LJO Concerts and Events

GUEST ARTISTS FOR OCTOBER 17 & 18 
Cappella Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m.
Click for Tickets

Guitarist - Chris Olson

Chris has had an extensive performing career as a solo artist, in duos with many of the finest singers and instrumentalists in the Twin Cities, and with a variety of ensembles throughout the Midwest. Notable Jazz groups include The JazzMN Orchestra, The Freier Department, and Explosion Big Band. Chris has shared the stage with many Jazz greats, including Ingrid Jensen, Tierney Sutton, Gretchen Parlato, and Maria Schneider. He is equally versed in jazz and contemporary music and will amply demonstrate those skills at his Cappella performance.  In addition to performing Chris has an extensive teaching career. He has taught at several Universities and Community Colleges in the Midwest and in the UW System. This summer will be his 22nd year teaching at the Shell Lake Arts Center.
 

Vocalist - Matt Curtis

Matt Curtis, virtuoso singer, entrepreneur, real estate developer and philanthropist, brings his exception classical voice to the world of jazz for this October performance.  Matt is a local talent and honed his skills at Viterbo University with a degree in vocal performance.  While attending the University of Minnesota for graduate studies, he was offered a prestigious position singing with the world renown male vocal ensemble Chanticleer. Headquartered in San Francisco, Matt sang with several premier choral ensembles on the west coast before returning to the La Crosse area to better accommodate raising a family and creating a career in music and business. 
Matt’s business, Choral Track’s, has permeated every level of choral music performance and instruction.  He and his 14 member staff produce learning aids for over 33,000 choral compositions. As a result of his success, he has been able to purchase several buildings in the region restoring and remolding them to increase their usefulness.  The centerpiece of this effort is the conversion of the former Wesley Methodist Church into a superb concert venue and destination for weddings, arts groups and concerts.  Matt brings his talents to bear on the repertoire of the great jazz singers.


    Upcoming Events

  • Thursday, October 17 2024, 7:30 pm
    Martinis & Sinatra with the LJO & Special Guests - Matt Curtis and Chris Olson
    Location: Cappella Performing Arts Center - 721 King St., La Crosse, WI
    Featuring The La Crosse Jazz Orchestra with Guest Artists;
    Matt Curtis, voice and Chris Olson, guitar.

    For Tickets:
    https://cappellaperformingartscenter.com/concerts-events/performances/la-crosse-jazz-orchestra-fall-concert/
  • Friday, October 18 2024, 7:30 pm
    Martinis & Sinatra with the LJO & Special Guests - Matt Curtis and Chris Olson
    Location: Cappella Performing Arts Center - 721 King St., La Crosse, WI
    Featuring The La Crosse Jazz Orchestra with Guest Artists;
    Matt Curtis, voice and Chris Olson, guitar.

    For Tickets:
    https://cappellaperformingartscenter.com/concerts-events/performances/la-crosse-jazz-orchestra-fall-concert/
  • Friday, December 6 2024, 7:30 pm
    LJO presents a Holly Jazzy Christmas III
    Location: Cappella Performing Arts Center - 721 King St., La Crosse, WI
    Holly Jazzy Christmas III
    Featuring Jazz Holiday Classics and Vocal Sensation, Debbie Okeefe
  • Saturday, December 7 2024, 7:30 pm
    LJO presents a Holly Jazzy Christmas III
    Location: Cappella Performing Arts Center - 721 King St., La Crosse, WI
    Holly Jazzy Christmas III
    Featuring Vocal Sensation, Debbie Okeefe and Big Band Holiday Classics.

    Past Events

  • Sunday, August 4 2024, 7:00 pm
    Jazz In The Park with Guest Deborah Brown
    Location: Riverside Park Bandshell
    Rain Site: Cavalier Theater - 114 5th Ave. N
    Renowned Jazz Vocalist Deborah Brown and the Best Of European Big Bands!


  • Sunday, July 28 2024, 7:00 pm
    Jazz In The Park
    Location: Riverside Park Bandshell
    Rain Site: Cavalier Theater - 114 5th Ave. N
    Featuring the music of Ella Fitzgerald and Band Favorites
  • Sunday, July 21 2024, 7:00 pm
    Jazz In The Park
    Location: Riverside Park Bandshell
    Rain Site: Cavalier Theater - 114 5th Ave. N
    Uptempo with the Music of Tony Bennet and Lady Gaga. Featuring Tim Henke and Cathy Reitz
  • Sunday, July 14 2024, 7:00 pm
    Jazz In The Park
    Location: Riverside Park Bandshell
    Rain Site: Cavalier Theater
    New Charts and the Music of Bobby Darin
  • Saturday, March 23 2024, 7:30 pm
    "Duking It Out" Tom Wopat with LJO
    Location: Cappella Performing Arts Center - 721 King St., La Crosse, WI
    This will be Tom’s first live- appearance with big band. The musical arrangements have been specially prepared for this engagement by Tedd Firth and will include
    Tom’s original “County Line” theme song, “The Moon’s a Harsh Mistress,” “Someday Baby,” Sinatra favorite “Let’s Face the Music and Dance,” and several more.



