Vox Starling
2024-04-12 20:00 - 22:30 (America/Chicago) | bar centro, 804 E. Center St., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53212
Introducing Vox Starling, a five piece female powered band, weaving lilting psychedelic layers into ethereal soundscapes. Inspired by cosmic consciousness and mystical rhythms, Vox Starling invites you on a journey through dreamlike transcendent melodies.
Jen Janviere – vocals and rhythm guitar, Noel Clark – lead guitar and vocals, Ace Christie – bass and keys, Janet Schiff – cello, and Renee luna Bebeau – drums and vocals
DOORS AT 7

Natural Satellite
2024-04-13 20:00 - 22:30
The WAMI-nominated duo layers finger-style cello with catchy melodies, harmonies, and improvised saxophone to create a sound comparable to groups such as Morphine and Portis Head. Jason’s saxophone weaves in and out of verses harmonizing beautifully with Karli’s angelic voice. Their lyrics focus on self-love, reflection, and growth, leaving listeners feeling uplifted. When watching Natural Satellite perform, you can feel the chemistry between the two and the unique musical bond they share.

Jazzy Joan: "Jazz Where it is and Where it's Going." April Feature: Current Day Jazz Artists from the UK
2024-04-18 19:00 - 23:30
Jazzy Joan welcomes you to her recorded jazz show featuring contemporary jazz artists, this month featuring jazz artists from the UK. Amazingly cool with jazz-guru influence and flavors from around the World. Gutsy, dreamy, abstract yet tangible for those seeking a melody. Matthew Halsall, Mark Kavuma, Binker Golding, Theo Erskine, Ruby Rushton, Ruben Fox. Original and lively! Joan introduces her show starting at 7:00. Get there early for the hang. No cover.
DOORS AT 6:30

Pablo Cardona Quartet
2024-04-19 20:00 - 22:30
Pablo brings together traditional styles of music from all over the western hemisphere. His repertoire is filled with charming melodies of the first half of the 20th century, from an ever expanding list of places such as France, USA, Mexico, Brazil and more, always keeping as his highest priority maintaining their authenticity.
Pablo Cardona on guitar, Ben Dameron on guitar, Viktor Brusabardis on double-bass, and Casmir Riley on flute and saxophone

MJI NIGHT at bar centro
2024-04-20 20:00 - 22:30, 2024-05-11 20:00 - 22:30, 2024-06-08 20:00 - 22:30
details to follow
doors at 7

ACOUSTIC 4th THURSDAY - Dovekeeper - Yonat Piva
2024-04-25 20:00 - 22:30
Milwaukee musician Yonat Piva is a singer-songwriter guitarist who performs under the stage name Dovekeeper. Her songs vary from introspective 70s AM radio singer-songwriter acoustic guitar tracks to bluesy, funky contemporary rockers.

GARRETT WAITE TRIO
2024-04-26 20:00 - 22:30
DOORS AT 7

Honoring the Great Nina Simone - 7pm SHOW
2024-04-27 19:00 - 20:30
bar centro welcomes Ms. Kaprice, Faith Hatch, and Twigz Stewart as they honor “the High Priestess of Soul.” general admission – doors at 6:30
-Kaprice Maxwell; the first Wisconsin Local to win 1st place of the 2016 Music Vocal – Contemporary category in the NAACP ACT-SO national competition, receiving the 2017 outstanding performance award in Downbeat Magazine’s international Music Student Awards, and receiving the 2020 Best Performance in the Blues/Pop & Rock Category in Downbeat Magazine’s International Music Student Awards. -Faith Hatch; a multi-genre vocalist, pianist, and guitarist based in Milwaukee. Her act features songs reimagined based in soul, R&B, and jazz. Faith earned her Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies from UW Stevens Point in 2019 and was awarded Vocal Jazz Soloist of 2020 by Downbeat Magazine. -Twigz Stewart; Records rhymes with musical accompaniment that blur distinctions between poetry and hip-hop rapping.

Honoring the Great Nina Simone - 9pm SHOW
2024-04-27 21:00 - 22:30
bar centro welcomes Ms. Kaprice, Faith Hatch, and Twigz Stewart as they honor “the High Priestess of Soul.” general admission – doors at 8:45
-Kaprice Maxwell; the first Wisconsin Local to win 1st place of the 2016 Music Vocal – Contemporary category in the NAACP ACT-SO national competition, receiving the 2017 outstanding performance award in Downbeat Magazine’s international Music Student Awards, and receiving the 2020 Best Performance in the Blues/Pop & Rock Category in Downbeat Magazine’s International Music Student Awards. -Faith Hatch; a multi-genre vocalist, pianist, and guitarist based in Milwaukee. Her act features songs reimagined based in soul, R&B, and jazz. Faith earned her Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies from UW Stevens Point in 2019 and was awarded Vocal Jazz Soloist of 2020 by Downbeat Magazine. -Twigz Stewart; Records rhymes with musical accompaniment that blur distinctions between poetry and hip-hop rapping.

