The Milwaukee County Historical Society is hosting a live music event next week, celebrating the history of jazz in Milwaukee.
It’s called “Satin Jazz.”
The event is an homage to key figures in Milwaukee’s jazz scene, including Minnette Wilson, who was known as the “Satin Doll.”
The center of the jazz music scene in Milwaukee, beginning in the 1920s, was Bronzeville.
That was the thriving entertainment district on the near north side, in a largely Black neighborhood.
The area was largely Black because Black residents were redlined — or racially segregated — into it.
Bronzeville clubs hosted some of the biggest names in jazz, including national artists like Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and Louis Armstrong and local artists like Bunky Green and Willie Pickins.
Imagine the Cotton Club, but make it Milwaukee.
That’s what the “Satin Jazz” event at the Milwaukee County Historical Society will celebrate.
"This is a celebration of the truly illustrious but rarely told history of jazz in music," according to Benevolent Creative, the company marketing and promoting the event. "We actually have a profound connection to jazz in our city. And the more we dug into it, the more we found."
One of those findings is the story of Minnette Wilson, a Milwaukee woman regarded as the muse for Duke Ellington’s song, “Satin Doll.”
Wilson was a dancer with the Duke Ellington Orchestra in the 1950s.
When she retired from dancing, Wilson opened a lounge on Fond du Lac Avenue called the Satin Doll. Ellington would visit her from time to time.
A portion of the upcoming "Satin Jazz" performance is dedicated to Wilson.
UW-Milwaukee student Phairra Jones will perform an original dance to the song "Satin Doll." She'll be costumed and made up as Wilson.
Jazz singer Corynn Latta will sing, accompanied by pianist Trace Ellington, a nephew of Duke Ellington.
They were all approached with the performance opportunity by way of Ron Aplin, an organizer with the event.
Phairra Jones says she's grateful for the chance to perform — especially in a genre she says she doesn't have the most experience with.
"I have a lot of respect for jazz because it’s not where my foundation was. I did have to reform my own technique and how my movement is to be confident as I am today in jazz. So, I would say I’m full-versed," Jones says.
She adds that her choreography will incorporate a mixture of jazz and contemporary style, plus a little burlesque. She says she’s honored to portray Wilson.
"To see such a huge part of Milwaukee’s jazz scene, Minnette Wilson, a Black woman, get her flowers in this way, I’m gonna do it good, I promise," she says.
Singer Corynn Latta has performed with various big jazz bands, including for her alma mater, UWM, the Racine Symphony Orchestra, and bands in Oshkosh and Fond du Lac.
She thinks Milwaukee’s historical relationship to jazz was lost to time, but that vibrancy is still here and is increasing in popularity.
"Honestly, it’s kind of all around you," Latta says. "Like it’s in hidden spots. There’s always jazz every single weekend in really any place. Like, downtown, Riverwest, I mean, Bay View. All over the city."
"Even if it’s just, you know, a restaurant on a Friday night wanting some live jazz just for some vibes for your dinner evening," Latta says. "But it’s super important to acknowledge it and for people who haven’t seen it yet, I think that shortly jazz will become so prominent that I feel like you won’t be able to miss it whenever you go out in Milwaukee."
Trace Ellington looks at being part of the "Satin Jazz" performance as a full-circle moment.
Ellington grew up here. He had family that owned properties on Walnut Street in Bronzeville. They've shared their memories of jazz greats coming to Milwaukee.
"I heard the stories about the times when Duke would come to town, Count Basie, all the jazz greats. They would all stay at my mother’s mother’s house. And the stories I was like, 'Wow,'" he says.
Ellington says he had an uncle talk about playing music at the Satin Doll lounge.
"Milwaukee is so rich in the jazz field. At first, I didn’t really get it, but coming from that heritage of all those greats being at the homes of the people — because at that time Black people couldn’t stay in hotels. Doing this event has just been for me — I’m kind of taking all of this in," he says.
Ellington says he hopes people who come to the show will witness a continuation of all the magic that Duke Ellington, Minnette Wilson, and other jazz greats brought to Milwaukee.
The “Satin Jazz” live event is on Wednesday, April 29, which is Duke Ellington’s 127th birthday.
The program will also include award presentations given to Sam Belton, Manty Ellis and Adekola Adedapo, who are significant contributors to the history of jazz in Milwaukee.
Jon Mroz and the Troubadours of Rhythm will be playing 1920s-30s early jazz, and the Tael Estremera Trio will be playing Duke Ellington tunes accompanied by Corynn Latta.
The performance takes place at the Milwaukee County Historical Society, and you can find information about tickets here.
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