charles Rumback: drums

Setlist:

01 Hanaikada (7:38)

02 Haru no Umi (15:13)

03 Shira Ito No Taki (9:27)

04 Miyagete Goran Yoru No Hoshi Wo (8:03)

05 The Only Way to Float Free (7:27)

06 Cloud’s Theme (Final Fantasy VII) (9:29)

07 Donmai! (12:13)

Total time = 69:30

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in NOS in front row

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

Recorded with explicit artist permission by Richard Hayes

downloads:

16bit, 44.kHz FLAC files (367 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (117 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible