Ask a LibrarianAska Librarian

Chat with a Specific Librarykeyboard_arrow_up

Mills Music Library

Notes from Underground

See more

Mills Music Library Instagram

  • It’s hot in Madison right now, and there’s a heat wave on its way. We know it’s still July, but it feels like August—definitely feels Hotter Than July. [AAD9367] Disclaimer: no pianos were burned in the making of Stevie Wonder’s 19th album, which Motown’s Tamla label released in 1980. #hotterthanjuly #steviewonder #tamlarecords #motown #millsmusiclibrary
  • Madison Early Music Festival has two more concerts left in their 2019 series: Calmus vocal ensemble performs a program titled Faith and Madness this evening at 7:30 pm, and the All-Festival Concert, titled Musical Postcards from the Grand Tour, is tomorrow at 7:30 pm. Both concerts are in Mills Concert Hall, Mead Witter School of Music, 455 N. Park Street, Madison. We have been assisting MEMF instructors and attendees in the library all week, and have enjoyed supporting their musical journeys on The Grand Tour. #madisonearlymusicfestival #memf #calmusensemble #millsmusiclibrary
  • Willy Street Chamber Players commence their 5th Annual Summer Series this evening at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 1021 Spaight Street, Madison. The Willys are familiar with Mills Music Library from their student days, and we have enjoyed witnessing their music making every summer. Paran Amirinazari, Artistic Director, was here several times in the past month, and brought us this poster for our bulletin board. We wish them a successful season, and we encourage all who are near the isthmus to make it to one (or all) of their concerts. #willystreetchamberplayers #millsmusiclibrary
  • We’re always seeking more additions to our Wisconsin Music Archives, be they recordings, videos, books, magazines, sheet music, or scores. We recently acquired what appears to be the only album by Madison band Sweet Release, Who Was That Masked Band...? [LP 798457] It’s a self-released LP, with no date, but we’re guessing 1982 based on the numbers printed on the label. We presume the band members were humans, and not raccoons—as the cover art by Rita Fiedler suggests. We know their names, thanks to the back cover: Mac Cantrell, clarinet; Ric Cone, conga drums; Sara Edwards, vocals; Eric Egerstrand, electric bass; Michael Goy, electric guitar, vocals; Peter Goy, electric and acoustic guitars, vocals; Jeff Heaton, drums; Jeff Naughton, saxophone; Bill Roberts, slide guitar; Wayne Taylor, percussion, vocals. The credits also let us know it was recorded at Candlelight Studios, by engineer Jim Stuht. The Goy brothers wrote all the music, which is in the vein of the Grateful Dead—if the Dead had also incorporated clarinet and saxophone occasionally. We know Bill Roberts is still playing guitar around Madison, and we’ve managed to find bits of information about some of the other folks involved via various sources, but we’re curious to learn what knowledge longtime locals might offer. Shine a light on our darkness! Help us unmask Sweet Release! #sweetrelease #whowasthatmaskedband #michaelgoy #petergoy #wisconsinmusicarchives #millsmusiclibrary
  • Happy 80th Birthday to Mavis Staples! She’s a national treasure and a living legend. She’s also still out there on the road, touring all summer in support of her new album We Get By. She’ll be performing at Door Community Auditorium in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, on August 29. We highly recommend witnessing her perform! Pictured: You Are Not Alone, her 2010 Anti- record. [COMP DISC 20623] #mavisstaples #mavisstaples80th #millsmusiclibrary
More photos