About the Artist
Dequadray White is a Black, Queer Interdisciplinary artist who creates to inquire and inspire. From painting to crafting lyrics, Dequadray uses various mediums to illustrate the interplay between the cosmic mystery of life and magic Black People harness. As an Atlanta native, he was involved in many youth arts and leadership programs that fostered his talents, graduating from Tri-Cities High School Visual and Performing Art Magnet Program. He was awarded a scholarship to be a part of the tenth cohort of the Office of Multicultural Initiatives First Wave Scholarship Program.
As a student at UW-Madison, Dequadray created events and held spaces for underprivileged populations to build community on a predominantly white campus. As an artist, Dequadray created two music ‘Dequadray! a Black Sitcom’ and ‘Antares’ projects covered by the Isthmus, Tone Madison and Madison Magazine. Performing for Free the 350 Bail Fund, the Urban League, and Madison’s Pride festival, Dequadray helped raise funds and resources for underrepresented communities. He continues his works as a community advocate by working with local Atlanta nonprofits such as the Atlanta Pride Committee, The Children’s Museum of Atlanta and Paint Love.
As Dequadray continues to create across mediums, he becomes more focused on envisioning a more just world. Using radical imagination and centering the voices of those most marginalized, he strives to be the change he wants to see and challenges all he encounters to inquire further than their indoctrination. From his marrow, he believes it is our responsibility to demand liberation and joy for ourselves, families, and community, to use our power to conjure a place without inequities.
About the Artist
Mr. Chair is a dynamic and innovative ensemble based in Madison. A trio composed of Jason Kutz (piano), Ben Ferris (bass), and Mike Koszewksi (drums), they collaborate with singers, dancers, orchestras, string ensembles, poets, and visual artists. Mr. Chair pioneers exciting and distinct projects, showcasing their versatile style and interests in improvisational music.
Mr. Chair produced two forthcoming albums that are set to release. Sirena, with singer Leslie Damaso and saxophonist Jon Irabagon, is a heartfelt, operatic arrangement of Filipino art songs called kundiman, set to the story of a mythical mermaid. Spectaculous is an orchestral hip hop album with singer and poet Dequadray White. They put out two studio albums of original music with trombonist Mark Hetzler, Nebulebula (2019) and Better Days (2023).
Other notable performances and projects include a recent premiere of jazz legend Roland Hanna’s bass concerto; reimaginations of Stravinsky’s Pulcinella, Gerswhin’s Rhapsody in Blue, and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific; and commissioned works with UW-Madison Geoscience Professor, Dr. Stephen Meyers, musically exploring scientific topics like the big bang & underground wave patterns.
What ties the eclectic projects together is Mr. Chair’s fearless exploration of musical storytelling, technical precision, and dynamic and energizing performances.
“The euphonious elements at the heart of Snarky Puppy’s appeal are also present in Mr. Chair’s debut.“ (PROG UK)