Strollin' Middleton Jazz Festival 2026

Middleton Community Development Authority and Arts + Literature Laboratory present the 11th Annual Strollin' Middleton Jazz Festival on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at Stone Horse Green! Join us for a whole day of jazz, food, and fun for all ages! Bring your blankets, lawn chairs, and picnic baskets, or enjoy food and drinks from local restaurants, shops, and participating food trucks. This year's stellar lineup features: 12:00PM: TRILOBITE - Jordan Pope - alto & baritone saxophones, Peyton Wood - soprano & alto saxophones, Charlie Johnson - bass, Eddie Johnson - keys; Ben Johnson - guitar & bass, and Scott Williams - drums.

2:00PM: MARQUES CARROLL TRIO - Marques Carroll is a St. Louis-born trumpeter, composer, and educator who has performed around the world, including the Chicago Jazz Festival, Hollywood Bowl, and Montreal Jazz Festival, sharing the stage with jazz greats such as Bob Brookmeyer, Tom Harrell, and Christian McBride, as well as Motown and soul legends including Aretha Franklin and The Temptations. From 2017 to 2019, he toured internationally as a member of the Count Basie Orchestra. Drawing on influences from Louis Armstrong to Nicholas Payton, Carroll is rooted in the tradition of Black American Music and works across Blues, Funk, Soul, Neo-Soul, Hip-Hop, and Jazz.

4:00PM: FEESTET - Helen Feest and her 'tet play "Gateway Jazz," jazz that's perfect for people who dislike jazz. They bring modern stories to vintage sounds.

6:00PM: KYOKO OYOBE QUARTET - Japanese-born pianist, composer Kyoko Oyobe has been a mainstay in the New York Jazz scene since 2005. She started performing with her own group at New York CIty’s renowned jazz clubs, such as Smalls Jazz Club and Fat Cat. She has been performing and composing internationally with such notables as Chris Parker, Victor Lewis, Steve Wilson, Matt Wilson, Dave King, Chris Speed, to name a few. Kyoko Oyobe is a gifted artist who explores different modes of expression conveyed within a subtext of intimacy found in duets with trumpeter like Tom Harrell and Joe Magnerelli or through original compositions inspiring and reflected in novels by the renowned Japanese novelist, Rui Kodemari. She travels through music instilling an essence and distinct color that borrow from Be-Bop to Brazilian and Free Jazz to French-Impressionist, early 20th century voicings, yet sealing her own inimitable style. Joining Kyoko are Ben Ferris (bass), Jon Hoel (sax), and Rick Flowers (drums).

Stone Horse Green 2026 Season Supporters:

Spencer Real Estate Group

Visit Middleton

Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts

Dane Arts with additional funds from Diane Ballweg and the Endres Mfg. Company Foundation

Isthmus

Wisconsin Public Radio

Middleton Endowment

Town Bank

Fairfield Inn & Suites Madison West Middleton

Michelle Schreier, Restaino & Associates

Gunderson Funeral Home & Cremation Care

New Year Investments

Atterbury, Kammer & Haag, S.C.

PKK Lighting Inc.