JAZZ ON THE RIVER
Jazz on the River is a series of free summer concerts held in downtown Wausau, Wisconsin at Kickbusch Plaza, directly behind the Marathon County Downtown Library. Concerts start at 5:00 PM and run until 7:00 PM. There is parking in the lot directly behind the library building. Food trucks provide snacks, or you can bring your own picnic. Bring a chair. You might come early and enjoy the beauty around you before and after the concert, as you walk or bike the trail by the river.
There will be a rain location announced shortly.
jazz on the River 2025 lineup
July 13, 2025 Typhanie Monique
A bold, engaging vocal performer Typhanie has graced jazz’s most distinguished venues, including Chicago’s Jazz Showcase, The Kitano and Small’s in New York, and The Dakota in Minneapolis.
July 20, 2025 The Bob Kase Quintet
Bob Kase, who has performed on over 200 albums and shared the stage with music legends, including Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee, will perform top-shelf mainstream jazz with his group. Kase has served as dean of the School of Fine Arts at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, and chair of the UW-Stevens Point Music Department.
July 27, 2025 Stuck on Blue
Stuck On Blue is the musical partnership between Kelvin Kaspar, Jake Crowe, and Mike Malone. The trio combines their friendship and mutual respect for original music , playing original works, while collectively crafting songs into something new and special to the group. For fans of Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell, and John Scofield, the timbre of Stuck On Blue is familiar, but the group also brings a unique voice and interpretation of any song, whether it's original compositions, timeless jazz standards, or an instrumental twist of a pop song.
August 3, 2025 John Greiner and Tom Washatka - Tenors (x2)
Wisconsin natives, John and Tom join forces to have an old fashioned tenor battle, reminiscent of the Gene Ammons/Sonny Stitt and Lockjaw Davis/Johnny Griffin battles of the 1950's and 60's.
August 10, 2025 Point of jazz
Made up of UW-Stevens Point graduates, the Point of Jazz Quintet plays jazz standards, original music, and contemporary compositions. Mat Chapman (trumpet), Jayce Gorski (saxophone), Kadin Yach (piano), Colt Maichle (drums) and Jessie Crandall (bass) grew as musicians together while in school and continue to play as a group with the goal of making great music while having fun.
August 17, 2025 Take That Back
Band leaders Joan Hutton (alto sax, bass clarinet) and Sue Orfield (tenor sax) began their collaboration in 2019, drawn together by a passion for composing and performing original music. With tight harmonies and precise arrangements, the strength of this duo lies as much in their joyful collaboration as it does their distinct, stylistic differences.
Canadian native Joan Hutton is a performer, composer and educator residing in Minneapolis. Joan’s diverse interests have taken her from jazz, free improv and funk to classical, chamber music and pit orchestras. S
Sue Orfield is an award winning tenor saxophonist, composer and educator who tours internationally and has recorded on hundreds of albums. She makes her home in the Chippewa Valley of Wisconsin.
get involved
There are great ways you can get involved as we present Jazz on the River and other events. If you love live music, we would welcome you to help us as we present these concerts. You might help with setup, cleanup, or connecting with and welcoming our audience. Contact uw at rivervalleyjazz@gmail.com. Perhaps you have an idea and would like to help make Jazz on the River better and better each year. Connect with us!
Our corporate sponsors for 2025 are the Eye Clinic of Wisconsin, and Marathon Cheese.. Foundation sponsors are: The Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Arts Board, the Greenheck Foundation,
