Though not born in Brew City and no longer resident here, trumpeter Brian Lynch is a Milwaukee jazzman.
He still feels connected to the city that he visits frequently and Milwaukee still prizes the relationship, too.
This week, the Grammy Award-winning Lynch returns to perform with the Northern Illinois (NIU) Jazz Ensemble at the 11th annual Great Night of Jazz concert at the Dale K. Hidde Theater at Wauwatosa East High School at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 20.
This year's gig also has more excitement in store for jazz fans. In addition to performances, a new U.S. Postal Service jazz stamp will be dedicated with an on-stage ceremony.
"We are very excited about this year's Great Night of Jazz event," says Tosa East band director Rob Engl.
"In addition to our very special guests we are thrilled to be a part of the dedication of the new U.S. Postal Service jazz stamp. This will truly be a special night for the Wauwatosa community."
You can read more about Lynch in this Milwaukee Talks interview I did with him.
Tickets for the show -- which benefits the Tosa East High School bands -- are $15 for floor seats, $10 for the balcony. Students and seniors pay $8.
You can buy tickets at the door.
Some other shows on the books this week include:
Jill Sobule and John Doe team up for a tour that stops in at Shank Hall tonight. Catch two great American voices for the price of one ($20) at 8 p.m. The long-time friends have a new record together called "A Day at the Pass." Check it out at theejohndoe.com.
Daphne Willis plays with Megan McCormick on Tuesday, April 19 at Shank Hall. She's on the road for her new disc, "Because I Can," which follows her debut, "What to Say."
The Chicago Tribune called that record, "…a significantly soulful Jason Mraz-ish pop record that sounds as if a horn section wandered into a coffee shop and decided to funk things up a bit." Click here to see the video for Willis' "I Will Be Waiting."
It's a busy week at the Cactus Club in Bay View, where Brooklyn's Parts and Labor and Milwaukee's Call Me Lightning play Monday night at 9.
Then Breathe Owl Breathe and Photographers take the stage Tuesday at 8; Bare Wires, Ramma Lamma and Midnight Reruns share a 9:30 bill on Wednesday; and Fever Marlene and Faux Fir play at 10 p.m. Friday.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
