Proceeds from the evening will fund the partnership’s new programs at a time when Wisconsin ranks last in the nations for arts support in a country of budget cuts and volatile federal funding.

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

MECF Artistic Director, Jesse Montijo is dedicated to preserving the aural traditions taught by Manty Ellis and was appointed Artistic Director due to his artistic mastery and family’s multi-generational contribution to jazz. Serving together for over a decade, Ellis and Montijo have created Milwaukee-area educational and performance opportunities alongside MECF partner, The Jazz Foundation of America. 

“Jazz is Black classical music, a vital American art form that invents aesthetic solutions to current challenges,” said Montijo. “Listening to jazz instantly connects communities, and so we want to give back by offering support for the musicians who dedicate their lives to their art.”

MECF Executive Director Grace Montijo said the role of MECF has always been clear, “MECF works alongside ethical partners to provide a safe, inclusive space for all artists, a cooperative for working musicians and a welcoming atmosphere for creative children.”

The root of this new partnership is historic. In the 1970s Manty Ellis and Tony King formed a higher education program in Jazz in Milwaukee at WCM. It was also the very first degree-granting program for Jazz in the United States, attracting many to Milwaukee to study the art form. This new partnership honors both the legacy of Ellis’ voluminous input to Milwaukee’s jazz scene and the enduring support of WCM. “You shouldn’t have to leave Milwaukee to get a great education in jazz,” said Eric Tillich, WCM’s President and CEO. “This partnership doubles down on our investment in honoring Manty Ellis, a Milwaukee giant, and his commitment to giving back through education.”