You can't learn how to play jazz by taking a few classes. You have to develop a ravenous passion that you feed by listening, transcribing, composing etc.- in essence, obsessing on the music above and beyond any assignments you are given. If you have this passion and nurture it, you will likely succeed both as an artist and as a human being.


- Paul McKee 

New Season ;)

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Hi All,

well, our new season is now only days away. I hope you enjoyed your summer. We're excited to see you, and hear some cool jazz. Here is a quick outline of what's to come in the next few weeks.

August 27th - Placement Auditions.

You should have all received a postcard recently alerting you to your combo audition time or to the fact that you will not have a combo audition. During these placement auditions, we will create combos that have equal players in them. Students will receive their final class schedule, including their combo placement, by mail and e-mail immediately following the combo auditions.
5:00pm - 6:00pm Level A
6:00pm - 7:00pm Level B
Please make sure to be there 15 min early, so you can find the room, and be ready by the beginning of your time.

September 7th - Orientation

5:30pm - 7:00pm MYSO New Parent/Family Orientation (optional; important and usefull information about MYSO)
7:15pm - 8:15pm Jazz Studies Kick Off (required; Jazz studies related information for the season)

September 8th and 9th - Classes start

September 8th 5:00pm - 7:00pm Level B Combo and Techniques classes
September 8th 7:00pm - 9:00pm Level C Techniques Classes and Combo
September 9th 6:00pm - 8:00pm Level A Techniques Classes and Combo
September 9th 7:00pm - 9:00pm Latin "Son".

If you have any questions, please contact me at:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
414-267-2948

We look forward to seeing and hearing all of you soon!!

Jazz Finale Concert

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Sunday May 2
4:00pm

Cafe Centraal
2306 S Kinnickinnic Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53207

This year's Jazz Finale Concert will be hosted at Cafe Centraal. This fantastic restaurant is a great setting to host the MYSO Jazz Finale Concert. The performance is free to the public!! Cafe Centraal is donating a portion of the evening's proceeds to MYSO, so come hungry and thirsty! Bring family, friends and neighbors!

All nine combos will be performing. Performances begin at 4:00pm

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Dr. Lonnie Smith LIVE at the Jazz Estate

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THURSDAY APRIL 15

Two shows: 7:30pm & 10:00pm
$35 per show

The Jazz Estate
2423 N. Murray Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53211



Dr. Lonnie Smith is an authentic Master of the Hammond B3 organ. For over five decades he has furthered the sound of Jazz Organ, created a worldwide fan-base, and revealed his musical talents on over seventy albums. Today, his name is truly synonymous with the instrument.

Jazz Times magazine recently described him as “a riddle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a turban!” This kind of description suggests the level of complexity that he exhibits in his music and the pure amazement that it elicits. Much has been written about his music…but just who is Dr. Lonnie Smith?

Lonnie Smith has consistently been a leading force in jazz since 1969 when critics for Downbeat magazine hailed him as

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Jazz Heritage Festival
Sunday, January 31
2:00-5:30 p.m.

On Sunday, January 31st, MYSO Jazz Studies will host the Milwaukee Jazz Heritage Festival at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center (MYAC) in the historic Bronzeville neighborhood.  We would like to have a full audience as a part of this educationally rich, jazz-focused event! The event consists of:

    * Live jazz combo performances by the talented young musicians in MYSO Jazz Studies (YOU!)
    * Special guest artist, saxophonist Eric Morones (a Racine native now performing with the Brian Setzer Orchestra)
    * Representatives from the music community like The Jazz Estate, Melk Music and food vendors like J.T. Bones Catering and The Fixx Coffee house will be on hand in the Commons.

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Melvin Rhine LIVE at the Jazz Estate

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This Friday and Saturday

Melvin Rhyne - hammond organ
Kyle Asche - guitar
George Fludas - drums

9:30 - 1:30
$10 cover charge


Organist Melvin Rhyne's greatest fame is his participation on four Wes Montgomery Riverside sessions (including Montgomery's first and last album for the label). Fortunately, Rhyne survived long enough, after some lean years, to return to the major-league jazz scene and record some CDs of his own. Born in Indianapolis, Rhyne (a largely self-taught pianist) was an important part of the city's jazz scene. He played with the then-unknown Roland Kirk during 1955-1956, and soon switched to organ. He also had opportunities to back a series of blues (including T-Bone Walker and B.B. King) and R&B artists. Rhyne was part of Montgomery's group for most of 1959-1964. In 1969, he moved to Madison, WI, and four years later he relocated to Milwaukee, where he remained active if obscure for the next two decades. In 1990, he emerged, recording with Herb Ellis and Brian Lynch. Mel Rhyne went on to record two excellent sets for Criss Cross, including a quartet session that has Joshua Redman as his sideman, and has shown that he is an excellent soul-jazz and hard bop soloist in his own right.





Jazz Contact info

Director of Jazz Studies:
Chris Mell
414-267-2948
chrismell@myso.org

Jazz Schedule

New Orleans Stompers
Mon Jun 17 @ 05:00 PM - 08:00 PM
New Orleans Stompers
Tue Jun 18 @ 05:00 PM - 08:00 PM
New Orleans Stompers
Wed Jun 19 @ 05:00 PM - 08:00 PM
New Orleans Stompers
Thu Jun 20 @ 05:00 PM - 08:00 PM
New Orleans Stompers
Mon Jun 24 @ 05:00 PM - 08:00 PM