Is That Jazz? Seattle’s Avant-Jazz Music Festival

from The Stranger:

“Too many writers think they know what’s going on in jazz. I can unfurl lists of national and regional artists—many of them potential or actual successors to Miles and Parker—yet I don’t know nearly as much as I think I know. But I can tell you this: If we define jazz as music invented by African Americans that exalts improvisation, ongoing rhythmic tension, and group dialogue while reserving a prominent place for a soloist to articulate an individual, perhaps contradictory, musical vision, then jazz is in pretty good shape.

The Is That Jazz? festival offers proof over two weekends with an array of double bills suggesting that jazz is here and continues to expand in many directions”

Read the complete article here.

January 22–23 and January 29–30, Chapel Performance Space, 8 pm, $10/$15. More info: www.isthatjazz.org

Thursday Jazz

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Sonando

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Daniel Adams with guest artist Dylan Morrison
9pm – Julie Gatz (vocals) with Andy Carr (piano)

NEW ORLEANS: Ham Carson Quintet

BOXLEY’S: Clark Gibson

LUCID: The Hang w/ The Teaching

SEAMONSTER: Hammond B3 Night

THAIKU: Jon Alberts, Jeff Johnson and Tad Britton

Up-Coming Ben Thomas performances

from Ben Thomas:

I have several gigs this week with some great groups.

Thursday, Jan 21, 6 PM
I’ll be playing tango duets with Ludmilla Valershteyn at Dulce’s Latin Bistro.
We have a couple hours of beautiful piano/bandoneon duets and Dulce’s is one of my favorite places to play in Seattle.
http://www.dulceslatinbistro.com/
1430 34th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122

Friday, Jan 22, 9 PM
Tangabrazo plays at Sonny Newman’s Dance Hall.
As always, we will mix tango classics with some original tango compositions.
Come dance to live music at one of the nicest dance floors around!
201 N. 85th St. Seattle, WA 98103
http://www.tangoseattle.com/

Saturday, Jan 23
TWO GIGS!
1) “In the Key of Cornish”, 7:45 PM at Bakes Place
I’ll be playing with Jovino Santos Neto, Randy Halberstadt, Chuck Deardorf and Mark Ivester at Bakes Place in Issaquah.
http://www.bakesplace.org/

2) Barrett Martin Group at Lo-Fi 10 PM at Lo-Fi
Opening trio at 9 PM
http://barrettmartin.com/
429 Eastlake Ave E Seattle, WA 98109

Wednesday Jazz

JAZZ ALLEY: Brad Mehldau

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Joie Tet CD Release w/ Moraine

THAIKU: Ron Weinstein Trio

BOXLEY’S: Danny Kolke Trio

LUCID JAZZ LOUNGE: Jaz Lund

NEW ORLEANS: Legacy Band w/ Clarence Acox

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Jean Mishler Student Showcase
9pm – Vocal Showcase, w/ Fathia Atallah, Kim Davis, Celestine Berrysmith, Julie Olsen, and Darin Clendenin (piano), Clipper Anderson (bass), Robert Rushing (drums)


Tuesday

JAZZ ALLEY: Brad Mehldau

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Roadside Attraction

NEW ORLEANS: Holotradband

DEXTER AND HAYES: Tim Kennedy Trio

SEAMONSTER LOUNGE: McTuff Trio

OWL & THISTLE: Jam Session w/ Eric Verlinde

MIX: Don Mock and Steve Kim

MARTIN’S ON MADISON: Karin Kajita

DULCES LATIN BISTRO: Eric Verlinde 6:30pm

Monday Jazz

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Jazz Jam with Darin Clendenin

NEW ORLEANS: New Orleans Quintet

TOST: Michael Shrieve’s Spellbinder

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We are working to fix the problem …

UPDATE: Fixed … a big thank you to Lyle at Spry Networks.

Sunday Jazz

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB:
3:00: Jay Thomas & Stimulus Package Big Band
8:00: Jim Cutler Jazz Orchestra

SERAFINA:
11:00am: Conlin Roser Duo
6:30pm: Ann Reynolds & Tobi Stone

BOXLEYS: Tracy Knoop Quartet

MARTIN’S ON MADISON: Tim Kennedy

Seattle jazz artists head to Europe

As we had previously mentioned, Ray Vega’s East/West Trumpet Summit, featuring Seattle musicians Thomas Marriott, Jeff Johnson and Matt Jorgensen, just returned from a week in Switzerland performing at Marians Jazzroom. Next week will see more concerts throughout Europe featuring Seattle jazz musicians.

Trumpeter Chad McCullough has four up-coming shows (three of which feature John Bishop on drums).

Chad McCullough and Michal Vanouck
Sun, Jan 17: De Kombinatie, The Hague, Netherlands

Chad McCullough & Bram Weijters Quartet, Featuring John Bishop
Tue, Jan 19: Hot Club de Gant, Ghent, Belgium
Wed, Jan 20: Buster, Antwerp, Belgium
Thur, Jan 21: El Negocito, Ghent, Belguim

Drummer Matt Jorgensen is heading back to Europe for two performances at the Heidelberg Jazzhaus in Germany and a recording with the group Chamber 3.

Wed, Jan 20: with organist Thomas Wind, Heidelberg Jazzhaus
Fri, Jan 22: with Chamber 3 featuring Christian Ecker and Steffen Weber, Heidelberg Jazzhaus

Ed Thigpen Jazz Drummer Legend Dies Aged 79

Ed Thigpen, Chicago-born drummer with the Oscar Peterson Trio during the famed jazz pianist’s popular early-’60s period, died on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 at the age of seventy-nine in Kingdom Hospital in Copenhagen after being ill for a long period of time.

