MKE Jazz Musicians
past and present
The Milwaukee Jazz Institute 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 and are professionally active in the jazz scene.
If you would like to be included, please email your name, instrument, and personal 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)
Aaron, Rick - flute
Adames, Carlos - percussion | https://www.carlosadames.com/
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
Anderson, Jay - tenor saxophone
Antonic, Tommy - guitar
Antoniewicz, Matt - trumpet
Appleton, “Killer” Ray - drums (b. 1941 - d. 2015)
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)
Asch, Glenn - violin and viola
Babbitt, John - bass
Baca, Alec - trumpet
Bailey, Bert - clarinet and saxophone (deceased)
Baker, Eddie - piano (b. 1927 - d. 2018)
Ballesteros, George - bass
Banks, Lem - vocals (b. 1941 - d. 2020)
Barber, Lynn - vocals (deceased)
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 (deceased)
Berigan, Kaye - trumpet
Betz, Mike - trumpet
Bey, Skip Crumby - bass (b. 1937 - d. 2004)
Bixler, David - alto saxophone | https://www.davidbixler.com/
Black, Pinky - piano
Black, Scott - bass
Blaney, Henry - piano | henryblaneymusic.com
Blochowiak, Andy - drums
Bond, Wendell - drums
Bonifas, Bill - guitar
Bordeaux, Baltimore - drums (b. 1936 - d. 2002)
Bordeaux, Reggie - drums
Braun, Dave - guitar
Breiwick, Jamie - trumpet | https://jamiebreiwick.net/
Britz, Mike - bass
Brotherhood, Roger – guitar
Budny, Bob - drums
Buendia, Nick - bass
Burdette, Bobby - tenor saxophone (b.1926 - d. 1999)
Burrows, Lee - bass (d. 2005)
Cain, Jackie - vocals (b. 1928 - d. 2014)
Calarco, John - drums
Caldwell, Mike - saxophone
Campbell, Victor - drums
Cannon, Gerald – bass
Carr, Jack - drums
Carr, John - drums
Catania, Josh - piano | https://www.joshuacataniamusic.com/
Catral, Sam - guitar
Chambers, Jeff - bass (b. 1955 - d. 2021)
Chandek, Neal - piano and trumpet (b. 1955 - d. 2022)
Christensen, Gary - bass
Chudnow, Yanni - drums
Clark, Donovan - drums, bass, piano, and guitar
Clark, Everett “Skip” - piano and guitar (1922 - d. death year unknown)
Cohen, Steve - harmonica
Colvin, Jimmy - saxophone (b. 1912 - d. 2004)
Contorno, Nick - saxophone (b. 1938 - d. 2014)
Covic, Mitar “Mitch” - bass
Cowen, Leigh - piano
Crabtree, Rich - pianist (deceased)
Crain, Chris - vocals and piano | https://chriscrain1music.com/
Crook, Arron - vocals
Crosby, Thomas - drums (b. 1950 - d. 2019)
Cross, Joey - vocals (d. 2016)
Cucunato, Lou - piano
Cunningham, Marcia - vocals (b. 1951 - d. 2021)
Currier, Scott - piano
Czimber, Les - piano (b. 1934 - 2020)
Dallas, James - saxophone
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 (deceased)
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
Devereaux, Nelson - saxophone
DeVillers, Ron - trumpet (b. 1929 - d. 2022)
Diaz, Luis “Flaco” - percussion
Dizack, Philip – trumpet
Dolister, Joe - bass
Dominguez (DeMiles), Frank - piano (b. 1931 – d. 2019)
Dominguez, John - bass
Dominguez, Peter - bass
Dorsey, Claude - piano and vocals (b. 1914 - d. 2010)
Dorsey, Floyd - vocals (b. 1940 - d. 2017)
Draeger, Herb - trombone (b. 1914 - d. 2007)
Drobka, Devin - drums | https://www.devindrobka.com/
Dudley, Jimmy - saxophone and clarinet (b. 1903 - d. 1971)
Duncan, Jimmy - drums (deceased)
