The Stellanovas play music they like to call cafe jazz. • Tin Tyle • The Rainy Waltz • Remember Me • James • After You've Gone • Solitude • Yesterdays • Chris/Ed jam • Woodrow Village

It's jazz, it's folk, it's original music and stuff you've heard somewhere before.
It's happy and sad and whimsical.

It's violin, cello, guitar, accordion, some singing and the occasional ukulele.

• Official Stellanovas website

Chris Wagoner, Mary Gaines, and Ed Fila are the Stellanovas.

Mary Gaines (cello, vocals):
Originally a jazz-guitar major at the University of WI-Stevens Point, Mary truly found her musical voice studying jazz cello under the tutelage of the great Richard Davis (bass player with artists ranging from Sarah Vaughn to Van Morrison) at the UW-Madison. Mary is also known for her amazing voice--often compared to Bonnie Raitt but definitely her own. She (along with her husband, Chris) has done extensive work as a session musician, appearing on albums such as Smashing Pumpkin's Gish, several Freedy Johnston, Willy Porter, and Carrie Newcomer albums, and scores of others.

Chris Wagoner (violin, accordion, vocals):
A founding member of Madison's Harmonious Wail, The Common Faces, The Bob Westfall Quartet, and The Moon Gypsies (the latter three co-founded with Mary Gaines), Chris has had his foot in just about every musical circle in Madison. Classically trained as a violinist, he met Mary while attending the UW-Madison. Switching to an alternating diet of jazz and classical violin studies, while playing in bands ranging from rock, blues, bluegrass, and country, to folk and jazz, Chris has been an in-demand performer and session musician in the region for almost two decades.

Chris and Mary are the Swiss Army knives of string players!
(Mark Williams, producer: Southern Culture on the Skids, Carrie Newcomer, Hootie and the Blowfish)

Ed Fila (guitar):
After graduating from North Texas State’s highly lauded jazz department, Ed migrated back up north to Wisconsin (after a stint in Chicago) to show us how it’s done. Due to his versatility and good-humored nature, he has long been a first-call sideman in groups and sessions. Chris and Mary first teamed up with Ed over ten years ago while playing for a house party and have been looking for an excuse to play together ever since! In addition to The Stellanovas, Ed performs regularly with his group Next Exit and co-leads The Ed Anders Quartet with saxophonist Anders Svanoe, and is also a member of Caravan.

back to main