Getting to Know: George! 

Chicago drummer George Fludas was born in Chicago on October 10, 1966. He was inspired to play drums by his father, who was also a drummer, and who exposed him to great jazz drummers such as Art Blakey, Max Roach, and "Philly" Joe Jones. 

He attended Lane Tech High School where he majored in music and played percussion in their concert band and orchestra. After briefly attending Roosevelt University's music school in 1985-86, he began freelancing with Chicago greats Von Freeman, Jodie Christian and Lin Halliday, as well as playing in groups with guitarist Bobby Broom, and saxophonists Ron Blake and Eric Alexander. He has subsequently played with many stellar musicians such as Ira Sullivan, Buddy Montgomery, Lou Donaldson, Frank Wess, Kenny Burrell, Betty Carter, Johnny Griffin, Benny Green, Roy Hargrove, Tommy Flanagan, Hank Jones, Cedar Walton, Diana Krall, Benny Carter, Phil Woods, Junior Cook, Slide Hampton, and Bobby Hutcherson. 

FEATURED RELEASE: 

Joe Magnarelli “If You Could See Me Now” (2018) 

https://open.spotify.com/album/6G3uv0... 

About Off The Bandstand: 

Too often, audiences are only able to experience jazz musicians while they’re performing on the bandstand. 

“Off The Bandstand”, hosted by vocalist Christian Wiggs, is a series of one-on-one, informal conversations with members of the jazz scene. Each episode will feature a new guest and provide an opportunity for listeners to get to know more about the people behind the music, as well as their influences and stories throughout their career. 

Follow your host, Christian Wiggs: 

➤ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christianwig... 

➤ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christianwi... 

➤ Website: http://www.christianwiggs.com/home

Jazz saxophonist Christopher Madsen is one of the most in-demand figures in the Chicago jazz world as a performer, composer, and pedagogue. He serves as jazz faculty at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, former jazz faculty at Midwest Young Artists in Highwood, IL, and was Coordinator of Jazz Studies at Northwestern University (Evanston, IL) from 2008-2014. He is a sought-after jazz clinician, adjudicating at jazz festivals and offering workshops to ensembles of all ages and levels from across the globe. He is a Vandoren and Conn-Selmer Performing Artist, member of the Fulbright Specialist Program roster, Jazz Education Network, the National Educator’s Association, and the National Association for Music Education. Madsen serves on the Education Committee for the Jazz Education Network and has been featured in Jazziz Magazine (2005), the Jazz Spotlight for artsamerica.org (2012), and has been interviewed for saxplaying.com (2018) and the Chicago Jazz Magazine (2019). Madsen has also contributed jazz articles to The Instrumentalist magazine and been interviewed on several radio broadcasts about jazz history and his performing career.

Watch the full interview on our YouTube Channel here!

Artistic cross-pollination! Manifesting ambassadorships for white2tea! Under the midnight sun!

In art and spirit, guitarist Matt Gold is a shining example of what it means to have your heart in the right place. In this episode, we chat about the ways that various instruments evoke unique parts of our personality, fostering a creative space for the improvised music community and the singer-songwriter scene, and a festival date in the forests of Finland that surely holds the title of “the longest day”.

Watch the full interview on our YouTube Channel here!