Ebert, Doug - bass
Einerson, Steve - piano
Elgar, Charles - violin (b. 1879 – d. 1973)
Eliot, Dick - guitar | https://www.dickeliot.com
Eliot, Don - bass (b. 1933 - d. 2017)
Ellis, Manty – guitar
Estremera, Tael - piano, drums, bass, trumpet
Fabus, Jason - alto sax
Falcone Paris, Suzanne - vocals
Farinelli, Jeanne Marie - tenor saxophone
Fettig, Sam - tenor saxophone
Foshager, John - piano and trombone
Foster, Lee - drums and club owner
Fox, Christian - drums
Fudge, Berkeley - tenor saxophone and flute
Garcia, Greg - trumpet
Garofalo, Peter - piano
Gay, Frank - trumpet (1928 - 2012)
Gay, Leonard - saxophone (deceased)
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 (deceased)
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 - d. 1969)
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
Hatch, Faith - vocals
Hauck, Jessie - vocals (b. 1937 - d. 1995)
Hauer, Joe - piano
Hazeltine, David – piano
Hedges, Chuck - clarinet (b. 1932 – d. 2010)
Heilmann, Matt - trumpet and organ
Held, Liv - vocals | https://www.livheldproductions.com/
Herman, Woody - clarinet, alto saxophone, vocals (b. 1913 - d. 1987)
Hervey, Eric - bass guitar
High, John - saxophone
Hill, Lemuel “Ace” - piano (b. 1928 - d. 2005)
Hobbs, Bob – drums (b. 1942 – d. 2023)
Holt, Benjamin - bass
Howell, Billy - trumpet and trombone (deceased)
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, Keith - piano
Johnson, Mark - drums
Johnson, Russ - trumpet
Johnson, Scat - vocals and guitar (b. 1915 – d. 1995)
Jones, Holder - trumpet (b. 1924 - d. 1986)
Jones, Isaiah - piano
Jones, Rick - trumpet
Jones, Romarcus - drums
Kaczmarek, Jim - saxophone and flute
Kavemeier, Denis – guitar | https://www.magicalmotion.com/denis
Ketchum, Walt - trumpet (b. 1932 - d. 2011)
Kidd, Sam - bass (b. 1931 – d. 2025)
King, Tony - piano (d. 1990)
Kirchberger, John - saxophone
Klopfer, Dennis - piano
Koenig, Art - bass (deceased)
Kozlowski, Harry - trombone
Krause, Rick - drums
Kremer, Rich - bass
Kunsmann, Heinzel - piano
Kuzniar, Jeremy - drums
LaBeau, Lucas - piano
LaGrone, James - trombone (deceased)
Lalli, Luigi “Lou" - drums (b. 1932 - d. 1985)
Latta, Corynn - vocals
Lea, Dean - piano
Ledvina, Charles - bass
Lehman, Joel - trumpet and vocals
Lewandowksi, Steve - guitar
Lile, Malcolm - bass
Lindsey, Gerald - bass
Linke, Don - guitar and bass
LoDuca, Andy - drums
Longreen, Cody - trumpet
Lynch, Brian - trumpet
Macy (Maciolek), Heather – vocals
Maglio, Santo - piano
Maher, Mike "Maz" – trumpet and vocals
Maio, Randy - drums
Marcus, Greg - piano
Martin, Bill - guitar
Martinson, Ron - piano (b.1934 - d. 2021)
Mayfield, Nathan - trumpet | https://jazzmen.net/
McGirr, Tom - bass
Meixner, Matt - piano and keyboards
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)
Monreal, Silvano “Sal” - drums and club owner
Montgomery, Buddy - piano and vibes (b. 1930 – d. 2009)
Moore, Perry - alto saxophone (deceased)
Moore, Tina - vocals (b. 1938 - d. 2021)
Morgan, Frank - alto saxophone (b. 1933 – d. 2007)
Moroder, Rudy - piano (b. 1928 - d. 2015)
Mroz, Jon - bass
Murray, Luke - guitar | https://lukemurraymusic.com/
Myles, Gervis - bass
Napoli, Leiko - piano
Napoli, Scott - drums
Neesley, Andrew - trumpet
Negrón Jr, Cecilio – percussion (d. 2023)
Neufeld, Sam - trumpet