JAZZ JAM - every 1st Thursday - no cover + drink specials
2024-05-02 20:30 - 23:30, 2024-06-06 20:30 - 23:30

Casimir Riley Quartet
2024-05-03 20:00 - 22:30, 2024-06-14 20:00 - 22:30
Casimir Riley – saxophone
Isaiah Kitts – guitar
George Bellesteros – bass
Yanni Chudnow – drums

Erin Boehme and Mike Kubicki
2024-05-04 20:00 - 22:30
Vocalist Erin Boehme grew up listening to classic American jazz singers like Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, and Julie London, all of whom are among her key influences. In 2004, she was offered a contract with Concord Records, and relocated to L.A., recorded two albums and performed around the country. Recently, she returned to her hometown of Oshkosh, and is the founder and president of the Oshkosh Jazz Festival. bar centro is excited to welcome Erin and her trio (pianist Mike Kubicki, bassist Jim Paolo, and drummer Jeremy Kuzniar) for a night of straight-ahead, swinging, soulful jazz.

Shuga Blu
2024-05-09 20:00 - 22:30, 2024-06-13 20:00 - 22:30
Shuga Blu is the new baby of Milwaukee musician, Keshena Armon. We pride ourselves on performing feel good music for our audience of all ages. They perform classic to current gems in the R&B, Soul, Pop and Rock genres!

The GIL Jazz Combo
2024-05-10 20:00 - 22:30
Joel Lehman; band leader, trumpet, and vocals
Joel Lehman has played throughout Milwaukee since moving to town in 2018. His voice and collection of unique Monette trumpets bring new life to the standards and his story telling carries the audience along for the ride.
DOORS AT 7

Jazzy Joan Presents Jazz Where it is and Where it's Going: Chicago
2024-05-16 19:00 - 23:30
The jazz exploration continues on May 16. In this next installment of her monthly jazz show, Jazzy Joan will be featuring recordings from our neighbors to the south, Chicago. Current-day jazz artists is her program focus each month, and when in Chicago, you cannot escape the blues. Vocalists Dee Alexander, Paul Marinaro and Kurt Elling sing it. Yet, Chicago jazz takes us in many directions – soul, straight ahead, it’s there, and more. Relax and feel the vibe. Be social. Joan introduces her recorded jazz show at 7:00, so get there early! No cover.
DOORS AT 6:30

Troubadours of Rhythm
2024-05-17 20:00 - 22:30
Jon Mroz – string bass
Aidan White – guitar & banjo
S.A. Anderson – piano
Kyle Samuelson – cornet & trombone
Jon Lovas – clarinet
Debuting in 2023, the Troubadours of Rhythm are a captivating journey through time, skillfully led by string bassist Jon Mroz. Drawing inspiration from the electrifying ambiance of the late 1920s and early 1930s south side Chicago (and north side Milwaukee!), the Troubadours are a musical time machine, transporting listeners and dancers to an era of exuberance and innovation.
From stomps to rags; from blues to swing, Mroz and his musical comrades have traveled the country to cleverly revive the syncopated rhythms, timeless melodies and improvisational spirit that defined the golden age of jazz on the cusp of swing. This eclectic five-piece combo features guitar, banjo, upright string bass, acoustic piano, cornet, clarinet, trombone, washboard with vocal shouts and harmonies.
Embark on a sonic journey with the Troubadours as they pay homage to the timeless magic of early jazz & blues, ensuring that its infectious excitement resonates with audiences, both nostalgic and new.

Feestet - Helen Feest Jazz Ensemble
2024-05-18 20:00 - 22:30
Feestet (pronounced “Feest-tet”) is a Madison-based jazz ensemble fronted by vocalist Helen Feest.
Cutting their teeth on standards from the Great American Songbook, Feestet formed from a weekly jazz jam in 2021. Since then, they’ve performed at several notable local venues and events: Jazz at Five, DIG Jazz, North Street Cabaret, Cafe Coda, the Cardinal, and the Madison Jazz Festival.
Feestet loves to introduce jazz sounds into new spaces. Early fans often said: “I don’t like jazz much, but I loved that!”
Thus, Feestet dubs their sound “gateway jazz.”
Feetet’s mission is to create jazz music loved by all: jazz lovers and new listeners alike.
Listen to their latest releases or meet them on Instagram.

