FreeJazz / Blues
About this event
Mr. Chair is an innovative piano trio composed of Jason Kutz (piano), Ben Ferris (bass) and Mike Koszewski (drums). Based in Madison, 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 independently released three acclaimed studio albums of original music: Rhapsody in Blue (2025), Better Days (2023) and Nebulebula (2019). In 2022, Mr. Chair produced Sirena with Guzmn, singer Leslie Damaso, violinist Janice Lee, and saxophonist Jon Irabagon. Sirena is a heartfelt, operatic arrangement of Filipino art songs called kundiman, set to the story of a mythical mermaid. Mr. Chairs newest collaboration is Spectaculous, an orchestral hip hop album with singer and poet Dequadray White. The debut single from Spectaculous Tempo has garnered over 11,000 views on YouTube and +500,000 plays on Instagram and Spotify.For the 100-year anniversary of George Gershwins Rhapsody in Blue, Mr. Chair was commissioned by the Madison Ballet to write and perform a piano trio arrangement live with dancers. The show received widespread acclaim and was immediately reinstated for the Ballets 25-26 season.In December 2024, Mr. Chair launched a new project featuring their rendition of Vince Guaraldis A Charlie Brown Christmas. The holiday project evolved in 2025 with a sold-out concert at the iconic Ravinia Festival, and A Charlie Brown Christmas with Strings, an official and original arrangement of the iconic album featuring full string orchestra and childrens choir. The show sold-out two seatings of Madisons Orpheum Theatre and will return to Madison this holiday season.Other notable productions include the premiere of jazz legend Roland Hannas bass concerto, Chant; full reimaginations of Stravinskys Pulcinella and Rodgers and Hammersteins 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. Chairs eclectic projects are united by a fearless exploration of musical storytelling, creative independence, technical precision and dynamic, energizing performances.
Artists