The North Street Cabaret is a music venue in Madison, Wisconsin, dedicated to the presentation of roots music.

We owe a great deal of gratitude to ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax, who preserved our musical history by lugging a huge tape recorder in the trunk of his car and recorded America’s early traditional music; music born out of slavery, the cotton fields, churches and chain gangs.

My own appreciation of roots music started in my youth when I had the good fortune of being in a band with George “Wild Child” Butler, a Chicago bluesman To stand next to Wild Child and hear the quiver in his voice and the wail of his harmonica was a spiritual experience.

I very much enjoy having the opportunity to share the rich culture of music with our community that is coming to us from all over the world and also from “around the corner.” There is extraordinarily rich and varied talent in our musicians from many musical persuasions.

 We truly love presenting this variety of musical traditions and incredible talent to you in our intimate venue where we hope it will make a lasting impression.

-Al Rasho