Mark Your Calendars for a Summer of Free Music at the Rotary Performance Pavilion!

Please LIKE us on Facebook

Wednesday, June 22 - Semi-Twang - 7:30pm . The Mike Benign Compulsion - 6pm
Thursday, June 23 - Conservatory Jazz Night Featuring guest artist Brian Lynch - 6pm
Wednesday, July 13 - Mama Digdown's Brass Band - 7:30pm . Peter D'Amore - 6pm
Wednesday, August 17 - The Milwaukee Irish Fest Foundation presents Irish Fest Preview Evening - 6pm
Tuesday, September 13 - Maxie's & Blue's Egg present Master Singer-Songwriter Night

Semi-Twang

Wednesday, June 22nd

6:00 - 7:00pm

The Mike Benign Compulsion

The Mike Benign Compulsion's music is best described as a chocolate-covered feather floating on a downy bed of sausage through rivers of time, with short breaks every three or four minutes so people can stretch their legs or go to the bathroom. As a live act, TMBC promises standout songs played by good humans with medium volume and maximum conviction. Check out their site for their new album, "Rollicking Musical" and even more colorful descriptions of the band.

7:30 - 9:00pm

Semi-Twang

On his "If There Was A Way" album (Reprise Records), Dwight Yoakam sings "Honey you sure do it well, but I don't need it done." That song and other John Sieger compositions have been discovered and then recorded by artists such as The Bodeans, The Talking Heads' Jerry Harrison, Tex-Mex superstar Flaco Jimenez and many others during John Sieger's prolific musical career. Those songs were also all originally recorded by John's band, SEMI-TWANG. SEMI-TWANG was formed to give voice to Sieger's prodigious songwriting talent. The signature depth and quality of Sieger's material along with his unique delivery enabled him to attract and hold the band of topnotch area musicians Mike Hoffmann, Bob Jennings, Jason Klagstad, Bob Schneider and Mike Sieger. Look for their new album, "Wages of Sin" available now on iTunes and other popular music sites.

A fantastic variety of mouthwatering food and refreshing beverages available at every show from our friends at Maxie's, Leff's and more. Please support our series and leave your coolers at home.

Did you know that Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin has been a pivotal sponsor for the development of the Tosa Tonight Concert Series? Learn more about our friends at Froedtert.

back to top

Jazz Institute and Brian Lynch

Thursday, June 23rd

CONCERT MOVED TO MUELLNER BUILDING
Due to inclement weather.
6:00pm

Conservatory Jazz Night Featuring guest artist Brian Lynch

The Wisconsin Conservatory of Music has one of the longest running jazz programs in the United States. Over the last forty-plus years, it has been a significant presence in the world of jazz education and has produced many well-known performers. The newly formed Jazz Institute at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music builds on this legacy and continues to offer lessons, ensembles and classes taught by the area's top jazz musicians. This concert features students from the Institute's 17th Annual High School Jazz Camp performing in combos and in a big band along with Grammy Award winning jazz trumpeter Brian Lynch.

A bit about Milwaukee Native - Brian Lynch

Acclaimed NYU Jazz trumpet faculty member Brian Lynch's the Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project has won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz album of 2006. Lynch received the award on Feb. 11 during the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. Trumpeter Brian Lynch moved to New York City in 1981 and began working with groups such as the Horace Silver Quintet, the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra, and Canales and Hector La Voe. By the late 1980s he had toured with Eddie Palmieri and the Afro-Caribbean Jazz Octet, collaborating as arranger, co-composer, and musical director for Palmieri. A seminal experience for Brian was his tenure as trumpeter and composer/arranger in what became the final edition of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. He is also an integral part of the acclaimed Phil Woods Quintet, in which he has been a contributing force since 1992. Brian has recorded six albums as a leader on the Sharp Nine, Chriss Cross and Ken Record labels. He also works extensively as an arranger and producer in the jazz and pop fields, and has recorded and performed with such pop music luminaries Prince. Brian is a Yamaha artist and plays Yamaha instruments and Monette mouthpieces exclusively.

A fantastic variety of mouthwatering food and refreshing beverages available at every show from our friends at Maxie's, Leff's and more. Please support our series and leave your coolers at home.

Mama Digdown's Brass Band

Wednesday, July 13th

6:00 - 7:00pm

Peter D'Amore

Peter D'Amore is an energetic "acoustic - loop guitarist" and vocalist. "Looping" makes his guitar playing limitless, in how he colors live songs and studio work with unique layering. People say he sounds like 'Dave Matthews', 'Peter Gabriel', 'Paul McCartney', and 'Yes' all in one act. In 2005, Peter had the privilege to open for Amos Lee at his sold out show in Milwaukee. In 2008, Peter took 4th place in the VH1 Classic Contest "Your Move With Yes". Peter hails from Wauwatosa, WI, has always regarded the old-style rectangular tape recorder as a living time machine, even since the age of 3. Now he is a lively acoustic loop-guitarist on a never-ending quest for more music-loving goosebumps.

7:30 - 9:00pm

Mama Digdown's Brass Band

For the past 18 years Mama Digdown's has traveled the world spreading the gospel of New Orleans brass band music. While Mama Digdown's nods respectively to the tradition of New Orleans jazz, the street beat they add has earned them the reputation as one of the hottest and hardest hitting brass bands. Mama Digdown's has played hundreds of shows in their time together and is equally at home in concert halls and in the second line parades of New Orleans. Whether you catch them uptown, downtown or back-o–town, Mama Digdown's Brass Band will make you shake what your mama gave ya!

A fantastic variety of mouthwatering food and refreshing beverages available at every show from our friends at Maxie's, Leff's and more. Please support our series and leave your coolers at home.

