Johannes Wallmann, piano
Riley Mulherkar, trumpet
Nick Moran, bass
Mitchell Shiner, drums
Jazz pianist and composer Johannes Wallmann is a recording artist on Shifting Paradigm Records, and a Yamaha Piano artist, who has performed extensively as a bandleader and as a sideman in local, national, and international venues. DownBeat magazine has called Wallmann “a remarkable pianist and composer [whose] evocative compositions are brimming with melodic cogency and rhythmic pull” and called his playing “confident, muscular and elegant.”
In 2012, he joined the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Madison as Director of Jazz Studies and the inaugural holder of the John and Carolyn Peterson Chair in Jazz Studies. He recently released his twelfth album as a leader, Not Tired, of which TomaJazz (Spain) writes: “Wallmann has skillfully balanced his academic work with a discography that never ceases to amaze. […] Beyond the music, Not Tired reflects Wallmann's maturity as a composer and leader. His writing balances structure and freedom, and his direction fosters interaction without rigid hierarchies. The result is an album that, once finished, invites you to listen attentively again, revealing new nuances with each listen. Just as the title suggests, Not Tired never gets old. A must-have reference point among those released in 2025.”
Trumpeter Riley Mulherkar is a founding member of The Westerlies and in 2024 released his debut album Riley, hailed as “über hip, modern yet timeless…one of the best debut records to come out in a long, long time” (DownBeat Magazine). Since, he has played with everyone from Kenny Barron and Dee Dee Bridgewater to Anna Deavere Smith and Alan Cumming, and in 2020 received Lincoln Center’s prestigious Emerging Artist Award for his work as “an original bandleader, composer, arranger, educator, community activist and advocate for jazz and the arts.”
Riley, his opening recorded salvo as a soloist, is the sonically modern setting for Mulherkar’s vulnerable, melodious interpretation of the rich tradition with sound design shaped by producers Rafiq Bhatia and Chris Pattishall. Enveloping Mulherkar within a series of textured, intricately-crafted spaces, Bhatia and Pattishall train a cinematographer’s lens on the continuum of great old songs, as well as new Mulherkar pieces which fit right into a radically bold audio framework for the emotional pronouncements of Riley’s horn. Riley is an Edwards Artist and performs on Edwards trumpets.
Award winning bassist, composer and Shifting Paradigm recording artist John Christensen supplies an open-hearted solidity and adventurous spirit to all of his music endeavors. With an appetite for expressing in many musical genres and situations, John has found a unique compositional voice, as demonstrated on his highly acclaimed debut album as a leader, Dear Friend. While an ardent student and practitioner of improvised Black American Music, John’s music also has deep roots in Rock, Folk, and Americana. His compositions strive toward a hopefulness and appreciation for the beauty and awe of life, and the wonder of small, important things. John Christensen began his bass studies with Chris Wood in high school. After brief stints at Berklee College and North Texas, John moved to San Francisco and played in the burgeoning music scene during the late 90’s. Since Moving to Wisconsin in 1999 John has become a highly sought-after side musician, playing with numerous regional and international artists and bands. He leads his own groups and is also a co-founder of Lesser Lakes Trio with longtime collaborators Devin Drobka and Jamie Breiwick as well as KASE, an improvised hip hop trio with Jamie and Turntablist Jordan Lee.
Mitchell Shiner is a vibraphonist, drummer, composer, and educator based in Milwaukee, WI. Shiner graduated from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music with a Bachelor’s in Jazz Studies. Shiner studied with Professors Steve Houghton, Michael Spiro, Wayne Wallace, Brent Wallarab, and Dr. David Baker. Shiner is a dedicated educator, facilitating percussion and Jazz programs for students of all ages throughout the Milwaukee area. Currently, he is pursuing a Master’s in Music Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and serving as a Teaching Assistant in the Jazz Studies area.
Shiner is a bandleader and composer. “Mitchell Shiner Latin Vibes” has been featured by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and the Jewish Community Center for events like Latkes Con Salsa and Carnaval De Purim. “Precarious Towers” is a Midwest all-star group of players and educators performing inspired compositions in the spirit of joy and collaboration. “Match Stick” is a tour de force fusion band playing genre-bending original material for an electric quartet.
While away from noise-making activities, Shiner enjoys cooking, gardening, crafting wind chimes out of teapots and silverware, and spending time with his family, his wife, and their dog – a very fluffy Pomeranian named Lucky.
Experience a night of innovative jazz with these masterful musicians pushing boundaries and celebrating the beauty of improvisation and collaboration.