This week, Jazz Northwest previews two major upcoming jazz events – The Hot Java Cool Jazz benefit concert at the Paramount on February 8, and the Portland Jazz Festival February 15-24.

Starbucks presents the 12th annual Hot Java Cool Jazz with support from KPLU, featuring 5 top area high school jazz bands (Shorewood, Mountlake Terrace, Edmonds/Woodway, Rooseveltl and Garfield), and 2 middle school bands (Eckstein and Washington). Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the music programs of the participating schools. Jim Wilke will emcee the concert.

The Portland Jazz Festival is one of the largest annual jazz festivals in the Northwest. The festival includes over 150 events over ten days. Many international stars will perform, ranging from Bela Fleck and the Flecktones to Ornette Coleman and Cecil Taylor, and there are many free and educational events as well. KPLU is sponsoring special Amtrak “jazz trains” transporting Seattle fans to Portland both weekends.

Jazz Northwest is produced by Jim Wilke exclusively for KPLU and airs Sundays at 1 pm Pacific Time on 88.5, KPLU and steams to the internet at www.kplu.org.

Next week (2/10): Rising jazz stars Ben Roseth, alto sax, and Julian Lage, guitar play an intimate duet set recorded live at Egan’s Jam House in Ballard. Ben Roseth (23) is a former star of the Garfield Jazz Band who recently graduated with two degrees, from Tufts University and New England Conservatory. Julian Lage, who’ll be twenty this year, grew up in the San Francisco area, attended Berklee College of Music in Boston and has recorded and toured with Gary Burton among others. Roseth and Lage began playing duets in Boston and this set is notable for the astonishing maturity and sophistication of their music.

LISTEN TO THE PREVIEW BELOW

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KPLU