Restaurant Magnus

Posted By Prentice on July 20, 2010

FRIDAY, July 23rd, 9:30pm – Francesca Esme (Johnson):
Since graduating from the University of North Texas with a degree in Jazz Studies in 2008, Francesca returned to her roots in Madison and was a local favorite at all the local Jazz hotspots. Late last year, she moved down to Chicago to be closer to two separate band projects she’s been performing with. Luckily, she’s able to come home on occasion to visit the Restaurant Magnus stage. This Friday, she’ll be joined by local jazz luminaries Dave Stoler (piano), Rodrigo Villanueva (drums), and Matt Rogers (bass) for a night of new and old Jazz standards. Click on the video below to see an “aged” performance at Restaurant Magnus last year with Snarky Puppy:

See Francesca with Snarky Puppy at Restaurant Magnus sing Tom Wait’s ‘Clap Hands’ live on YouTube

SATURDAY, July 24th – Joel Adams “Town Hall Meeting” Chicago Contingent Joel Adams just gets better every time he plays Restaurant Magnus, and this Saturday will be no exception. He’s bringing up a crew of jazz aces from Chicago for this show and it’s sure to be a burner of an evening. Trombonist Joel Adams won the International Trombone Association Frank Rosolino Memorial Scholarship in 1986. He toured with the Woody Herman Orchestra performing with Clark Terry, Joe Williams, Dizzy Gillespie, and Diane Schuur. He has also played with Rich Perry and the Gary Morgan Latin Big Band while living in New York City. Locally, he has performed with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble with Jon Faddis, Doug Lawrence, Jimmy Heath, Arturo Sandoval and Clyde Stubblefield as well as his own groups.

Pianist Dan Trudell has been voted “a rising star” by Downbeat Magazine and has recently toured with Matt Wilson’s “Arts and Crafts” quartet featuring Terrell Stafford and Dennis Irwin in Italy. Dan holds the piano chair in the Chicago Jazz Orchestra and has performed as a sideman with Aretha Franklin, Kenny Burrell, Ron Carter, Benny Golson, Roy Hargrove, Jeff Hamilton, Kurt Elling, Joe Williams, Jimmy Heath, and Doug Lawrence. Dan resides and performs in the Chicago area and has toured and performed throughout the world.

Bassist Clark Sommers is featured on the Grammy Award winning album “Dedicated to You: Kurt Elling Sings the Music of Coltrane and Hartman.” Clark has toured and performed extensively throughout the world with Cedar Walton, Kurt Elling, Kevin Mahogany, Peter Bernstein, Von Freeman, Bobby Broom, Michael Weiss, The Chicago Jazz Orchestra, Charlie Haden Liberation Orchestra, and the Joe La Barbara Sextet. From 1997 to 1999 Clark performed and toured with Sony Recording Artists The Mighty Blue Kings. He has also performed at international jazz festivals in the US, Ireland, France and Canada, sharing bills with Tony Bennett, Diana Krall, B.B. King, Dr. John, and Koko Taylor.

Geof Bradfield moved to Chicago in 2004 and has been fortunate to work with numerous jazz luminaries and to perform throughout the United States, Europe, Russia, Africa and the

Middle East. He is featured on over thirty CDs, including two critically acclaimed albums as a leader-­‐ Rule of Three (“A quietly exhilarating album, and one of the more significant debut recordings of 2003.” – Cadence Magazine) and his 2007 Origin Records release, Urban Nomad (“saxophonist Geof Bradfield and his powerhouse quartet perform with tremendous spirit, maintaining a momentum that is vibrant and infectious.”-­‐All About Jazz). Mr. Bradfield performs regularly with diverse groups, including the Ryan Cohan Quartet, Ted Sirota’s Rebel Souls, Chicago Yestet, and Dana Hall’s Spring. As a composer, Mr. Bradfield has received several commissions and awards, including the prestigious New Works: Creation and Presentation commission from Chamber Music America and the Doris Duke Charitable foundation for his suite African Flowers.

Dana Hall has performed, toured, and/or recorded with Branford Marsalis, Ray Charles, Roy Hargrove, Joshua Redman, Orbert Davis, Horace Silver, Michael Brecker, Nicholas Payton, Kurt Elling, Benny Green, Frank Foster, Betty Carter, Jimmy Heath, Benny Golson, Bobby Hutcherson, Wallace Roney, Diana Krall, Renee Rosnes, Clark Terry, the Mingus Big Band, Steve Lacy, Muhal Richard Abrams, Buster Williams, Gary Bartz, Ira Sullivan, Lester Bowie, Slide Hampton, James Moody, Shirley Scott, Joe Williams, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Patricia Barber, Ralph Bowen, Bud Shank, Phil Woods, Von Freeman, Kenny Barron, Maria Schneider, Jackie McLean, Mulgrew Miller, the Woody Herman Orchestra, Joe Henderson, Curtis Fuller, and Oliver Lake, among others. Mr. Hall is a member of the Terell Stafford Quintet and the Music Director of the Chicago Jazz Ensemble. Additionally, he is a former regular member of the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band under the direction of Jon Faddis and has served as an extra in the percussion sections of the Des Moines and Cedar Rapids Symphonies.

Category: Jazz, Live Music, Musicians
Tags: Clark Sommers, Dan Trudell, Dana Hall, Dave Stoler, Francesca Johnson, Free show, Guitar, Jazz, Jazz Standards, Joel Adams, Live Music, Madison, Matt Rogers, Music Video, No cover, Restaurant Magnus, Rodrigo Villanueva, Town Hall Meeting