The New Orleans Tribute at Warner Park

A 2024 Madison Jazz Festival Event

Location: Warner Park, 2930 North Sherman Avenue | Date: June 10, 2024 | Time: 6:00pm–7:30pm | Admission: FREE

What's Going On?

The Madison Jazz Festival and NewBridge Summer Concert Series welcome Darren Sterud and The New Orleans Tribute on Monday, June 10 from 6:00pm–7:30pm.

Where Can I Get Tickets?

No need, it's a free event! Donations will be gladly accepted to support the Madison Jazz Festival.

Comprised of some of Madison’s longstanding jazz musicians, The New Orleans Tribute plays New Orleans Jazz, R&B and Secondline music. Members of the band play with Mama Digdown’s Brass Band, Mr. Chair and the Chris Rottmayer Quartet.

Led by Trombonist/Vocalist Darren Sterud, the band continues to play regularly in the area and is working on their second album. The horn section is rounded out by Trumpeter and East HS alum, Ben Bell Bern and trombonist/composer Nat McIntosh. The rhythm section is comprised of award winning pianist and DMA candidate, Chris Rottmayer, West HS alum, co leader of Mr. Chair and DMA candidate, Ben Ferris on bass and drummer with Mama Digdown’s and composer/performer in Chants, Jordan Cohen.

Darren Sterud

Darren Sterud has been an active, young, freelance trombonist in Wisconsin and Minnesota since 2001. While still in high school Darren began playing and touring with Mama Digdown's Brass Band, a popular New Orleans style group from Madison, WI.

He went on to study music performance with Maynard alum, Steve Wiest at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. A gifted student, Darren played in the university Jazz Symposium, Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Winds. He also started his own band at college, The New Tradition Brass Band.

Darren has played with other active musical groups in Madison including the Tony Castaneda Latin Jazz Band, Grupo Candela, The Jimmys and the Clyde Stubblefield Blues Band. In 2010 he was invited to perform in the Madison Mellophonium Jazz Orchestra directed by Stan Kenton alumni, Joel Kaye. He has taken the stage with several Twin Cities bands such as the Jack Brass Band, Southside Aces, Seven Steps to Havana and Charanga... Read More

Ben Bell Bern

Ben Bell Bern was born and raised in Madison, WI, where he studied trumpet in high school with UW–Madison Emeritus Professor John Aley. Bell Bern received a degree in trumpet performance from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.

For 14 seasons, Bell Bern worked backstage at Lyric Opera of Chicago–most recently as the Director of Company Management–supporting all facets of artistic, production, and technical operations. Additionally, he served as Rehearsal Department Director at The Santa Fe Opera for nine seasons, where he also played trumpet in the stage band. Bell Bern currently serves as the operations manager for the Mead Witter School of Music at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. (Source: Mead Witter School of Music)

Nat McIntosh

Nat McIntosh (b. 1978, Longmont, Colorado) is perhaps best known as co-founder and sousaphonist with the Youngblood Brass Band, an eightpiece brass and drum ensemble that is based in the tradition of a New- Orleans-style brass band.

Throughout his nine years as leader of the group, Nat garnered critical and public acclaim for his many compositions, blending intense brass music with hip-hop, afro-cuban, brazilian, and jazz-funk styles. Serving as the centerpiece of the ensemble was Nat’s innovative sousaphone playing, which served as the dynamic bass voice in the group as well as the “acoustic DJ.” His mastery of numerous extended techniques and the infusion of these with simulated DJ cuts and scratches, pseudo-electronic effects, and the imitation of instruments ranging from an electric guitar to a didgeridoo created an entirely new and inimitable approach to the instrument. He served as... Read More

Chris Rottmayer

Chris Rottmayer is a jazz pianist, composer, and jazz vibraphonist living in Madison, Wisconsin. Chris has been a freelance jazz pianist since 1990, was a pianist for Walt Disney World from 1999 to 2020, and has released three albums as a leader: Reactive Synthesis (2013), Sunday at Pilars (2019), and So In Love (2020). Chris is currently the Instructor of Jazz Piano at the University of South Florida, where he has taught since 2007, and is pursuing a DMA in Piano Performance at the University of Wisconsin- Madison where he holds a Teaching Assistantship in the Theory department. (Source: chrisrottmayer.com)

Ben Ferris

Ben Ferris is a bassist and educator from Madison, WI. A student of NEA Jazz Master Richard Davis, he graduated with a music-education degree from UW-Madison in 2013. Ben performs regularly in the midwest, especially with the Ben Ferris Trio, a creative music ensemble that focuses on new compositions by musicians in the band. His group the Ben Ferris Quintet released their debut album, “Home” in 2016 featuring original compositions by Ben and other members of the ensemble. A self-release, it is available exclusively on CD and Bandcamp. He also leads the Ben Ferris Octet, a group that plays a diverse selection of jazz repertoire. Ben also competed as a finalist in the 2017 International Society of Bassists Jazz Performance competition. Ben plays and writes music for “Mr Chair,” a contemporary ensemble of electronic trombone (Mark Hetzler), keyboard (Jason Kutz), percussion (Mike Koszewski) and electronic upright bass. As a sideman Ben performs with Nuggernaut (jazz-funk), The Jon... Read More

Jordan Cohen

Jordan Cohen is a musician in Madison, Wisconsin. He produces electronic music and DJs under the alias Chants, and has released music on labels including Astral Plane Recordings and Hush Hush Records. He has also contributed articles to Tone Madison, and hosted a podcast called Digital Warmth. (Source: Tone Madison)

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Arts + Literature Laboratory is located at 111 S. Livingston Street #100, Madison, Wisconsin, 53703.

Our galleries are open Tuesday through Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday noon to 5pm, and other programs take place throughout the week. Please check the events calendar and education section for details.

CALENDAR