Irish Fest Preview Evening

Wednesday, August 17th - Irish Fest Preview Evening presented by The Milwaukee Irish Fest Foundation

6:00 - 6:45pm

Seamus Kennedy

Seamus' trademark is his ongoing interaction with his audiences. From the moment he steps on stage, he starts talking to them — and encourages them to talk back! He is quick with a quip and likes nothing better than to discover someone in the audience who is similarly inclined. Fast-paced humor is very much a part of what Seamus does, whether he's telling a series of rapid-fire jokes or launching into a lyrical parody. In fact, Seamus seems to be having such a grand time and he makes it all look so effortless that it is easy not to notice what a superb musician he truly is. He will segue seamlessly from an Irish ballad about a dying town to a rollicking reel and then move into American music, equally at home with folk, pop, country or traditional. Accompanying himself on guitar or bodhran, his musicianship is much in evidence as he moves through such a vast range of styles. More information is available at seamus-kennedy.com

7:15 - 8:00pm

Goitse

Goitse (pronounced gwi-cha) is a five member Irish Trad band which specialises in their unique rythmic arrangements of well known tunes and own compositions. Goitse is a Donegal Irish word meaning 'come here'. Modern Rhythms and Traditional Melodies are synthesized by this newly formed five piece band all of whom are students of Traditional Music and Dance at the University of Limerick. Rhythm specialist Colm Phelan has established himself in the world of Percussion as a leading Bodhrán player who successfully merged his unique style with the traditional to win back to back All-Ireland titles at All-Ireland Fleadh and also become the first World Bodhrán Champion. Multi-instrumentalist Conal O'Kane who features largely on Guitar brings an American influence which fuses well with the virtuoso style of Dubliner Tadhg Ó Meachair who features on Piano. One of the more prolific composers in the group, Tadhg has also earned All-Ireland recognition for his Piano Accordion playing in 2008. Melody maker in every sense is Áíne McGeeney, the Louth fiddle player whose vibrant energetic style of playing adds 'lift', so essential to the Irish tradition. Áine's vocal abilities add yet another dimension – her style of singing, marries old traditional songs with contemporary sounds while retaining the rich emotive tradition of the lyrics. Amongst young traditional Banjo Players the name James Harvey is one of the most revered with four in a row All-Ireland titles and a further three on mandolin, he came to Limerick more recently and immediately joined Goitse to complete an enthusiastic and talented line out.

8:30 - 9:30pm

Kintra

Kintra performed their debut show to a packed Alley Theatre, Strabane, Ireland in February 2008. Since then, Kintra's show has been performed in The Great Hall at Stormont, Aras an Uachtarain (the official residence of the President of Ireland) and at festivals and theatres throughout the Ireland Province of Ulster. Under the Musical Direction of renowned fiddle player Matt McGranaghan, Kintra perform Irish & Scottish Music, Song and Dance in an exciting and colourful stage show. Led by Matt on Fiddle and Darren Milligan on Bagpipes, the group features piano, tin whistle, guitar, bass, drums, three 2nd Pipers and 2 singers. Formed by good friends, Kintra showcases the talents of musicians, singers and dancers from the North West of Ireland in this fusion of cultures. Kintra's show appeals to lovers of Irish and Scottish music, song and dance.

A fantastic variety of mouthwatering food and refreshing beverages available at every show from our friends at Maxie's, Leff's and more. Please support our series and leave your coolers at home.

Singer-Songwriter

Tuesday, September 13th

6:00 - 7:30pm

Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound

Paul Cebar cut his teeth musically in the coffeehouse folk scene of the mid-'70s in Milwaukee. First paying gigs took place in late '76 with an emphasis on solo recasting of small combo jump-blues and other early R&B. Upon graduation from New College in Sarasota, Florida, with a thesis addressing rhythm & blues varities featuring a hearty emphasis on Louis Jordan and Buddy Johnson, Cebar dedicated himself to trodding the boards in earnest and spent substantial amounts of time testing the waters out New York way while exploring band dynamics with a soul and New Orleans-minded crew called the R&B Cadets back home. The Cadets ranged about from 1980 to 1986 and featured the grand original tunes of John Sieger alongside the winning assortment of B sides and obscurities that were the fruits of Cebar's research. Concurrently, he kept alive the spark of his solo work with a small group which came to be known as The Milwaukeeans.

The peripatetic pageant continues unabated with renewed focus on "the song " in the context of the increasingly forceful rhythmic exploration that is at the heart of Cebar's quest. Stripping back to 5 pieces has opened up space for the understated command of Bob Jennings' keyboard and saxophonic thinking. Field Marshall Cebar's pithy guitar musing comes to the fore. With an ever-deepening appreciation for the funk and the polyglot rhythmic conception that is their trademark, Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound said More! More! More! in 2004. Way to thrive in 2005! Dipped their wicks in 2006, Partied like '11 in 2007, and have their wild heads on straight in 2008. Fine fine Fine into 2009! funked it again and again and again and again in '10 and fully intend to make like 2107 in '11.

Presently spreading the word with their gangling, headlong and insouciant record,"Tommorow Sound Now For Yes Music People", Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound want and need you to come on out and help them get down.

8:00 - 9:30pm

Willy Porter Band

To close out our summer series we present Willy Porter with his full band. Fresh off his latest release How To Rob A Bank, esteemed guitarist/singer-songwriter Willy Porter, showcases his continued growth as a songwriter and recording artist. "Bank" is Porter at the top of his game" says the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. A master musical craftsman that words and styleistic labels can seldom pin down, you just have to experience this show to begin your journey as a life-long listener. Please visit his website for a sampling of musical genius.

A fantastic variety of mouthwatering food and refreshing beverages available at every show from our friends at Maxie's, Leff's and more. Please support our series and leave your coolers at home.