1224 Williamson St.
Madison
WI
On Wednesday, June 8, 2022, starting at 7:00pm, Café CODA will host a jazz community celebration concert for two of WORT-FM’s veteran program hosts, Steve Braunginn and Jane Reynolds, as they retire from Strictly Jazz Sounds, their long-running Thursday afternoon program (2:00-5:00pm) at 89.9FM. (Steve will broadcast his final Strictly Jazz Sounds show on Thursday, June 2nd, and Jane will follow with her final show on Thursday, June 9th.)
Steve and Jane are closing out decades of commitment to jazz radio (20 and 37 years, respectively), and many of the finest jazz players in the Upper Midwest will come together to say “thank you” in a session produced by UW Jazz Studies Director Johannes Wallmann. Confirmed performers for this event include:
- Hanah Jon Taylor, saxophone
- Russ Johnson, trumpet
- Darren Sterud, trombone (2nd set)
- Jane Reynolds, piano
- Johannes Wallmann, piano
- Nick Moran, bass
- Laurie Lang, bass
- Vincent Davis, drums
- Rick Flowers, drums
- Matt Endres, drums
1985 was a milestone year for Jane, as she became a founding member of the Madison Music Collective and a jazz host on WORT for a new program she called Jazz Sounds. Wanting to give other musicians more visibility in our community, she created a weekly jazz calendar and began featuring musicians on the air for live interviews. Nearing her 20th anniversary on WORT, Steve joined her for what became Strictly Jazz Sounds.
The June 8th event will also be a farewell gig for Steve, as he and his wife Jenny begin a new era in Columbus, OH, where they can be a bigger part of their young granddaughter’s life. And it will be a time for community members to show their appreciation for Steve’s many years of wide-ranging service to Greater Madison, most notably serving as President/CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison, a Dane County Board supervisor, a founding member of the Greater Madison Jazz Consortium board, a Madison school district teacher, and so many other nonprofit, civic, and governmental appointed positions.
Says Steve, “While it’s sad to say good-bye to the Madison jazz community and to our listeners of Strictly Jazz Sounds on WORT, I am delighted that I could spend these 17-plus years on the air with my dear friend and co-host, Jane Reynolds. Saluting Madison, all of those in the jazz community, and to Jane – as we customarily say to each other – I love you madly.”
Be a part of this historic farewell to Steve and Jane as we send them off into a new era in their lives on Wednesday, June 8th, at Cafe CODA, 1224 Williamson Street. Admission charge TBD. Advance sales will be available shortly at https://cafecoda.club/buy-tickets/. If not sold out by concert time, tickets will also be available at the door.
