MKE Jazz Musicians

MJI aims to highlight jazz musicians with ties to Milwaukee. The musicians listed below either spent their formative years in Milwaukee, lived in the area as working musicians, or currently reside in the region.

If you would like to be included, please email your name, instrument, and website (if you have one) to andrea@milwaukeejazzinstitute.org

• Aaron, Abe – saxophone (b. 1910 – d. 1970)

• Aaron, Joe - clarinet and saxophone (b. 1920 - d. 2013)

• Adams, Ernie – drums

• Adedapo, Adekola - vocals

• Aldred, Alec - trumpet

• Alexander, Hattush - tenor saxophone (b. 1927 - d. 1992)

• Allen, Carl – drums

• Allen, Eddie – trumpet

• Allen, Jackie - vocals

• Allison, Jay - trombone

• Anderson, Al - bass

• Antonic, Tommy - guitar

• Antoniewicz, Matt - trumpet

• Appleton, “Killer” Ray - drums

• Armato, Sam - clarinet and saxophone (b.1916 – d. 2014)

• Armstead, Rolla - saxophone

• Arnold, Michael - guitar

• Arriale, Lynne - piano

• Artis, Martha - piano and vocals (b. 1919 - d. 2017)

• Babbitt, John - bass

• Bailey, Bert - clarinet and saxophone

• Baker, Eddie - piano

• Banks, Lem - vocals

• Barber, Lynn - vocals

• Barnett, John - tenor saxophone

• Baugher, Randy - drums

• Bayles, Dave - drums | https://davebaylesmusic.com/bio

• Belton, Sam - drums

• Benavides, Bony - percussion

• Bender, Ethan - bass

• Benton, James - bass

• Berigan, Kaye - trumpet

• Bey, Skip Crumby - bass (b. 1937 - d. 2004)

• Black, Pinky - piano 

• Black, Scott - bass

• Blochowiak, Andy - drums

• Bond, Wendell - drums 

• Bonifas, Bill - guitar

• Bordeaux, Baltimore - drums

• Bordeaux, Reggie - drums

• Braun, Dave - guitar

• Breiwick, Jamie - trumpet | https://jamiebreiwick.net/

• Britz, Mike - bass

• Brotherhood, Roger – guitar

• Budny, Bob - drums

• Burdette, Bobby - tenor saxophone (b.1926 - d. 1999)

• Burrows, Lee - bass (d. 2005)

• Cain, Jackie - vocals (b. 1928 - d. 2014)

• Caldwell, Mike - saxophone

• Campbell, Victor - drums

• Cannon, Gerald – bass

• Carr, Jack - drums

• Carr, John - drums

• Chambers, Jeff - bass

• Chandek, Neal - piano and trumpet (b. 1955 - d. 2022)

• Christensen, Gary - bass

• Cohen, Steve - harmonica

• Colvin, Jimmy - saxophone

• Contorno, Nick - saxophone (b. 1938 - d. 2014)

• Covic, Mitar “Mitch” - bass

• Cowen, Leigh - piano

• Crabtree, Rich - pianist

• Crain, Chris - vocals and piano | https://chriscrain1music.com/

• Crook, Arron - vocals

• Cross, Joey - vocals (d. 2016)

• Cucunato, Lou - piano

• Cunningham, Marcia - vocals (d. 2021)

• Currier, Scott - piano

• Czimber, Les - piano (b. 1934 - 2020)

• Dameron, Ben - guitar

• Dance, Dan - piano

• Daneille, Marcya - vocals | https://www.marcyadaneille.com/

• Davis, Anne - vocals

• Davis Jr., Charles - tenor saxophone

• Davis Sr., Charles - trumpet

• Davis, Mark - piano | https://www.markdavismusic.com/

• Davis, Mary - vocals and keyboard (b. 1946 - d. 2019)

• Davis, Neil - guitar

• Davis, Vince - drums

• Davison, “Wild Bill” - cornet (b. 1906 - d.1989)

• Denison, Annie - vocals

• Deutsch, Anthony - piano and vocals

• Devillers, Ron - trumpet (b. 1929 - d. 2022)

• Diaz, Luis “Flaco” - percussion

• Dizack, Philip – trumpet

• Dominguez (DeMiles), Frank - piano (b. 1931 – d. 2019)

• Dominguez, John - bass

• Dorsey, Claude - piano and vocals

• Drobka, Devin - drums | https://www.devindrobka.com/

• Dudley, Jimmy - saxophone and clarinet (b. 1903 - d. 1971)