Newburg, Tom - saxophone
Niemann, Joe - trumpet
Nimmer, Dan – piano
Ovanin, Dylan - saxophone
Padilla, Johnny - alto saxophone
Pagano, Tony - saxophone and flute
Patterson, Patrick - bass guitar
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
Pflughoeft, Nathan - guitar
Phillips, Jeff “Omar” - drums
Phillips, Liam - bass
Pickens, Willie - piano (b. 1931 - d. 2017)
Pietrangelo, Jeff - trumpet (b. 1952 – d. 2013)
Piette, Ben - drums
Pitts, Beverly - organ (b. 1936 - d. 2017)
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
Pulice, Mark - drums
Puzzullo, Francis “Frank” - piano (b. 1940 - d. 2022)
Ramos, Toty - guitar (d. 2024)
Rattner, Jordan - guitar
Rebholz, Bob - saxophone and flute
Reed, Mary - piano and vocals (deceased)
Reichert, Kenny - guitar | https://www.kennyreichert.com/
Rhyne, Melvin - organ (b. 1936 - d. 2013)
Rice, Jack - bass (deceased)
Richter, Jake - drums | https://www.jakerichterdrums.com/
Ritter, Brian - drums
Robinson, Marcus - piano (deceased)
Robinson, Sonya - violin
Rossetto, Russell - trombone
Ruedebusch, Dick - trumpet (b. 1924 - d. 1968)
Rush, Tim - percussion
Saafir, Dumah - percussion
Safir, Pete - piano
Samuelson, Kyle - trombone
Sanchez, Joey - bass
Sanders, Joe – bass
Sandquist, Tom - piano, keyboards, and organ
Sargent, Bill - drums
Schaefgen, Bill - trombone (b. 1940 - d. 2016)
Schaub, Clay - bass | https://clayschaub.com/
Schick, Mike - drums
Schneck, Dan - organ (b. 1978 - d. 2024)
Schoepke, Dave - drums
Schoor, Eric - tenor saxophone
Schumm, Andy - cornet and piano | https://www.chicagocellarboys.com/
Shaw, Jamill - tenor sax | https://brand.site/jazzflux
Sheridan, Tommy – piano (b. 1917 - d. 2000)
Sherwood, Scott - guitar (b. 1963 - d. 2009)
Shiner, Mitch - drums and vibes
Siegel, Bob - bass (b. 1953 – d. 2021)
Sievert, Francis Edwin “Sonny”- trombone (b. 1909 - d. 1965)
Silbergleit, Paul - guitar | https://paulsilbergleit.com/
Simons, Isaiah - bass
Simons, John - bass
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 (b. 1925 - unknown death year)
Sodke, Jim - piano | https://www.jsodkepianolessons.com/
Somlai, Jeno - drums, piano, organ
Soward, Victor - drums (b. 1947 - d. 2002)
Spann, Cameron - drums
Spencer, Paul - drums and club owner
Sponcia, Dr. Kristin - pianist, vocalist, composer, arranger | http://kristinsponcia.com
Staehler, Elizabeth - piano and vocals
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)
Tate, Dick - vocals
Tatnall, Kirk - guitar | https://kirktatnall.com/
Tato, Leo - drums
Thierfelder, Mark - piano and trumpet
Tilton, Steve - piano
Todd, Jason - tenor saxophone
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
Vlasis, Frank - piano (b. 1938 - d. 2022)
Wagner, Bart - drums
Waite, Garrett - guitar | https://www.garrettwaite.com/
Wake, David - piano
Wallace, Billy - piano (b. 1928 - d. 2017)
Walzer, Rosemary - saxophone | https://rosemaryandtimejazz.com/
Washington, George - bass
Weathers, Carmen - bass (deceased)
Weber, Jon - pianist
Weidman, Paul - bass (b. 1928 - d. 2009)
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
Wiele, Ken - trombone
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. 1945 - d. 2011)
Young, Bernie - cornet (deceased)
Zaffiro, John - guitar
Zarcone, Joe - drums
Zenz, Steve - drums
Zick, Kim - drums
