Meet Ruby Bishop: She’s 95 And Still Playing The Standards

from KPLU:

Ruby Bishop has played piano around the world. She’s befriended some of the jazz world’s greatest names — including Louis Armstrong.

At 95, she’s still playing Sunday nights at Vito’s, on Seattle’s First Hill.

In this story from the “Comfort Zone” episode of KPLU’s Sound Effect, she talks about the piano, her life, her career, and feeling comfortable behind 88 keys.

Read the complete story and also listen to the episode at KPLU.

Photos: Thomas Marriott at Jazz Alley

photos by Jim Levitt

The Thomas Marriott Quintet performing at Jazz Alley on Tuesday night, May 19, 2015. They’re there again tonight (Wednesday). Check it out!

Thomas Marriott, trumpet; Mark Taylor, saxophone; Dawn Clement, piano; Phil Sparks, bass; and Matt Jorgensen on drums.

Photos: Santosh Sharma Quartet at Tula’s

Saxophonist Santosh Sharma, a junior in the powerhouse Roosevelt High School jazz program, led a qu

artet at Tula’s, opening for the Spike Wilner Trio. Santosh was selected for the 2015 Grammy Jazz Band. Joining him on guitar was Lucas Winter, a Roosevelt graduate now studying at Cornish. Drummer Luke Woodle, a Roosevelt senior, will be studying at USC in the fall. Bassist Michael Glynn rounded out the band.

 

Thomas Marriott Quintet at Jazz Alley: Tuesday – Wednesday

Trumpeter Thomas Marriott is headlining at Jazz Alley this week. His quintet features Mark Taylor (saxophone), Dawn Clement (piano), Phil Sparks (bass) and Matt Jorgensen (drums).

The group is a last-minute replacement for trumpeter Wallace Roney who had to cancel. The show is only $10 so get on down to Jazz Alley and show your support for the Seattle jazz scene!

TUESDAY – WEDNESDAY, MAY 19-20
THOMAS MARRIOTT QUINTET

JAZZ ALLEY
2033 6th Avenue
Seattle WA 98121

Reservations: (206) 441-9729

Sunday Jazz

JAZZ ALLEY: Najee
2033 6th Ave, 206-441-9729, 7:30pm

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB:
3:00pm: Fairly Honest Jazz Band
7:30pm: Jim Cutler Jazz Orchestra
2214 2nd Ave, 206-443-4221, 8:00pm

CAFE RACER: Morgan Henderson
5828 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, 8:00pm

DARRELL’S TAVERN: Kevin Mccarthy & Friends Jam Session
18041 Aurora Ave N, Shoreline, 8:00pm

SERAFINA: 11am: Pasquale Santos; 6:30pm: Lennon Aldort
2043 Eastlake Ave E, 206-323-0807

VITO’S LOUNGE: 6pm: Ruby Bishop; 9:30pm: Ron Weinstein Trio
927 9th Ave, Seattle

BOXLEY’S: Danny Kolke Trio
101 West North Bend Way, North Bend, WA, 425-292-9307, 6:00pm

Seattle Times: The top three slots at the Essentially Ellington competition in New York eluded three Seattle-area high-school jazz bands.

from The Seattle TImes:

For the second year in a row, the top three slots at the Essentially Ellington competition in New York have eluded three Seattle-area high-school jazz bands. The three-day event ended Saturday.

Seattle’s Garfield and Roosevelt high schools and Snoqualmie’s Mount Si High School were three of the 15 schools that competed. The same three schools were also finalists in 2014.

The first-place winner this year did come from the Northwest — the American Music Program, in Portland. Second place went to the Tucson Jazz Institute, of Tucson, Ariz., (which won in 2014), third place to Lexington High School, from Lexington, Mass. Dillard Center for the Arts, from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., received an honorable mention.

Continue reading at The Seattle TImes.

Friday Jazz

Tonight … The Ballard Jazz Walk! Check out details here.

everything else …

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Jovino Santos Neto Quarteto
2214 Second Avenue, 206-443-4221, 7:30pm

JAZZ ALLEY: Ramsey Lewis Quartet
2033 6th Ave, 206-441-9729, 7:30 & 10:00pm

LATONA PUB: Phil Sparks Trio
6423 Latona Avenue NE, 5:00 – 7:00pm, No Cover, 21+

BOXLEY’S: Jon Pugh Trio
101 West North Bend Way, North Bend, WA, 425-292-9307, 7:00pm

NORTH CITY BISTRO: Alma y Azucar
1520 NE 177th St, Shoreline, 206-365-4447, 8:00pm

SERAFINA: Tim Kennedy Duo
2043 Eastlake Ave E, 206-323-0807, 9:00pm

DUOS LOUNGE: Jeff Ferguson’s Triangular Jazztet
2940 SW Avalon Way, 206-452-2452, 7:30pm

GRAZIE: Edward Paul Trio
23207 Bothell-Everett Hwy, Bothell, 425-402-9600, 7:00pm