• Ebert, Doug - bass

• Einerson, Steve - piano

• Elgar, Charles - violin (b. 1879 – d. 1973)

• Ellis, Manty – guitar

• Farinelli, Jeanne Marie - tenor saxophone

• Fettig, Sam - tenor saxophone

• Foshager, John - piano and trombone

• Foster, Lee - drums

• Fudge, Berkeley - tenor saxophone and flute

• Garcia, Greg - trumpet

• Garofalo, Peter - piano

• Gay, Frank - trumpet (1928 - 2012)

• Gay, Leonard - saxophone

• Germanson, Rick – piano

• Gibson, Charlene - vocals

• Gies, Jeanne - vocals

• Gillette, Jason - alto saxophone

• Goldsmith, Jason - saxophone

• Goodwin, Penny - vocals

• Gordon, Frank – trumpet (b. 1938 – d. 2023)

• Grassel, Jack - guitar

• Grauer, Connie - piano

• Green, Bunky - alto saxophone (b. 1933 – d. 2025)

• Green, Will - organ

• Greenstein, Jonathan - tenor saxophone

• Greer, Brianna - vocals

• Gribble, Cliff - educator

• Grillo, Jerry - vocals

• Grimwood, Robert - piano

• Grzanna, Suzanne - saxophone and vocals

• Gumin, Joe - drums (b. 1898 - death year unknown)

• Gumina, Tommy - accordion (b. 1931 - d. 2013)

• Haas, Augie - trumpet

• Hamann, Jeff - bass

• Hammer, Gabriel - drums, guitar, and piano | https://maestromakers.com/instructor/gabriel-hammer/

• Hanrahan, Curt - saxophone

• Harris, Chris - vocals

• Hauck, Jessie - vocals (b. 1937 - d. 1995)

• Hazeltine, David – piano

• Hedges, Chuck - clarinet (b. 1932 – d. 2010)

• Herman, Woody - clarinet, alto saxophone, vocals (b. 1913 - d. 1987)

• Hervey, Eric - bass guitar

• High, John - saxophone

• Hobbs, Bob – drums (b. 1942 – d. 2023)

• Ipsen, Tim - bass

• Jacobson, Eric - trumpet | https://ericjacobsontrumpet.com/

• Jarreau, Al - vocals (b. 1940 – d. 2017

• Jensen, Tony - piano

• Johnson, Allen - trumpet

• Johnson, Billy - bass

• Johnson, Hannah - drums

• Johnson, Mark - drums

• Johnson, Russ - trumpet

• Johnson, Scat - vocals and guitar (b. 1915 – d. 1995)

• Jones, Isaiah - piano

• Jones, Rick - trumpet

• Jones, Romarcus - drums

• Kaczmarek, Jim - saxophone and flute

• Kidd, Sam - bass (b. 1931 – d. 2025)

• King, Tony - piano (d. 1990)

• Kirchberger, John - saxophone

• Klopfer, Dennis - piano

• Koenig, Art - bass

• Kozlowski, Harry - trombone

• Krause, Rick - drums

• Kremer, Rich - bass

• Kuzniar, Jeremy - drums

• LaBeau, Lucas - piano

• LaGrone, James - trombone

• Lea, Dean - piano

• Ledvina, Charles - bass

• Lehman, Joel - trumpet and vocals

• Lewandowksi, Steve - guitar

• Lindsey, Gerald - bass

• Linke, Don - guitar and bass

• LoDuca, Andy - drums

• Lynch, Brian - trumpet

• Maglio, Santo - piano

• Maher, Mike "Maz" – trumpet and vocals

• Marcus, Greg - piano

• Martin, Bill - guitar

• Martinson, Ron - piano (b.1934 - d. 2021)

• McGirr, Tom - bass

• Merriweather, Theo - piano

• Milano, Constantine "Connie" - bass and vocals (b. 1927 - d. 2008)

• Miller, Harold - bass

• Millonzi, Sig - piano (b. 1924 – d. 1977)

• Mollerskov, Jay - guitar

• Momblow, Don - guitar (b. 1920 – d. 1989)

• Montgomery, Buddy - piano and vibes (b. 1930 – d. 2009)

• Moore, Perry - alto saxophone

• Moore, Tina - vocals

• Morgan, Frank - alto saxophone (b. 1933 – d. 2007)

• Moroder, Rudy - piano

• Mroz, Jon - bass

• Myles, Gervis - bass

• Napoli, Leiko - piano

• Napoli, Scott - drums

• Neesley, Andrew - trumpet

• Negrón Jr, Cecilio – percussion (d. 2023)

