Making the Song Yours

On May 13, MJS will close its Workshop and Jam Series 2025-26 with a vocal workshop all about making a song your own. Each artist will perform and speak about their approach to delivering a jazz standard and a song of their own choice. The session will ends with all vocalists and workshop participants coming to the stage to demonstrate this together by singing a blues. Laurie will help to lead the session and be playing bass.

iGnitE jAzz! Intensive Summer Experience June 15-19

A big part of my life this spring is organizing a 5 day camp with Madison Jazz Society. MJS iGnitE jAzz! 2026 There is so much planning, coordination, meeting teachers and students interested in jazz and inviting them to join this unique all ages, all levels camp experience. I’m inspired, excited and a bit intimidated to lead this charge in our community. The hope is to cultivate like minded partners to give, volunteer, participate and create a community of curiosity and joy around learning this music.

Structure and Freedom

One of the things I value most about jazz is the way it holds structure and freedom together.

There is form, rhythm, harmony, and history. There is also space for listening, discovery, and response. That balance is part of what makes the music so alive.

Improvisation, for me, is listening and responding in real time. It is discovering music that didn’t exist a moment earlier. It is a shared conversation where each voice matters.

Whether performing, teaching, or working with a group of students, I keep returning to that same idea: learning the structure well enough to move freely within it, and listening carefully enough to help create something meaningful together.