The Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts will be opening their doors to the public for Make Music Day Milwaukee on June 21st from 10a -10 pm at 926 E. Center Street. All ages, free.
Come and explore electronic and percussive instruments, music production, sequencing, have a chance to meet local Milwaukee electronic music vendors, demonstrations, beat-making, sampling, improv for live film and avant-garde techniques. The Out There Series will have a music production table set up outside to jam and will offer an outdoor group sound walk. All are welcome to stay for the evening concert programming.
Ring in the Summer Solstice with a worldwide day of music making!
Participants: Out There Series, Milwaukee Synth Meet, Golfshoe Music, Ableton Milwaukee User Group, Voltage & Company
Schedule
10am -12pm Free Improvisation Sessions (occurs every Saturday)
2-4 pm Play & Explore: Electronics, Sampling, Synths, Tape Loops
4-6 pm Experiment & Learn: Improv to Film, Tape Loops
6-6:30 pm Outdoor Group Sound Walk
8-10 pm Concert
About Make Music Day Milwaukee
Make Music Milwaukee is part of Make Music Day, the worldwide music celebration held each June 21, the summer solstice. Featuring concerts, performances, music lessons, jam sessions and other musical events on streets, sidewalks, parks and public spaces in Milwaukee and across the U.S. Make Music Day encourages all people, of all musical abilities, to celebrate the joy of making music.
Over 1000 cities around the world have celebrated Make Music Day! It all started over 40 years ago in France.
In 1982, Jack Lang and his staff at the Ministry of Culture dreamed up an idea for a new kind of musical holiday. They imagined a day where free, live music would be everywhere: street corners and parks, rooftops and gardens, store fronts and mountaintops.
And, unlike a typical music festival, anyone and everyone would be invited to join and play music, or host performances. The event would take place on the summer solstice, June 21, and would be called Fête De La Musique. (In French, the name means both “festival of music” and “make music!”)
Amazingly enough, this dream has come true. The Fête has turned into a true national holiday: France shuts down on the summer solstice and musicians take over. Almost 8% of the country (5 million people) have played an instrument or sung in public for the Fête de la Musique.
Four decades later, the holiday has spread throughout the world and is now celebrated in more than 120 countries. In the U.S., the presenting sponsor is the NAMM Foundation.
Check out highlights from Make Music Milwaukee HERE!
Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts
The Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts (JGCA), located at 926 E. Center Street in Milwaukee's Riverwest neighborhood, is a nonprofit community arts space dedicated to supporting and connecting artists of all ages. Run by the Riverwest Artists Association, JGCA offers a diverse array of programming, including visual art exhibitions, live music performances, and community workshops. The center's intimate venue hosts a wide range of musical genres, from jazz and experimental music to hip-hop and spoken word, providing a platform for both emerging and established artists.
The building itself has a rich history; originally constructed in 1887 as a tavern, it became the Milwaukee Jazz Gallery from 1978 to 1984, featuring performances by jazz legends such as Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Sun Ra, McCoy Tyner, Dexter Gordon, and Stan Getz. After a period of disrepair, the Riverwest Artists Association purchased the building in 2008, transforming it into the current community arts center.
In addition to its musical offerings, JGCA presents rotating art exhibitions that often explore socially relevant themes, fostering collaborations across various artistic disciplines. Programs like the Older, Wiser, Local (OWL) initiative engage seniors in creative activities, while free improvisation sessions on Saturdays invite musicians of all backgrounds to collaborate in a welcoming environment.
For more information on upcoming events and programs, visit the Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts' official website: https://jazzgallerycenterforarts.org/