Play. Listen. Share. Exhibit. Discover. Join In!
There’s a surprising calendar of events at our community arts center.
It’s a venue for all ages, blending rich histories of music and arts with today’s energies.
Stop in for a sampling of what creativity can do!
Current Gallery Exhibits
Opening Reception — Saturday, April 13, 3 – 5 PM
“Homage” is an art exhibition that invites the viewer to remember, reflect and renew our hopes for the future.
Whether in recent months or decades long past, we have lost many loved ones, both individually and as members of our broader communities. But it is also springtime, a time to look to the future — in this case, by celebrating, honoring and remembering those who have come before and who have made the world a better place.
The exhibition “Homage: Honoring Those Who Have Come Before,” presents the work of established and emerging Milwaukee-area artists. The works range from the highly personal to reflections encompassing historical and ancestral themes.
In addition: “Homage Celebration” by Earth Poets, Musicians and Special Guests, Saturday, May 18, 8 p.m.
Upcoming Events
Sunday, May 5, 7 PM
At the Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts - 926 East Center Street
Djangophonique (Ann Arbor, MI) is an award winning project that delivers the infectious joy, and expressive freedom that is at the heart of Django Reinhardt’s jazz manouche. With respect for the tradition and a fearless creativity that bends the conventions of the style, Djangophonique is keeping the Hot Club revival alive and well. The result is a sound that’s unmistakable to fans of the music, and alluring to the uninitiated—a sound that can bring the lively energy of a Parisian dance hall to the quietest listening room or captivate a buzzing festival audience with the aching nostalgia of a shimmering ballad.
On this tour route the band is joined by Christo Ruppenthal and Forrest Evans of Christo’s Novelty Combo(Madison, WI). They will both accompany Djangophonique and perform a few of their own songs throughout the concert. Christo's Novelty Combo presents a unique mixture of the Vaudeville era, novelty and jazz-infused hot steel guitar and ukulele of the 1920s and 30s "Hawaiian Craze," and the swinging sounds of French, Django Reinhardt-style small group swing jazz from the 1930s and 40s. Think Hot Hawaiian guitar meets Jazz à la Django
Date: May 5, 2024
Time: 7:00pm doors/7:30pm show
Cover price: 15$ (please note we do not sell advance tickets - doors only. both cash and cards are accepted)
Friday, May 10, 7 PM
At the Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts - 926 East Center Street
Nothing focuses your attention on the important things in life more than confronting -- and beating -- cancer and then starting a family. Watching her children living in the moment and playing with abandon made ELLIE MARTIN realize that you cannot take anything for granted. Despite a successful and rewarding career in academia, the singer and songwriter decided it was time to follow her dream and record an album.
VERDANT, Martin’s debut recording, showcases her wide ranging vocal and compositional talents. The album comprises 12 original songs that mostly follow the arc of her life in the last few years, reflecting her experiences as a woman, a mother, and a cancer survivor. Martin’s voice is light and warm as she skillfully navigates through her program of bebop, Latin grooves, ballads, and swing, undaunted by challenging intervals.
The songs on VERDANT come directly from Martin’s life. Audiences in the Midwest, where she tours extensively, have had plenty of opportunity to hear Martin in concert. With the release of VERDANT, a larger audience will finally get to enjoy the depth and breadth of her artistry.
Martin has a PhD in Jazz Studies and is currently the vocal jazz instructor at the University of Toledo, as well as Toledo School for the Arts. She has performed at the Pittsburgh Jazz Festival, the Sunset Jazz Festival, and the Michigan Jazz Festival. She was the featured vocalist with the National Arab Orchestra in San Antonio Texas, and she has performed alongside jazz luminaries Geri Allen, Terri Lynne Carrington, Esperanza Spalding, the New York Voices, Jon Hendricks, and Afro Blue.
Date: May 10
Time: 7:00pm
Cover price: 10$ (please note we do not sell tickets in advance, doors only. both cards and cash are accepted)
Sunday, May 12th, 2024
At the Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts - 926 East Center Street
ITALIAN SURF ACADEMY is a trio led by New York based guitarist Marco Cappelli, featuring bassist Damon Banks and drummer Dave Miller. The band plays a blend of Spaghetti Western, Exotica and Tex Mex, marinated in vintage Italian sauce. One third of the night will be dedicated to their album Barbarella Reloaded - a surf reinterpretation of the iconic 1968 Barbarella soundtracks- followed by the suite Morricone is Dissolving, written and performed by poet Denver Butson, who will be joining the band as special guest. Echoes of Mario Bava horror B-movies mixed with Martin Danny’s Hawaiian sound will be heard in the last part of the concert, taken by their last album Fake Worlds .
Date: April 19, 2024
Time: 7pm
Cover price: 10$ (please note we do not sell tickets in advance, doors only. both cards and cash are accepted)
View more upcoming Art, Performance or Community events.