• Neufeld, Sam - trumpet

• Newburg, Tom - saxophone

• Nimmer, Dan – piano

• Padilla, Johnny - alto saxophone

• Paolo, Jim - bass

• Pauers, Mike - baritone saxophone

• Paul, Les - guitar (b. 1915 - d. 2009)

• Peplin, Steve - guitar

• Peppas, Chris - vocals and percussion

• Petta, Perry - piano

• Phillips, Jeff “Omar” - drums

• Pickens, Willie - piano (b. 1931 - d. 2017)

• Pietrangelo, Jeff - trumpet (b. 1952 – d. 2013)

• Piette, Ben - drums

• Pitts, Beverly - organ

• Plog, Mike - trumpet

• Pluer, Robin - vocals

• Praefke, Al - drums (b. 1931 - d. 1971)

• Price, John - bass (b. 1961 - d. 2024)

• Pritchett, George - guitar (b. 1931 - d. 1987)

• Pufall, Molly - vocals

• Ramos, Toty - guitar (d. 2024)

• Rattner, Jordan - guitar

• Reichert, Kenny - guitar | https://www.kennyreichert.com/

• Rhyne, Melvin - organ (b. 1936 - d. 2013)

• Ritter, Brian - drums

• Robinson, Marcus - piano

• Robinson, Sonya - violin

• Ruedebusch, Dick - trumpet (b. 1924 - d. 1968)

• Rush, Tim - percussion

• Saafir, Dumah - percussion

• Sanchez, Joey - bass

• Sanders, Joe – bass

• Sargent, Bill - drums

• Schaub, Clay - bass | https://clayschaub.com/

• Schick, Mike - drums

• Schneck, Dan - organ (b. 1978 - d. 2024)

• Schoor, Eric - tenor saxophone

• Sheridan, Tommy – piano

• Shiner, Mitch - drums and vibes

• Siegel, Bob - bass (b. 1953 – d. 2021)

• Sievert, Sonny - trombone

• Silbergleit, Paul - guitar | https://paulsilbergleit.com/

• Simpson, Lenard - alto saxophone | https://lenardsimpsonmusic.com/

• Small, Charles - guitar

• Smirl, Terry - drums

• Smith, Cladys “Jabbo” - trumpet, trombone, and vocals (b. 1908 - d. 1991)

• Smith, Dick - drums

• Somlai, Jeno - drums, piano, organ

• Soward, Victor - drums

• Spann, Cameron - drums

• Spencer, Paul - drums

• Standal, Mike - guitar

• Steffke, Sam - piano

• Stoler, Dave - piano

• Stoll, Jeff – keyboard and vocals

• Stone, Bill - guitar

• Stuermer, Daryl - guitar

• Sutton, Tierney – vocals

• Swan, Angie - guitar

• Syme, Doug - guitar

• Tabs, Ray - piano (b. 1938 – d. 2022)

• Tardy, Greg - tenor saxophone

• Tardy, Joanne - vocals (b. 1940 - d. 2022)

• Tato, Leo - drums

• Thierfelder, Mark - piano and trumpet

• Tilton, Steve - piano

• Tomasicyk, Jake - trombone

• Tresp, Larry - bass

• Trim, Andrew - guitar

• Turano, Joe - saxophone and vocals

• Van Oudenallen, Aaron - tenor saxophone

• VanZeeland, Dan - piano

• Velleman, Barry - piano

• Wagner, Bart - drums

• Wake, David - piano

• Wallace, Billy - piano (b. 1928 - d. 2017)

• Washington, George - bass

• Weber, Jon - pianist

• Weitzer, Jerry - piano

• Welland, George - bass (b. 1942 – d. 2025)

• Westfahl, Paul - percussion

• Whalen, Tim - piano

• White, Mary – vocals

• Whyte, Loretta - piano, organ, vocals (b. 1911 - d. 2008)

• Wiegratz, Warren - saxophone

• Willette, “Baby Face” - organ (b. 1933 – d. 1971)

• Winters, Ellen - vocals

• Wood, Juli - saxophone and vocals | https://www.juliwoodsax.com/

• Woodall, Donna - vocals | https://www.donnawoodall.com/

• Woodall, Jeanne - vocals (b. 1946 - d. 2011)

• Young, Bernie - cornet

• Zaffiro, John - guitar

• Zenz, Steve - drums

• Zick, Kim - drums