VITO’S: Casey MacGill
927 9th Ave, Seattle, 206-682-2695, 8:00pm

SHUGA JAZZ BISTRO: Debbie Duncan, Eric Verlinde and Cliff Colon
317 Main Avenue South, Renton, 8:30pm

Thursday Jazz

The Ballard Jazz Festival:

GUITAR SUMMIT
8:00pm: Jerry Hahn
9:00pm: Peter Bernstein
10:00pm: John Stowell

CONOR BYRNE PUB
5140 Ballard Avenue NW (PLEASE NOTE: THIS SHOW IS 21+)
Showtime: 8:00pm


TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Sarah Partridge Quartet
2214 Second Avenue, 206-443-4221, 7:30pm

JAZZ ALLEY: Ramsey Lewis Quartet
2033 6th Ave, 206-441-9729, 7:30pm

BARCA: Adam Kessler/Phil Sparks Trio
1510 11th Avenue, Seattle, (206) 325-8263, 9:00pm

BOXLEY’S: Darin Clendenin
101 West North Bend Way, North Bend, WA, 425-292-9307, 7:00pm

VITO’S: 5:30pm: Casey MacGill; 9:00pm: Rik Wright
927 9th Ave, Seattle, 206-682-2695

BLUE MOON: Blue Moon session w/ Dave Abramson
712 NE 45th St, 206-675-9116, 4:30pm

PINK DOOR: Greg Ruby Trio
1919 Post Alley, Seattle, 206-443-3241, 8:00pm

SHUGA JAZZ BISTRO: Chris James Quartet
317 Main Avenue South, Renton, 7:30pm

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Jacob Zimmerman Quintet
1707 NW Market Street

Wednesday Jazz

The Ballard Jazz Festival starts tonight

BROTHERHOOD OF THE DRUM
8:00pm: Julian MacDonough
9:00pm: Gene Coye
10:00pm: Michael Shrieve

CONOR BYRNE PUB
5140 Ballard Avenue NW (PLEASE NOTE: THIS SHOW IS 21+)
Showtime: 8:00pm


 

JAZZ ALLEY: Eric Bibb with Michael Jerome Browne
2033 6th Ave, 206-441-9729, 7:30pm

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Kareem Kandi Band
2214 2nd Ave, 206-443-4221, 7:30pm

THE ROYAL ROOM: The Minor 9/ Chaotic Noise Marching Corps/ Sazerac Orkestra
5000 Rainier Ave South, Seattle, (206) 906-9920, 8:00pm

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Dina Blade Student Showcase
9pm – Elizabeth Perera (vocals), with Eric Verlinde (piano) and Geoff Harper (bass)
1707 NW Market Street, Seattle, (206) 789-1621

BOXLEY’S: Mount Si Jazz 2
101 West North Bend Way, North Bend, WA, 425-292-9307, 7:00pm

THE PINK DOOR: Casey MacGill Trio
1919 Post Alley, Seattle, 8:00pm

BAKE’S PLACE: Gotz/Lowe Duo
155 108th Ave NE, Bellevue, 425.454.2776, 6:00pm

VITO’S: Brad Gibson Trio
927 9th Ave, Seattle, 8:00pm

Earshot Jazz previews The Ballard Jazz Festival

Ballard Jazz Festival

May 6-9
Various venues

View Ballard Jazz Festival WebsiteBuy Tickets

Thirteen is a lucky number for local jazz fans: The 13th annual Ballard Jazz Festival is just around the corner. Hitting on multiple stages from May 6-9, Seattle’s uniquely homegrown jazz fest has developed into an eagerly anticipated annual event that hasn’t lost touch with the intimate and collaborative atmosphere that made it special in the first place. Since its early days as the Ballard Jazz Walk, the reputation and reach of the festival have grown while the vibe has remained welcoming and accessible.

“I want to make sure it’s a local festival, so it sounds like Seattle,” says festival organizer and Seattle jazz impresario John Bishop. “It will be a celebration of that.”

Rather than putting the focus solely on individual marquee gigs, Bishop’s approach is to bring in carefully selected out-of-town talent and pair them up with local musicians for a variety of performances. This gives everyone a chance to mix and mingle, to have a good time over a period of a few days. As Bishop says, invoking a sage perception of what makes a jazz scene vital, “It’s about the hang.”

I want to make sure it’s a local festival, so it sounds like Seattle
– JOHN BISHOP
Another key piece of Bishop’s goal is to present the full range of jazz-related activity in town, mixing old and new, traditional and cutting-edge. To achieve your balanced jazz diet, for example, you could sample some renegade experimentalism at the Table & Chairs showcase and then drop in for classic jazz trio sounds from legendary pianist Overton Berry – “Two massively different experiences within a half block of each other,” says Bishop.

Bishop has also wisely retained festival elements that have proven popular over the years, including the opening night’s Brotherhood of the Drum and night two’s Guitar Summit concerts (both at Conor Byrne Pub), as well as the Ballard Jazz Walk, where you can take in 17 artists in eight venues for the price of a single ticket.