Besides appearing on dozens of albums with Oscar Peterson, Thigpen recorded and performed with many other jazz greats, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Kenny Drew, Johnny Hodges, John Coltrane, and Dinah Washington, as well as pop artists including Johnny Mathis, Pat Boone, Peggy Lee, and K.D. Lang.

continue reading at All About Jazz.com

Friday Jazz

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Marc Seales Trio

TRIPLE DOOR MUSICQUARIUM: Tarik Abouzeid Organ Trio

SERAFINA: Kiko De Freitas

BOXLEY’S: Susan Pascal Trio

BAKE’S PLACE: Marilyn Keller & Greta Matassa

LATONA PUB: Clark Gibson Trio

EL GAUCHO BELLEVUE: Trish Hatley Trio

HIROSHI’S: Marcus Brothers Quintet

LUCID: Bridgid Roney

LOMBARDI’S: Carolyn Graye

GALLERY 1412: Gust Burns and Tyler Wilcox; John Houx; Birds Fled From Me; Le Systeme Solaire; White Buffalo Black Madonna

Haiti earthquake touches Seattle jazz scene

UPDATE via Jason Parker: We sent David off this morning with about $2000 cash and about $700 in supplies, i.e. water tablets, first aid kits, etc. It was nice to see the outpouring of support.

********************

We got this too late last night to post, but David Pierre-Louis, owner of Lucid Jazz Lounge, has family in Haiti and is heading out this morning with cash and supplies raised at a fundraiser last night at Lucid.

There are plenty of ways to help:

American Red Cross: https://american.redcross.org/
Unicef: http://www.unicefusa.org/
Doctors Without Borders: http://doctorswithoutborders.org/

And musician Wyclef Jean and his Yele Haiti Foundation has been helping Haiti for years. With this disaster they are at the forefront of getting relief to the area.

From The Huffington Post:

The Yele Haiti Foundation, begun by Haiti native Wyclef Jean, is collecting donations to help those affected by the Haiti earthquake.

Jean said in a statement:

“I cannot stress enough what a human disaster this is, and idle hands will only make this tragedy worse. The over 2 million people in Port-au-Prince tonight face catastrophe alone. We must act now.”

Jean urged people on his Twitter account to help in the Haiti disaster relief effort by texting “Yele” to 501501. This donates $5 to the Yele Haiti Foundation, automatically charged to your cell phone bill.

People can also donate to the Yele Haiti Foundation online here.

Thursday Jazz

SEATTLE ART MUSEUM: Hadley Caliman Quintet featuring Thomas Marriott

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Jose Gonzales & Oghale

NEW ORLEANS: Ham Carson Quintet

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – First Circle with Michael Cosgrove (guitar), Larry Messer (guitar), Jeff Fiorini (bass) and Lars Larson (drums)
9pm – Joe Jencks and Wes Weddell

BOXLEY’S: Marcus Brothers Quartet

LUCID: The Hang w/ The Teaching

SEAMONSTER: Hammond B3 Night

THAIKU: Jon Alberts, Jeff Johnson & Tad Britton

Up-coming Hiroshi’s schedule

Come out and have some fresh food and catch some live jazz. Lots of friends coming by tonight to sit in…

Pony Boy Records Presents JAZZ and SUSHI
Friday Nights – Hiroshi’s Restaurant

2501 Eastlake Avenue East, Seattle, WA
ph: (206)726-4966, no cover, 7:30 – 10:00

Sushi master Hiroshi and his gang prepare a full menu of Japanese cuisine that is fresh, tasty, and full of flavor – all matched with some very special sake and beverages (try the plumb wine) Favored by local Japanese and music lovers, Hiroshi’s has been featuring live jazz on Friday nights for over three years – presented by the Pony Boy Records stable of artists. Come by for some fine food, and see who will be sitting in with the band – Fridays have become a ‘happening’ on Eastlake! Cheers!

Friday, Jan 15 – Marcus Brothers Re-convergence
A musical family reunion form all over the globe!
Dan Marcus, trombone & low horns
Michael Marcus, bass”Papa” Marcus, clarinet
Bill Anschell, piano
Greg Williamson, drums

Friday, Jan 22 – Greg Williamson Quartet Happy Birthday Bash
Alexey Nikolaev, sax
John Hansen, piano
Jon Hamar, bass
Greg Williamson, drums

Friday, Jan 29 – Ocho Pies – Cuban & World Jazz
New CD coming soon!
Paul Hjelm, guitar
Steve Luceno, guitar
Michael Olson, percussion
Connie Bunyer, vocal & percussion

Tuesday Jazz

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Emerald City Jazz Orchestra

NEW ORLEANS: Holotradband

SHERMAN CLAY PIANO STORE: Ariel Pocock Trio

DEXTER AND HAYES: Tim Kennedy Trio

SEAMONSTER LOUNGE: McTuff Trio

OWL & THISTLE: Jam w/ Eric Verlinde & Jose Martinez

MIX: Don Mock

MARTIN’S ON MADISON: Karin Kajita

East/West Trumpet Summit back from Europe

Ray Vega’s East/West Trumpet Summit, featuring Seattle musicians Thomas Marriott, Jeff Johnson and Matt Jorgensen as well as former-Olympian Travis Shook, just returned from a week at Marians Jazzroom in Bern, Switzerland, performing with the New York trumpeter.

The group recorded a new CD last month which will be released in the Summer on Origin Records.