DALLAS & ANJA - acoustic duo
2024-05-23 20:00 - 22:00
Dallas and Anja met at the weekly Acoustic Open Stage at Linneman’s Riverwest Inn in 2018 and have been making music together ever since. Their original music has manifested itself in a multitude of different ways from full band and synthesizers to string orchestration. However, they always prefer to lay the music bare in its most raw format, so find themselves returning to their acoustic duo.

ETHAN PHILION QUARTET
2024-05-24 20:00 - 22:30
Ethan Philion Quartet is a Chicago-based group led by bassist Ethan Philion featuring Greg Ward (alto saxophone), Russ Johnson (trumpet), and Dana Hall (drums). Their debut album, Gnosis, was released on October 6th on Sunnyside Records and drew praise from Downbeat Magazine, Chicago Jazz Magazine, JAZZIZ and more. Critic Larry Applebaum praised the ensemble’s “deep listening and open-ended solos” in his 4 Star review of Gnosis in Downbeat. Gnosis was heralded as “the best of new jazz to come” in the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. The quartet performs Philion’s compositions with an emphasis on group interaction and hard-hitting improvisations. They have performed throughout the Chicago area and midwest at the Hyde Park Jazz Fest, Constellation, Cliff Bell’s, The Museum of Contemporary Art, North Street Cabaret, the California Clipper, and more.

Philion’s debut album, a large ensemble project called Meditations on Mingus, received widespread praise from Downbeat, JAZZIZ, Jazzwise, and more. The project was featured as a headlining act for the 2022 Chicago Jazz Festival and performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Jazz Club. Philion was one of the 2022 Jazz Institute of Chicago’s New Works Fresh Voices Fellowship recipients and has won fellowships with Luminarts and Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead. He was the winner of the 2019 International Society of Bassists Jazz Competition.

DOORS AT 7

TLALOK RODRIGUEZ QUARTET
2024-05-25 20:00 - 22:30
Tlalok is a bilingual singer / songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Milwaukee. Originally a Chicago native, he comes from a long line of musicians dating back to his great-grandfather who was a composer from Vicente Guerreo, Mexico. A century later he keeps the family tradition alive through boleros, bossa novas, and vibrant performances channeling the passion of his ancestors.

DONNA WOODALL
2024-05-30 20:00 - 22:30
Voted 2023 Wisconsin Area Music Industry’s (WAMI) Female Vocalist of the Year, Donna Woodall has established herself as a skilled, multi-genre singer/songwriter and bandleader in the Milwaukee music scene. Donna artfully blends the musical styles of artists such as Carole King, Cassandra Wilson, Bonnie Raitt, Norah Jones, Sting, The Beatles, and Tracy Chapman with elements of traditional jazz and blues. The result? A fresh, new twist on familiar pop songs. Audiences are delighted by her eclectic song selections, cool originals, creative renditions of classic hits and jazz standards, and her bold moves into different music genres- all the while staying grounded in her jazz roots. In 2024, Donna continues to share her gifts as she performs at top Wisconsin festivals/events and in regular rotation at notable venues in Milwaukee and throughout Wisconsin.

ANTHONY DEUTSCH & JULI WOOD
2024-05-31 20:00 - 22:30

BADLAND
2024-06-01 20:00 - 22:30
Ben Dameron’s BADLAND has one foot in the past and another in the future. Powerful guitar tones punctuate a distinct modern jazz aesthetic – from epic soundscapes to haunting arias.
DOORS AT 7

MAX BROWN QUARTET (Cordless)
2024-06-07 20:00 - 22:30
This cordless quartet from Madison aims to incorporate free/experimental music with its members favorite standards and jazz tunes.
Max Brown is a trombonist, composer, and arranger who plays music in all styles but mainly focuses on jazz. Max is currently based in Madison, Wisconsin and he is additionally working his way into the Chicago and Milwaukee jazz scenes. He is a bandleader of both a jazz quartet and a jazz/original music sextet. Max has also built a presence in Indiana, where he spent 6 years studying both jazz and classical music

ROBIN PLUER plus Special Guests; Juli wood & John Sieger
2024-06-15 20:00 - 22:30
Robin Pluer; songbird fantastique.

Juli Wood; tenor sax and soprano sax and gut wrenching, soulful vocals.

John Sieger, the grand songwriter on guitar and gritty soul stirring voice.

Join the trio for a trip of jazz, French tunes, and a slash of country.

Always straight from the heart!
Doors at 7
