Umphrey’s McGee kicked off their run at The Orpheum in Madison, WI last night with a special show that saw saxophonist Joshua Redman sit in throughout both sets, the second of which featured all improv.

To start, Redman came out for the end segment of the first set, joining the band for a pair of older tunes in “The Crooked One” and “Soul Food I” before the newer “Similar Skin” closed the set.

For the second frame, Brendan Bayliss busted out a couple vocal “Jimmy Stewart” jams with the help of Redman and the rest of the band as they moved through an hour of improvised music together. In the past, some of these lyrical jams have turned into full-fledged songs.

The night concluded with an emotional tribute to Jerry Cummins, the father of Joel Cummins who passed away recently. Bayliss dedicated the final cover of “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” to Jerry and gave a speech in the middle of the show honoring the keyboardist’s father.

UM returns to Madison, WI tonight.

Here’s a look at the setlist as it appears in our Box Scores section:

Umphrey’s McGee
Orpheum Theatre, Madison, WI

Set I: Drink My Drank > Conduit, Attachments, Got Your Milk (Right Here) > Syncopated Strangers > Den > Syncopated Strangers, No Diablo, The Crooked One* > Soul Food I* > Similar Skin*

Set II: Improvisation^ > Improvisation^^, Improvisation

Enc: Hindsight, Don’t You (Forget About Me)%

Notes:
*with Joshua Redman on saxophones
^with Joshua Redman on saxophones; “Jimmy Stewart” with vocals
^^“Jimmy Stewart” with vocals
%Dedicated to Jerry Cummins

Source: http://allthings.umphreys.com