About Common Chord

With their unique combination of vocal, instrumental, songwriting and composing/arranging skills, Common Chord creates an amazing sonic palette.
[Member Bios]

Common Chord - 2017
Left to right: Bruce Buttel, Faye Bruggink, Michael Bryant, Delores Jenison, Tracy Jane Comer

Repertoire

Common Chord's repertoire includes vocal-centric pieces with four-part harmonies, toe-tapping swingy numbers, folk and bluegrass-flavored pieces, bluesy tunes, acoustic rock/pop songs and more...something for everyone, with appeal to audiences of all ages. The group focuses on originals from each of three writers in the group (Michael, Bruce, Tracy) plus unique covers from the likes of Tom Waits, the Beatles, Robert Johnson, Paul Simon, and George Gershwin, and others

Instruments regularly used in live shows include guitars, bass, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, clarinet, bass clarinet, cigar box guitar, hand percussion, and sometimes cello, melodica, and hammered dulcimer.

Background

Common Chord was formed originally as a duo in 2015 by singer/songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Michael Bryant and Tracy Jane Comer, who were members of the former Madison-area trio Sticky Fingers (early to mid-2000s). The two have worked as duo on occasion since then as well, prior to forming Common Chord. The group quickly grew to five regular performers with the addition of singer/songwriter Bruce Buttel, vocalist Delores Jenison, and multi-instrumentalist Faye Bruggink. This powerhouse of combined talents yields a strong creative synergy...the musical whole is much greater than the sum of the parts.

Venues

Common Chord performs in a variety of settings including small venues such as coffee houses, house concerts, festivals, and community concerts.

Recordings

Their debut album (self-titled) was released in January 2017, and a followup, Dig A Little Deeper, was released in early February 2020. A limited release Christmas EP was published in 2022 with plans for a full holiday release in fall of 2023.

Common Chord Members

Michael Bryant

Co-Director

Vocals, guitar, bass, mandolin

Bio/Background...

Michael has written music for radio, TV, industrial and feature films. He has earned Addy awards for his commercial music and is also a past winner of the American International Song Contest. Folk music is what he enjoys most but doesn't see anything wrong with throwing in a jazz chord or two along the way

With his unforgettable and seemingly effortless baritone voice he delivers his memorable original songs in a variety of styles which will have you humming and singing and tapping your fingers and toes.

Michael is also a member of acoustic harmony trio Bob's Your Uncle (with Bruce and Tracy of Common Chord), and is a regular vocalist with the All That Jazz Big Band.

Tracy Jane Comer

Co-Director

Vocals, guitar, bass, viola, percussion

Bio/Background...

Tracy is a vocalist, songwriter/composer and multi-instrumentalist with several published recordings and a host of awards to her credit. Often lauded for her versatility as a performer and for her arranging skills, she has opened or shared shows with national acts including Dar Williams, Willy Porter, Peter Mulvey, and many more.

Tracy loves music of many types, having an extensive classical music background (piano, cello, vocal/choral) but also much involvement in pop/rock, folk, theater, and church music. Currently she performs actively as a soloist in additino to her work with Common Chord and other collaborations. She is also a member of related group Bob's Your Uncle (with Michael and Bruce of Common Chord).
www.tracyjanecomer.com

Bruce Buttel

Vocals, guitar

Bio/Background...

Bruce has performed professionally in musical theater (the Fireside in Fort Atkinson) and in the touring Country/Top 40 band Quinn, also based in Fort Atkinson. Bruce traveled with Quinn throughout U.S., but also had the pleasure of playing concerts for our armed forces in Germany, Italy, and the Middle East. Since then, his performing has consisted of mostly weddings, choirs, radio commercials and recording the annual family Christmas CD.

Bruce is also a member of acoustic harmony trio Bob's Your Uncle (with Michael and Tracy of Common Chord).

Delores Jenison

Vocals

Bio/Background...

Delores has been singing in church groups, community groups, and ensembles for most of her life. She particularly enjoys singing backing vocal harmonies.

Delores was the director of a contemporary praise band at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Madison for about 15 years, until 2016.

Delores has sung in several groups outside of church, including Common Chord, Acoustic Collective, Acoustic Alloy, Tracy Jane Comer and Friends, and the Edgewood Community Choir.

Delores also plays the piano and is currently learning to play the ukulele.

Faye Bruggink

Clarinets (soprano and bass), bass guitar, percussion

Bio/Background...

Faye Bruggink was the first chair clarinetist in 6th grade band because her last name starts with “B” but managed to mostly maintain that chair by studying with Nancy Mackenzie through middle and high school. Besides playing in school bands and orchestras and attending Wisconsin School of Music Association’s Honor Band music camp, Faye was a member of the prestigious Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra.

With WYSO, Faye toured England and Scotland under Youth Orchestra Music Director/UW-Madison Professor (and clarinetist) James Smith.

Faye’s post-secondary education was science-intensive, but she found time to continue playing clarinet and has picked up the bass guitar along the way as well. She has played in several chamber ensembles with Tracy since the early 2000s, including Alchemy Ensemble and Elixir Chamber Trio.