Ever since Milwaukee first found its voice, the city’s been a magnet for live music. With classical orchestras filling their books and the roots of ragtime and blues feeling the streets, a new fusion erupted in the early 1900’s. The area may not have been officially called “Bronzeville,” but it carried the soul of one. It was when Manty Ellis and Berkeley Fudge carved out their sound on Walnut Street that jazz found its limelight, as it was bold, electric, and impossible to ignore at the time. So, it’s no surprise Milwaukee welcomes the celebration of “We call it Jazz”
An event where you soak in the likes of those timeless bop classics including Louis Armstrong’s “On The Sunny Side Of The Street” and Louis Prima’s “Sing Sing Sing” at Milwaukee’s favourite music venue, The Box MKE. But don’t be fooled, jazz is not about staying between the lines. With spontaneous improvisations woven into each set, each performance is only yours and your peers’ to take home.
What is We call it Jazz?
A true jazz whisperer longs to relive the genre’s golden years. With the New Orleans boom now a distant memory, this 60-minute show brings that spirit roaring back in an intimate setting, meticulously designed to capture the dusky glow of Trad jazz in the presence of a quiet drink. Created by jazz lovers for jazz lovers, this experience transports you straight to 1920s New Orleans, featuring crowd favourites like “When the Saints Go Marching In” by Mr. Armstrong and “Georgia on My Mind” as played by the Preservation Hall Band.
Jazz, it’s history and show
As a genre born and bred in the heart of New Orleans, jazz fought its way to the top, not through force, but through sheer passion. It emerged as a symbol of necessary liberation and soulful expression. Slowly becoming a voice for the unheard, it rose from a powerful blend of African rhythms, European harmonies, and Caribbean syncopations, sparking a historic movement that stirred audiences to their very core.
At “We call it Jazz”, step into a world where velvet melodies come to life once more. It’s a journey back in time, where masterful local musicians tell their version of the story through enduring hits of the era including “Cantaloupe Island” by Herbie Hancock or “There Will Be Another You” by Stan Getz Quartet. Whether you’re chasing a first spark in the genre or returning to an old flame, the setting invites you to sink into the past, with nothing but your drink of choice to worry about throughout the show.
There’s nothing quite like a good old goosebumper. When every nerve has been plucked, your senses sharpened, and your flow state hijacked by a spellbinding performance – you’ll be glad you joined the “We call it Jazz” club.
On selected dates, shows usually kick off around 7:00pm or 9:00pm, so why not arrive a little early? Let the evening’s glow ease you in, perhaps with a bite to eat or a drink in hand before the lights go low.