The Troubadours of Rhythym play at the release party for their new album – It’s Tight Like That – at Bar Centro on September 6, 2024 (more details below).

Headed by Jon Mroz, The Troubadours of Rhythm have stormed the Milwaukee hot jazz and swing dance scene. They specialize in hokum style – a light-hearted (and often risque) hot jazz that is heavily influenced by blues. Their entire set is danceable with a range of tempos and vocals usually by Mroz and Aidan White. Mroz says that the idea for Troubadours of Rhythm germinated with Aidan White, as a vehicle to showcase the micro-niche styles of Milwaukee (and Chicago) jazz and blues of the late 1920s/early 1930s and originals in that vein.

Although most of the current dancers are just recently beginning to know and appreciate Mroz’s musical talents and showmanship, he is not new to the Milwaukee dance scene. He says that “I had come up as a harmonica player and shouter in the blues world, under the spell of Jim Liban and the 1950s Chicago thing, but had been diving deep into post-war jump blues that was sending the dancers!” 

In the 1990s he played with Swingin’ Kools (with Kid Mally, Matt Davis, John Carr, & Paino Willie). “The Kools pre-dated the “swing revival”, but once it hit around 1995 we were poised to conquer the scene. Man, what a great time to play music!”, says Mroz.

Mroz took time off from gigs to raise kids, continuing to hone his music skills between diaper changes. In early 2022 he re-emerged into the scene playing string bass for the locally beloved Professor Pinkerton Xyloma (see the blog post on the 2019 album release Antiquated at Best). Bass was a new instrument for Mroz. “I was so blessed that the world’s best early jazz bass players also happen to be some of the kindest, most generous people. Guys like Beau Sample & Ryan Gould have been immense in their assistance with me studying a new instrument.”

As for this new album, It’s Tight Like That, Mroz says that “We had a blast with this album, recorded in one afternoon in January (the coldest day of the year) at National Recording in Walker’s Point. We had only played a few gigs together at that point, so there’s a rawness that jumps out at you. We got the opportunity to showcase some original material plus pay tribute to some of our historical influences.”

They are selling CDs and vinyl at their shows and on Bandcamp beginning September 6. The big album release party and performance (with special guest from Austin, Texas-Lauryn Gould-on reeds) is at Bar Centro from 8:00 to 10:30 PM. Don’t expect to be able to swingout at this cozy venue, but bring your dancing shoes for the potential of close dancing with blues and Balboa. Not sure how to blues or Balboa? Visit the Milwaukee dance groups Good Land Balboa and Brew Town Blues. Be ready for when Troubadours plays larger venues with those big Lindy Hop moves by learning with Cream City Swing.