About
BIOgraphy
CoMingle is an experimental music collective that prioritizes an open, explorative, and collaborative approach to the musical process. Their sound cannot be easily classified into a single genre but incorporates elements of jazz, pop, neo-soul, Afrobeat, funk, R&B, and hip hop.
CoMingle was formed by vocalist Luna Pluer and keyboardist Mark Goodden, who would compose and perform songs around the Greater Milwaukee area while still in high school. Since then, the group has grown to include saxophonist and rapper Zach Ramirez, who met Goodden in a jazz ensemble course at UW-Madison in 2019. The three immediately hit it off and quickly started gigging together around Madison, WI. They soon released their first EP, Soul Your Roll, in May of 2020 with the help of Kyle Williams (alto sax, sound design), Tyler Lustek (trumpet, clarinet), Ben Becker (bass), Sean Lenz (production, cover art), and Alex Kohls (mixing/mastering engineer). The following January, they released a New Year's-inspired single, "Resolution." The track features rap vocals by Ramirez under his pseudonym BrighterDaze and also includes guitarist Will Leadholm. Their next single, "We Can't Be Friends," dropped in May of 2021 and marked the start of a collaboration with artist and graphic designer Julia Lopez de la Cruz, who created the cover art for the release.
The current iteration of CoMingle came to fruition in 2022 after Ramirez joined the fusion group Maestranza. The two bands instantly clicked and started regularly hanging out and jamming together. Soon thereafter, Maestranza's drummer/engineer Will Bailey and guitarist Nathan Relles became fixtures of CoMingle. Bassist Dave Wyatt and drummer/percussionist Jordan Kowalski joined in 2023.
The band draws inspiration from a wide array of artists that span the musical spectrum. Their influences include: tUnE-yArDs, Hiatus Kaiyote, Amnesty, Esperanza Spalding, the Beatles, the Flobots, Fela Kuti, Stevie Wonder, Wayne Shorter, Mike Patton, and Frank Zappa. They've performed with Alex White & Friends, Wurk, the Cream City Players, Ladyslipper, Little Earthquakes, Pocket Change, and Pretty From A Distance.
CoMingle was formed by vocalist Luna Pluer and keyboardist Mark Goodden, who would compose and perform songs around the Greater Milwaukee area while still in high school. Since then, the group has grown to include saxophonist and rapper Zach Ramirez, who met Goodden in a jazz ensemble course at UW-Madison in 2019. The three immediately hit it off and quickly started gigging together around Madison, WI. They soon released their first EP, Soul Your Roll, in May of 2020 with the help of Kyle Williams (alto sax, sound design), Tyler Lustek (trumpet, clarinet), Ben Becker (bass), Sean Lenz (production, cover art), and Alex Kohls (mixing/mastering engineer). The following January, they released a New Year's-inspired single, "Resolution." The track features rap vocals by Ramirez under his pseudonym BrighterDaze and also includes guitarist Will Leadholm. Their next single, "We Can't Be Friends," dropped in May of 2021 and marked the start of a collaboration with artist and graphic designer Julia Lopez de la Cruz, who created the cover art for the release.
The current iteration of CoMingle came to fruition in 2022 after Ramirez joined the fusion group Maestranza. The two bands instantly clicked and started regularly hanging out and jamming together. Soon thereafter, Maestranza's drummer/engineer Will Bailey and guitarist Nathan Relles became fixtures of CoMingle. Bassist Dave Wyatt and drummer/percussionist Jordan Kowalski joined in 2023.
The band draws inspiration from a wide array of artists that span the musical spectrum. Their influences include: tUnE-yArDs, Hiatus Kaiyote, Amnesty, Esperanza Spalding, the Beatles, the Flobots, Fela Kuti, Stevie Wonder, Wayne Shorter, Mike Patton, and Frank Zappa. They've performed with Alex White & Friends, Wurk, the Cream City Players, Ladyslipper, Little Earthquakes, Pocket Change, and Pretty From A Distance.
Bandmates
Luna Pluer
Vocals |
Mark Goodden
Keyboards/Engineering |
Zach Ramirez
Saxophones/Rap |
Will Bailey
Drums/Percussion/Engineering |
Dave Wyatt
Bass Jordan Kowalski
Drums/Percussion |
Nathan Relles
Guitar |
Other PRojects
maestranza
Maestranza plays a mix of covers and originals from a variety of genres. Led by guitarist Nathan Relles, the band features musicians from all different backgrounds working together to create a cohesive, original sound in improvised music. The current lineup features bassist Aaron Metz, drummer Will Bailey, saxophonist Zach Ramirez, and keyboardist Mark Goodden.
BrighterDaZE
BrighterDaze is a project by Madison-based multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, poet, and producer Zach Ramirez, through which he creates an eclectic blend of jazz, funk, hip hop, and electronic music.
Growing up in a musical family in Milwaukee, WI, Ramirez started playing piano at age four before picking up the saxophone at nine. Starting on alto, he soon branched out to the tenor and baritone saxophones, as well as flute, synthesizer, drum machine, and percussion. He started writing rhymes in high school and draws inspiration from a long lineage of hard-hitting lyricists across multiple eras of hip hop. Ramirez studied jazz saxophone under Les Thimmig and Sharel Cassity at UW-Madison. He joined CoMingle in 2019 and Maestranza in 2022.
Growing up in a musical family in Milwaukee, WI, Ramirez started playing piano at age four before picking up the saxophone at nine. Starting on alto, he soon branched out to the tenor and baritone saxophones, as well as flute, synthesizer, drum machine, and percussion. He started writing rhymes in high school and draws inspiration from a long lineage of hard-hitting lyricists across multiple eras of hip hop. Ramirez studied jazz saxophone under Les Thimmig and Sharel Cassity at UW-Madison. He joined CoMingle in 2019 and Maestranza in 2022.
LadySLipper
Harmonic potions of Luna Pluer (CoMingle), Annie Kubena (Little Earthquakes, Pretty From a Distance), Peggy McCrumb (Moon Fruit), and Laura Wiederhoeft. Ladyslipper is an indie folk acapella group from Madison WI. Their vocals weave through a jungle of emotion, with untamed hearts keeping time. Be ready for the tiny hairs on your arm to salute their sound.
© 2023 CoMingle LLC