Jazzoula
Friday, April 25 // Door at 6 PM // Show at 6:30 PM // $25 // $15 Student // $80 4-day Pass It’s Jazzoula ‘25 Celebrating 20+ years of Jazz in the Missoula community – presenting16 plus jazz combos, vocalists, and multi-instrumentalists over four days, April 23, 24, 25, and 26. Providing a complete variety of the only original form of American music: jazz. Jazzoula gives the listener a chance to experience Montana’s finest jazz performers showcasing their individual talents with their groups, and as soloists. With artist such as Owen Ross, Craig Hall , Johan Eriksson, Connor Racicot, Missoula’s favorite Basement Boyz to name a few. Enjoy short sets and a fantastic variety of awesome jazz music. Wednesday, April 23 Line-up (MTPR Recording): Basement Boys Patti Nolan & the Undeniables Owen Ross Trio Big Sky Mudflaps Thursday, April 24 Line-up Absent Wilson Conspiracy Melody Anderson One Word/Dylan Bautiste Trio Ally Fradkin Quartet Friday, April 25 Line-up All City Jazz Owen Thayer Marie Smith Quintet Missoula Conduction Band Saturday, April 26 Line-up Boyd Combo Craig Hall & Alex Nauman Zoolectic Band “Fusion Tribute” (Johann Eriksson, John Wicks, Owen Ross, Tommy Sciple) . Connor Racicot Trio
Jazzoula
Wednesday, April 23 // Door at 6 PM // Show at 6:30 PM // $25 // $15 Student // $80 4-day Pass It’s Jazzoula ‘25 Celebrating 20+ years of Jazz in the Missoula community – presenting16 plus jazz combos, vocalists, and multi-instrumentalists over four days, April 23, 24, 25, and 26. Providing a complete variety of the only original form of American music: jazz. Jazzoula gives the listener a chance to experience Montana’s finest jazz performers showcasing their individual talents with their groups, and as soloists. With artist such as Owen Ross, Craig Hall , Johan Eriksson, Connor Racicot, Missoula’s favorite Basement Boyz to name a few. Enjoy short sets and a fantastic variety of awesome jazz music. Wednesday, April 23 Line-up (MTPR Recording): Basement Boys Patti Nolan & the Undeniables Owen Ross Trio Big Sky Mudflaps Thursday, April 24 Line-up Absent Wilson Conspiracy Melody Anderson One Word/Dylan Bautiste Trio Ally Fradkin Quartet Friday, April 25 Line-up All City Jazz Owen Thayer Marie Smith Quintet Missoula Conduction Band Saturday, April 26 Line-up Boyd Combo Craig Hall & Alex Nauman Zoolectic Band “Fusion Tribute” (Johann Eriksson, John Wicks, Owen Ross, Tommy Sciple) . Connor Racicot Trio
Calamity Cowboy Album Release w/ The Sardines & But I’m A Cheerleader
Sunday, April 27 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // $10 // $15-$20 Artist Supporter Calamity Cowboy is the colloquial name given to a group of viscous homunculi believed to have originated sometime in the early 19th century. After aimlessly wandering for a couple hundred years, they decided to start a rock and roll band together. They play a blend of country and psychedelic rock that has garnered tens of fans. It’s the real deal! The Sardines are three friendly and freshly packaged fish saturated with wonder and the joy of song. The elite of the sea. If you choose to consume, you may unleash sonic whimsy. But I’m a Cheerleader (Missoula, MT) wants you to scream, cry, trans your gender, and sing along to their twee-punk wailings. You don’t have to, if you don’t want to, though. You can just pick one.
