Alison Margaret Quintet

Alison Margaret is a gifted jazz singer, arranger, composer, and pianist. She hails from Chicago, where she studied at the prestigious Columbia College, earning a degree in vocal jazz performance. She has a MM in music education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Alison has worked with some greats from the Chicago jazz scene, such as Laurence Hobgood, pianist, arranger, and composer, best known for his partnership with Kurt Elling; trumpeter and composer Orbert Davis; and William Russo, the late-great composer-founder of the Chicago Jazz Ensemble. In late 2007, she collaborated with Hobgood to record her debut CD, “Come Sunday,” released on the Violet Records label.Alison now lives in Madison, WI, where she leads the Alison Margaret Jazz Quintet, featuring Paul Hastil on Rhodes, bassist John Christensen, tenor saxophonist Eric Koppa and drummer Michael Brenneis. The Quintet has performed at Madison’s Jazz at 5 festival 3 times, Milwaukee’s Third Ward Jazz Festival, Isthmus Jazz Festival, as well as at Monona Terrace, the Brink Lounge, Jazz on the Park, Memorial Union, Opus Lounge, and a host of other venues—anywhere jazz is heard and played. Alison has also performed at many famous Chicago jazz haunts and festivals, including the Green Mill, the Hot House, Jazz Showcase, and the Navy Pier. Alison has been singled out as Critic’s Choice an unprecedented number of times in Isthmus, Madison’s premier entertainment weekly.This free event is intended for UW-Madison students, faculty, staff, Wisconsin Union members and their guests. Anyone can become a Union member.