Every minute of the Ballard Jazz Festival is packed with great music, so selecting highlights can be an exercise in frustration. Just a few to consider: Brotherhood of the Drum will no doubt be special, as this year’s edition features Michael Shrieve, Gene Coye, and Julian MacDonough each leading their own bands. Shrieve is well-known to audiences locally and around the world as the original drummer for Santana. He has a staggering resume, which includes a wide range of music in many genres from rock and jazz to electronic and global experimentalism. Coincidentally, one of Los Angeles-based Gene Coye’s first gigs after high school was also with Santana, and he has since toured with guitarists Larry Carlton and Robben Ford. Julian MacDonough is a fixture on the West Coast scene, well-known for his work with saxophonist Mike Allen’s quartet and pianist Aaron Parks.

This is an especially notable year for guitar fans, with three legendary axe men taking the stage at the Guitar Summit. Peter Bernstein is internationally acclaimed for his mastery and taste as a thoughtful straight-ahead maestro. The NYC stalwart has toured with Diana Krall and Joshua Redman, and the legendary icon Jim Hall sang his praises. John Stowell is also revered as a guitarist’s guitarist, an original voice with a uniquely cliché-free take on the jazz tradition, informed by a modern harmonic sense. Jerry Hahn was one of the first to occupy the guitar chair in Gary Burton’s pivotal groups starting at the close of the 60s, and was a key figure in laying the groundwork and establishing a musical vocabulary for later eclectic innovators such as Pat Metheny.

This is only scratching the surface: Other appearances include bassist David Friesen, saxophonists Eric Alexander and Lucas Pino, plus a cross-section of supremely talented local luminaries that will make you glad to call the Pacific Northwest home. Don’t miss it!

Tickets and information available at ballardjazzfestival.com.

Andrew Luthringer

Ballard Jazz Fest Schedule

Wednesday, May 6
Conor Byrne Pub, 5140 Ballard Avenue NW
Brotherhood of the Drum, 8pm
Michael Shrieve, Gene Coye, and Julian MacDonough
Tickets $15 / $13 advance. Ages 21+.

Thursday, May 7
Conor Byrne Pub, 5140 Ballard Avenue NW
Guitar Summit, 8pm
Peter Bernstein, John Stowell, and Jerry Hahn
Tickets $15 / $13 advance. Ages 21+.

Friday, May 8
Various venues, downtown Ballard
Ballard Jazz Walk, 6:30pm
17 groups in eight venues for a single ticket price
Jazz Walk Only, $30 / $26 advance. Tickets available day-of at New York Fashion Academy, 5201 Ballard Ave NW. Most venues all ages, with some 21+.

Nordic Heritage Museum, 3014 NW 67th St
Friday Night Concert, 7:30pm
The Peter Bernstein Trio and David Friesen Circle 3 Trio
Friday Night Concert + Jazz Walk, $30 / $26 advance. All ages.

Saturday, May 9
Nordic Heritage Museum, 3014 NW 67th St
Swedish Pancake Jazz Brunch, 11am & 12:30pm
Thomas Marriott Quartet
Tickets $15 non-museum members, $12 museum members, $40 families of four. All ages.

Mainstage Concert, 7:30pm
Eric Alexander w/ the Peter Bernstein Trio
Lucas Pino No Net Nonet
Tickets $35 general, $55 reserved, $18 students. All ages.

Tim Berne at The Royal Room tonight

Monday, May 4
Tim Berne’s Snakeoil

The Royal Room
5000 Rainier Ave S (Columbia City)

Tickets available at strangertickets.com
$18 general, $16 Earshot members & seniors, $9 students & veterans

Tim Berne’s third ECM album, You’ve Been Watching Me, sees the saxophonist-composer again leading his dynamic New York band Snakeoil, now a quintet with the arrival of guitarist Ryan Ferreira. Just as Berne has hit a new peak with his writing on You’ve Been Watching Me, his band has reached a heightened state of collective interaction, realizing the compositions to a tee. Snakeoil – with the leader on alto sax alongside pianist Matt Mitchell, clarinetist Oscar Noriega, percussionist Ches Smith, and Ferreira on electric and acoustic guitars – can still be bracingly kinetic. But there is new space in these compositions and more lyrical focus to the improvisations, leading to a dynamic, even cinematic experience.

Monday Jazz

ROYAL ROOM: Tim Berne’s Snakeoil
The Royal Room, 5000 Rainier Ave S, 206-906-9920, 8:00pm

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: D’Vonne Lewis & Limited Edition with Delvon Lamar and Skerik
2214 Second Ave, 206-443-4221, 7:30pm

BOXLEY’S: Green River Vocal Jazz
101 West North Bend Way, North Bend, WA, 425-292-9307, 7:00pm

BLUE MOON: Andy Coe Band
712 NE 45th St, Seattle, 206-675-9116, 10:00pm

SEAMONSTER LOUNGE: T8P
2202 N 45th St, 206-992-1120, 8:00pm

NECTAR: Mo’ Jam Mondays w/ Morgan Gilkeson
412 N. 36th St., Seattle, 206.632.2020, 9:00pm

CAPITOL CIDER: Entre Mundos jam w/ Ernesto Pediangco
818 E Pike St, 9:00pm