Jazzoula
Thursday, April 24 // Door at 6 PM // Show at 6:30 PM // $25 // $15 Student // $80 4-day Pass It’s Jazzoula ‘25 Celebrating 20+ years of Jazz in the Missoula community – presenting16 plus jazz combos, vocalists, and multi-instrumentalists over four days, April 23, 24, 25, and 26. Providing a complete variety of the only original form of American music: jazz. Jazzoula gives the listener a chance to experience Montana’s finest jazz performers showcasing their individual talents with their groups, and as soloists. With artist such as Owen Ross, Craig Hall , Johan Eriksson, Connor Racicot, Missoula’s favorite Basement Boyz to name a few. Enjoy short sets and a fantastic variety of awesome jazz music. Wednesday, April 23 Line-up (MTPR Recording): Basement Boys Patti Nolan & the Undeniables Owen Ross Trio Big Sky Mudflaps Thursday, April 24 Line-up Absent Wilson Conspiracy Melody Anderson One Word/Dylan Bautiste Trio Ally Fradkin Quartet Friday, April 25 Line-up All City Jazz Owen Thayer Marie Smith Quintet Missoula Conduction Band Saturday, April 26 Line-up Boyd Combo Craig Hall & Alex Nauman Zoolectic Band “Fusion Tribute” (Johann Eriksson, John Wicks, Owen Ross, Tommy Sciple) . Connor Racicot Trio
Jazzoula
Saturday, April 26 // Door at 6 PM // Show at 6:30 PM // $25 // $15 Student // $80 4-day Pass It’s Jazzoula ‘25 Celebrating 20+ years of Jazz in the Missoula community – presenting16 plus jazz combos, vocalists, and multi-instrumentalists over four days, April 23, 24, 25, and 26. Providing a complete variety of the only original form of American music: jazz. Jazzoula gives the listener a chance to experience Montana’s finest jazz performers showcasing their individual talents with their groups, and as soloists. With artist such as Owen Ross, Craig Hall , Johan Eriksson, Connor Racicot, Missoula’s favorite Basement Boyz to name a few. Enjoy short sets and a fantastic variety of awesome jazz music. Wednesday, April 23 Line-up (MTPR Recording): Basement Boys Patti Nolan & the Undeniables Owen Ross Trio Big Sky Mudflaps Thursday, April 24 Line-up Absent Wilson Conspiracy Melody Anderson One Word/Dylan Bautiste Trio Ally Fradkin Quartet Friday, April 25 Line-up All City Jazz Owen Thayer Marie Smith Quintet Missoula Conduction Band Saturday, April 26 Line-up Boyd Combo Craig Hall & Alex Nauman Zoolectic Band “Fusion Tribute” (Johann Eriksson, John Wicks, Owen Ross, Tommy Sciple) . Connor Racicot Trio
The Gravy Ladles w/ Eel Sallad & Fern Spores
Tuesday, May 27 // Door at 7:00 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // $10 // $15-$20 Artist Supporter The Gravy Ladles “POUR IT ON!” Serving up a heaping spoonful of Americana music with home cooked originals and spiced up covers! Twins Sky and Kevin Weaver join Alia Fintz and Jesse Christian to bring soaring three part harmonies and a mix of instrumentation to their sound. You’ll hear saxophone, keys, fiddle, bass, drums, guitar and more! Hints of bluegrass, rock, reggae, and funk. It’s good old American music! It’s the Gravy Ladles! Fern Spores is a folk-rock band hailing from Olympia, WA. With a sound that’s as raw and captivating as it is intentional, they weave gritty guitar leads, haunting fiddle melodies, and powerhouse vocals that leave audiences spellbound. Drawing inspiration from musical giants like Janis Joplin, Alabama Shakes, First Aid Kit, and Cat Power, Fern Spores infuse their music with a modern edge while paying homage to the raw energy and authenticity of their predecessors. Their songs are both anthems of empowerment and poignant reflections on life’s highs and lows. Their highly anticipated debut album, The Understory, released on 6/7/2024. With roots in Blues, Grunge, Rock, Americana, and Folk, Eel Sallad’s sound has been coined ‘Pacific Northwest GrungeGrass’—a dynamic fusion of raw energy and heartfelt lyrics. Their music spans everything from sultry ballads to audacious anthems, delivered with a compelling stage presence that keeps audiences hooked from start to finish.
UM Small Groups
Monday, April 21 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // Free and Open to the Public! Join the UM Small Group program for an evening of jazz standards, contemporary tunes and originals from the University of Montana musicians as they complete their 2024-25 musical journey.
