Dayna Stephens Quartet

Location: Cafe CODA Date: June 8, 2023 Time: 7:00pm Admission: $20 advance / $25 door

What's Going On?

The Madison Jazz Festival kicks off with a special performance by New York saxophonist Dayna Stephens on Thursday, June 8, 2023 at Cafe CODA. Seating is general admission. Advance tickets can be purchased at https://madjazzfeststephens.bpt.me. Online ticket sales end 2 hours before showtime. Tickets are also available at the door beginning at 6:30pm. Dayna will be joined by Matt Gold (guitar), Devin Drobka (drums) and Nick Moran (bass).

Dayna Stephens

Dayna Stephens is globally recognized as a saxophonist, composer and arranger, and is the first place recipient of the 2019 DownBeat Critics Poll in the category Rising Star—Tenor Saxophone.

Stephens has led a storied career travelling and recording with Kenny Barron, Brad Meldhau, Tom Harrell, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Fred Hersch, and Esperanza Spalding, among many others — as well as leading the iconic Dayna Stephens Quartet. Now in its second iteration, the Quartet, featuring young, inspired musicians, represents a new chapter in jazz, and in Stephens’ career. One that embraces his role as a mentor, carrying on the legacy of the music while evolving it alongside the next generation.

NPR’s Kevin Whitehead says: “Dayna Stephens can cry and rip it up on tenor, but at heart, he’s a streamlined melodic player. His handsome down-the-middle tone is not too heavy or light, though he can lean either way. His sound is sleek, with very light vibrato. And the lines he... Read More

Matt Gold

Matt Gold is a guitarist and composer based in Chicago, IL. His work pulls from diverse traditions of electric and acoustic music. Matt has given his guitar a good strum or two in venues across North America, Europe, and Asia, and has written music for films as well. His work has been praised for being “accessible, yet healthily unconstrained by genre and sure of its own identity” (UK Vibe) and for "combining the virtuosity and precision of a string quartet with the playfulness of small-group jazz" (Chicago Reader). In May 2020 Gold released his first solo record, Imagined Sky (Whirlwind Recordings), displaying his penchant for concise melody and a nuanced, exploratory palette of abstracted Americana. He has released four albums as the instrumental duo Sun Speak (with drummer Nate Friedman) and one with the singer/songwriter duo Storm Jameson (with vocalist/guitarist Jim Tashjian). As a guitarist and collaborator, Matt performs and records with artists including Makaya McCraven,... Read More

Devin Drobka

Devin Drobka is one of the most in-demand and creative musicians in the midwest for the past 15 years. Audiences around the world have been enthralled with his wide sonic palette and limitless rhythmic possibilities on the drums. A deep love of jazz, metal, folk, hip-hop, ambient, idm, and classical music has helped shaped Devin’s unique voice and vision on the drums both as a leader and as a sideman. His highly personal and creative drumming can be heard within the realm of jazz having performed with Greg Osby, Jerry Bergonzi, Dayna Stephens, and Joe Lovano as well as indie- folk bands like Field Report and indie rappers R.A.P. Ferreira and Serengeti. Devin can be heard on over 50 albums of genre bending, original music for which he is an advocate for. Devin currently composes music for his newest group, The Devin Drobka Trio, which draws upon his love of contemporary classical music and minimalism and his multi horn group, Bell Dance Songs, which is a response to his love of... Read More

Nick Moran

Bassist Nick Moran is a veteran of Madison’s music scene and has been performing for over 20 years. A prolific bassist on both electric and the double bass, Nick regularly performs a diverse roster of musical genres including Jazz, Afro Latin, Hip Hop, Reggae, Funk, and more.

As a student UW-Eau Claire, Nick studied under the legendary bass educator Dr. James Clute of the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra. During that time, he had the honor of studying briefly with maestro Orlando ‘Cachaito’ Lopez of the famous Buena Vista Social Club. Nick Moran completed his studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Arts in 2004.

Nick Moran has toured internationally and performed with a diverse collection of internationally renowned acts, including Ben Sidran, Lee ‘Scratch‘ Perry, Clyde Subblefield, David ‘Fathead‘ Newman (Ray Charles’ sax player), Ana Laan, cajón ambassador Juan ‘Cotito’ Medrano (Susana Baca, Novalima), dance hall pioneers Chaka Demus and Pliers... Read More

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