  • Friday, March 22 2024, 7:30 pm
    "Duking It Out"! Tom Wopat with the LJO
    Location: Cappella Performing Arts Center - 721 King St., La Crosse, WI
    This will be Tom’s first live- appearance with big band. The musical arrangements have been specially prepared for this engagement by Tedd Firth and will include
    Tom’s original “County Line” theme song, “The Moon’s a Harsh Mistress,” “Someday Baby,” Sinatra favorite “Let’s Face the Music and Dance,” and several more.

  • Saturday, December 9 2023, 7:30 pm
    LJO presents A HOLLY JAZZY CHRISTMAS
    Location: Cappella Performing Arts Center - 721 King St., La Crosse, WI
    Join us for Holiday Classics in a Jazz style. Featuring Vocalist Debbie O'Keefe.

  • Friday, December 8 2023, 7:30 pm
    LJO presents A HOLLY JAZZY CHRISTMAS
    Location: Cappella Performing Arts Center - 721 King St., La Crosse, WI
    Join us for Holiday Classics in a Jazz style. The concert will feature great Yule time arrangements like “The Nutcracker Suite” as envisioned by the great Les Brown Jazz Orchestra, plus several new offerings and a wonderful slate of guest musicians. St. Paul jazz singer Debbie O’Keefe, Twin Cities pianist Laura Caviani and Madison lead trumpeter Jon Schipper.


    Debbie O'Keefe has been a talented and popular mainstay of the Twin Cities area big band scene for over twenty years. She regularly performs with the Minnesota Jazz Orchestra, Century College Jazz Ensemble, The Blue Eyes Band, and St. Croix Jazz Orchestra as well as corporate and social events. She also performs with the Girl Singers franchise which tours and performs nationwide. Her first love is big band jazz and she is thrilled to be performing with the La Crosse Jazz Orchestra, especially during the holidays!
  • Friday, October 20 2023, 7:30 pm
    La Crosse Jazz Orchestra with Janet Planet
    Location: Cappella Performing Arts Center - 721 King St., La Crosse, WI
    The LaCrosse Jazz Orchestra moves indoors for the first of three concerts at Capella Performing Arts Center. We are excited to have Janet Planet return as our guest artist in her fourth appearance with the LJO!



  • Sunday, July 30 2023, 7:00 pm
    Jazz In The Park
    Location: Riverside Park Bandshell
    Rain Site: Cappella Performing Arts Center - 721 King Street
    The final concert of the 2023 Season "Road Trip: Coast To Coast" features the music of Wisconsin Family and Friends. Feature guest artist will be Vocalist, Steve March-Torme.

    Singer/songwriter Steve March-Tormé is the son of the multi-talented Mel Tormé and stepson of the actor/comedian Hal March, host of NBC-TV’s The $64,000 Question Show.

    www.stevemarchtorme.com
  • Sunday, July 23 2023, 7:00 pm
    Jazz In The Park
    Location: Riverside Park Bandshell
    Rain Site: Cappella Performing Arts Center - 721 King Street
    The third concert of the 2023 Season "Road Trip: Coast To Coast with The LJO" focuses on bands and composers Top to Bottom along I-95.
  • Sunday, July 16 2023, 7:00 pm
    Jazz In The Park
    Location: Riverside Park Bandshell
    Rain Site: Cappella Performing Arts Center - 721 King Street
    The second concert of the 2023 Season "Road Trip: Coast To Coast with The LJO" focuses on the Big Band music from The Heartland.
  • Sunday, July 9 2023, 7:00 pm
    JAZZ IN THE PARK
    Location: Riverside Park Bandshell
    Rain Site: Cappella Performing Arts Center 721 King Street
    The first concert of the 2023 Season "Road Trip: Coast To Coast with The LJO" starts on the West Coast Pacific Highway. This concert will feature the music of Big Bands and Composers from Vancouver to San Diego.


Venue information

Riverside Park | 

Cappella Performing Arts Center