James McMurtry
Tuesday, June 24 // Door at 7 PM // Show at 8 PM // $25 Advance // $30 DOS “I first became aware of James McMurtry’s formidable songwriting prowess while working at Bug Music Publishing in the ’90s,” says New West president John Allen. “He’s a true talent. All of us at New West are excited at the prospect of championing the next phase of James’ already successful and respected career.” McMurtry perfectly fits a label housing “artists who perform real music for real people.” After all, No Depression says of the literate songwriter’s most recent collection, Complicated Game: “Lyrically, the album is wise and adventurous, with McMurtry — who’s not prone to autobiographical tales — credibly inhabiting characters from all walks of life.” “[McMurtry] fuses wry, literate observations about the world with the snarl of barroom rock,” National Public Radio says. “The result is at times sardonic, subversive and funny, but often vulnerable and always poignant.” His lauded storytelling — check out songs such as “Operation Never Mind” and “Ft. Walton Wake-Up Call” on The Horses and the Hounds— consistently has turned heads for decades now. “James writes like he’s lived a lifetime,” said John Mellencamp back in 1989, when Too Long in the Wasteland hit the Billboard 200. “James McMurtry is one of my very few favorite songwriters on Earth and these days he’s working at the top of his game,” says Americana all-star Jason Isbell. “He has that rare gift of being able to make a listener laugh out loud at one line and choke up at the next. I don’t think anybody writes better lyrics.” McMurtry’s albums Just Us Kids (2008) and Childish Things (2005) back the claim, each scoring endless critical praise. The former earned McMurtry his highest Billboard 200 chart position in two decades (since eclipsed by Complicated Game) and notched Americana Music Award nominations. Childish Things spent six full weeks topping the Americana Music Radio chart in 2005 and 2006, and won the Americana Music Association’s Album of the Year, with “We Can’t Make It Here” named the organization’s Song of the Year. Other accolades include a 1996 Grammy nomination for Long Form Music Video for Where’d You Hide the Body and an American Indie Award for Best Americana Album for It Had to Happen (1997). McMurtry tours year-round and consistently throws down unparalleled powerhouse performances, reflected in the release of two live discs: the universally lauded Live in Aught-Three on Compadre Records, and 2009’s Live in Europe, which captured the McMurtry band’s first European tour and extraordinary live set. Along with seasoned band members Ronnie Johnson, Daren Hess, and Tim Holt, Live in Europe features special guests Ian McLagan (Faces) and Jon Dee Graham (True Believers, Skunks). For further information, accessibility, and inquiries please visit https://www.zootownarts.org/meet-the-zacc/about/.
Magenta Wave w/ Apocolipstick & J.A.D.E.
Wednesday, April 30 // Door at 7:00 PM // Show at 7:30 PM // $10 // Artist Supporter $15 or $20 Magenta Wave is an alternative indie-rock band based in Seattle, Washington. After forming in Bellingham in 2022, the group quickly made their way from house shows to well known local venues, playing shows at the Wild Buffalo, the Shakedown, and the Blue Room. Known for emotionally charged vocal melodies and evocative guitar solos, their sound is constantly evolving and showcases their diverse influences, ranging from singer songwriters, to funk rock bassists, to classic rock and Jimi Hendrix. Relocating to Seattle in the fall of 2023, the group hit the ground running, and now have (among others) shows at the Tractor Tavern, Central Saloon and Neumos under their belt. The band entered the studio for the first time at the Hallowed Halls in Portland. With the release of their debut single in February 2024 and a four-song EP later that year, the group is proud to have accumulated over 250,000 Spotify streams to date. Magenta Wave will add a new EP to their discography with the help of producer Ethan Bovey (Dave Matthews Band) in the winter / spring of 2025. Accompanying these new releases, the band is embarking on their inaugural West Coast tour on April 24th in Vancouver, BC. Apocolipstick is a relatively new art punk band from Missoula, Montana. They incorporate a myriad of styles into our sound such as new wave, glam, blues, and even a little country twang. They love performing and we try to put as much energy as humanly possible into our live shows. J.A.D.E. is a high-energy band hailing from the mountains of small-town Western Montana. Their wide variety of influences shines brightly in their songs. This unique, not quite rock, not exactly pop sound with an edgy punk rock twist is addictive. They send driving rhythms, interwoven melodies, and powerful vocals straight through your ears deep into your heart and soul. When on stage they are focused on bringing a sound that inspires everyone to get on their feet and dance like the universe depends on it.
Pat and the Pissers w/ Minot and Meeting House
Tuesday, March 11 // Door at 7:30 PM // Show at 8:00 PM // $15 Pat and the Pissers are a four piece rock and roll band based out of Indianapolis. From basements to marquees this outfit has gained the attention and admiration of the Indy music scene. Known for their energetic live performances, fast riffs, and heavy hits they are quickly becoming one of the Midwest’s most exciting young bands. Their force can’t be reckoned with and will not be stopped. Minot is a lo-fi garage punk baking mixture made of two parts Midwestern and a dash of Northern New England. The shortest distance between two sonic points is made by leaving no room for lengthy melodic banter. Drenched in reverb to cover their inadequacies; This band has a driving rhythm of Mo Tucker’s brother and the belief that less is always more. Minot because….Why not? Meeting House is a “Gunk” Rock from Great Falls,Montana! influences consisted of pub rock and punk ‘nuff said, catch ‘em, ya dig?
