20 Seattle Jazz Musicians You Should Know: Matt Jorgensen

Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn

The jazz life in the twenty-first century requires a diverse and multi-skilled portfolio, requiring a resume previous generations of jazz musicians never fathomed having to deal with. Seattle’s Matt Jorgensen has spent the entirety of his career figuring out what this skill set entailed, and has navigated those waters, well, skillfully.

Jorgensen is a jazz drummer by trade, and has throughout his career composed original tunes. His entrepreneurial skills have manifested in the creation of the highly regarded indie-jazz label, Origin Records, in partnership with fellow drummer John Bishop. The label has now released close to seven hundred albums. A second label, OA2 came soon after, and Origin Classical next. The label in turn spawned the Ballard Jazz Festival, a Seattle jazz scene annual rite of spring each May since 2002. To continue reading, click this linkhttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/20-seattle-jazz-musicians-you-should-know-matt-jorgensen-matt-jorgensen

20 Seattle Jazz Musicians You Should Know: Rick Mandyck

Rick Mandyck and Thomas Marriott perform at Tula’s. Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

In venturing into writing this series of twenty notable Seattle jazz musicians, I had developed a criteria of sorts in terms of paring the notables down to a mere twenty musicians. I wanted to feature musicians living and working in Seattle in current times. In light of the international reach of All About Jazz, I was to choose artists with an international profile, who had paid dues playing with the best players, or had written and released notable recordings that AAJ readers could access worldwide. In that sense, many fine, largely local players, were not included. On the other hand, I wanted to feature players that have impacted jazz music in Seattle significantly, historically. To continue reading, click this link.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/20-seattle-jazz-musicians-you-should-know-rick-mandyck-rick-mandyck

20 Seattle Jazz Musicians You Should Know: Thomas Marriott

From All About Jazz

from All About Jazz
Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn

A jazz fan born and raised in New York City sat in the Village Vanguard one evening, taking in a set from pianist Gerald Clayton and his quintet. He had moved to Seattle half a lifetime ago, and loved to return to his hometown to take in the jazz scene across the city. An old friend approaches, asking why he had not seen him much, for years. “I moved to Seattle, almost 40 years ago,” the gentleman replied. The old friend nodded and remarked, “Seattle, Thomas Marriott, bad dude.” True story.

Seattle is a city with a creative soul. Many great players have left Seattle, on to New York or points abroad, seeking to play with the best, to fully engage in their calling as musicians. For the purpose of this series, those players are not included, as we focus on resident Seattle players. Aaron Parks and Kassa Overall are two examples of world class Seattle musicians who have taken up residence in Gotham. To continue reading, click this linkhttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/20-seattle-jazz-musicians-you-should-know-thomas-marriott-thomas-marriott