MR. CHAIR AND SPECTACULOUS

Mr. Chair ( @mrchairmusic ) is a Madison-based dynamic and innovative ensemble composed of Jason Kutz (piano), Ben Ferris (bass) and Mike Koszewski (drums). The trio collaborates with singers, dancers, orchestras, string ensembles, poets and visual artists to pioneer exciting and distinct projects, showcasing their versatile style and interests in improvisational music.

Mr. Chair produced two projects, set to release soon. “Sirena,” with singer Leslie Damaso and saxophonist Jon Irabagon, is a heartfelt, operatic arrangement of Filipino art songs called kundiman, set to the story of a mythical mermaid.

Spectaculous ( @spectaculousmusic ) is an orchestral hip hop album with singer and poet Dequadray White. They’ve also released two studio albums of original music with trombonist Mark Hetzler: “Nebulebula” (2019) and “Better Days” (2023).

Other notable performances and projects include a recent premiere of jazz legend Roland Hanna’s bass concerto; reimaginations of Stravinsky's “Pulcinella,” Gerswhin's “Rhapsody in Blue” and Rodgers and Hammerstein's “South Pacific” as well as commissioned works with UW-Madison Geoscience Professor Dr. Stephen Meyers, musically exploring scientific topics like the big bang and underground wave patterns.

Mr. Chair’s eclectic projects are united by a fearless exploration of musical storytelling, technical precision and dynamic, energizing performances.

“The euphonious elements at the heart of Snarky Puppy’s appeal are also present in Mr. Chair’s debut.“ (PROG UK)

Host or Publisher Lemon Chicago