When people think of Milwaukee, I want them to think of jazz. This city has a long and rich jazz history that needs to be celebrated. I grew up here and have performed as a jazz pianist for over 35 years. After teaching at several institutions over the decades, I decided that our community needed a new organization focused solely on this art form. So, in 2019, my wife and I, along with a group of musicians and supporters, created the Milwaukee Jazz Institute (MJI) to promote jazz through education and performance.
A vibrant jazz scene doesn’t happen by accident. This music is passed from one generation to the next. I was lucky as a young teenager to meet and learn from some of the greats who have lived here, such as David Hazeltine, Berkeley Fudge and the “Godfather of Milwaukee Jazz,” Manty Ellis, who recently turned 90 and is an MJI board member. I want to do what my mentors did for me and what they did for our community.
MJI is working to create the next generation of musicians and listeners. Our 15 faculty members are top jazz performers who are also dedicated educators. We direct weekly ensembles for youth and adults at the Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts (926 E Center St) and host a monthly jam session there as part of MJI’s Jazz Circle, a series of classes and events that are free to the public. We also hold an annual summer jazz camp for youth, host an educational jazz festival each spring, teach workshops, and present programs in the schools. As a result of the pandemic in 2020, we started to develop online courses. We continue to offer these, and they have been attracting participants from around the country and overseas.
Stay on top of the news of the day
Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays.
In an effort to expand and diversify the local jazz audience and create opportunities for professional musicians, MJI presents local and internationally known jazz artists at venues throughout the city. Most recently, we’ve held concerts in the Arc Theatre of Saint Kate–The Arts Hotel and at Bar Centro.
At MJI, we envision how this music can become an even more significant factor in shaping, revitalizing, and uniting our city. Please subscribe to the Milwaukee Jazz Institute website and follow us on social media to stay updated on our amazing concerts, classes, and events. And I hope that the next time you think about what Milwaukee has to offer, you’ll think of jazz!
Mark Davis performs 6-10 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday each week at Mason Street Grill in the Pfister Hotel (425 E Mason St).
Upcoming MJI Events:
MJI Presents Trio Incognito at Bar Centro (804 E Center St), 8 p.m., Saturday, March 18
MJI Jam Session at the Jazz Gallery (926 E Center St), 8:30-10 p.m., Monday, April 17
Celebrate International Jazz Day with MJI at Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel (139 E Kilbourn Ave), 2-7 p.m., Sunday, April 30
Visit: milwaukeejazzinstitute.org
Photo Credit: Erol Reyal