View full Event Calendar
News & Announcements
Thursday May 2 (IN-PERSON)
Vince Bushell of Riverwest Currents: May 2024 Issue
Friday May 3 (IN-PERSON)
First-Friday Drum Circle
Tuesday May 7 (RADIO)
Walter Wilson speaks on Wisconsin National Organization of Minority Architects: WISCONOMA.com
Thursday May 9 (IN-PERSON)
Artist Ann Roetz: Doll-Making Demo
Friday May 10 (IN-PERSON)
DIY Creative: Bring your own project or use our materials
Tuesday May 14 (RADIO)
Karen Beaumont Presents: Tribute to Bach
Thursday May 16 (IN-PERSON)
Ruth Gibbons: Life & Leadership in the Salvation Army
Friday May 17 (IN-PERSON)
Spotlight on the Importance of Comedic Relief
Tuesday May 21 (RADIO)
"The A.M. Book Report," On Media Literacy for Disinformation
Thursday May 23 (IN-PERSON)
Short Films with a Focus on Cultural Oppression of Women
Friday May 24 (IN-PERSON)
Watercolor demo by artist, Tim Ladwig
Tuesday May 28 (RADIO)
Karen Beaumont Presents: The Peasant Astrologer
Thursday May 30 (IN-PERSON)
Artificial Intelligence Imagery: A Closer Look (Featuring Allison Alexander Westbrook IV)
On Stage
April 6
Truth In The Mix + Emily Beisel/Bill Harris (Chicago). Singer songwriter/jazz/free improvisation. 6:30pm doors/7:00pm show. Cover fee: optional donation
April 7
Manty Ellis Jam Session. 12:00pm - 2:00pm. Free admission
April 12
Drew Wesely + TBD. Experimental/audio-visual performance. 7:00pm- 10:00pm. $10 cover
April 13
Night Cow + Pedro Gutierrez. Jazz/experimental. 7:00pm- 10:00pm. $10 cover
April 14
The Naima + Nurse Julie. Experimental/metal/post rock. 7:00pm- 10:00pm. $10 cover
April 19
The Latin Side of Pepper Adams and Ronnie Cuber. Jazz. TBD time and cover (see our website for more details as they’re updated).
April 23
Gían Pérez + TBD. Experimental/free improvisation. 6:30-9:30pm. $10 cover
April 27
Aden Stier Bell Ensemble + The Smudge + Battalion of Cloudships. Experimental/noise/performance art. 6:00pm- 9:30pm. $10 cover.
Free Improvisation Sessions - Every Saturday, 10 AM - noon
On View
February 24 - April 6
Main Gallery. Cities and Souls. A group exhibition featuring artists and poets reflecting on urbanism.
February 24 - April 6
Small Wall. Elisabeth Gasparka: Rainbow Rock. Paintings
April 13 - June 1
Main Gallery. Homage: Honoring Those Who Have Come Before. An exhibition that invites the viewer to remember, reflect and renew our hopes for the future.
A look back at this year at the Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts
Presented over 80 music events
Hosted over 40 community meetings and events
Staged over a dozen visual art exhibitions
Hosted over 100 older adult program sessions
Provided the venue for over 100 lessons and workshops
Expanded the Saturday morning improvisational sessions
Began the Manty Ellis Jazz Series
Started the Les Paul Sound Engineering program
Initiated the Riverwest Jazzfest music festival
As a 90% volunteer operated nonprofit community arts organization, we rely on you to keep this momentum going in 2024.
In 2024 we plan to:
Improve our historic music venue
Produce a music series for new genres
Initiate an innovative emerging artist series
Expand our ambitious outreach program
We do all of this for you, our diverse and engaged community.
Many thanks from us to you, our audience, for the great year!
Support the Jazz Gallery!
Donate Now!
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VISIT US
Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts
926 E Center ST, Milwaukee, WI 53212
GALLERY HOURS
Exhibits can be viewed online or in-person:
Gallery Hours are Thursday, Friday, and Saturdays; 12 noon – 5 PM
OR make an appointment for Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday; email us at info@jazzgallerycenterforarts.org
Please review our COVID Policy if you are planning a visit to the Jazz Gallery.
JGCA Riverwest Radio Shows
Check out Jazz Gallery shows on 104.1 fm in Milwaukee and riverwestradio.com everywhere else.
Tuesdays at 7:00 pm on Riverwest Radio, WXRW, 104.1 FM.
Stream the show live on riverwestradio.com, if you can’t get radio reception, or if you miss the radio broadcast, you can catch it anytime at: https://www.riverwestradio.com/show/owl-older-wiser-local/
PERFORMANCE
JAZZ IMPROV, HIP HOP, EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC, SPOKEN WORD—AND MORE.
Our stage speaks diversity.
ART
PAINT, FIBER, PHOTOGRAPHY, SCULPTURE, CERAMICS, ASSEMBLAGES…BEHOLD!
New exhibits every other month.
Credit to OUr Sponsors - Thanks for your Support!