Seattle Jazz Scene: Live Jazz Previews for Seattle

Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda, Antonio Sanchez Trio
Thu May 22- Sun May 25, 7:30 & 9:30 PM / Jazz Alley
Banjo player extraordinaire Bela Fleck is grandly decorated with awards of all sorts- including nineteen Grammys. Those accolades really do not tell the story of his importance as a genius practicioner of his instrument. Working within the diatonic limitations of the 5-string banjo, Fleck has shattered stigmas placed on the instrument, performing with jazz musicians and others outside of the typical realm of the instrument that was pioneered into the modern bluegrass sound by the great Earl Scruggs. He did so early on in his band Spectrum, and later as a member of the genre-shattering band, New Grass Revival.
This may prove to be Fleck’s most interesting iteration of all, teaming up with Colombian harp master, Edmar Castaneda and Mexico City born drummer, Antonio Sanchez. More interesting than his collaborations with Chick Corea? Perhaps. Certainly, it will be a fascinating inter-cultural conversation in the common language of music. https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=7645

Dmitri Matheny Group
Fri May 23, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 109 S. Main St.
Dmitri Matheny is a flugelhorn artist very much along the lines of the great Art Farmer. He very often plays theme based performances tour to tour, in this case titled, “Jazz From the Silver Screen.” The performance will include tunes from movie scores across the past one hundred years–a century of time in which film and jazz has literally grown up together. The repetorire may include selections from any or all of close to thirty films.
Matheny totes with him a formidable band, featuring pianist Bill Anschell, bassist Phil Sparks, drummer Xavier Lecouturier and saxophonist Michael Brockman. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Rivkah Ross Quartet
Sat May 24, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 109 S. Main St.
Drummer Rivkah Ross returns to SJF with her regular crew from Portland. The music is swingin, straight ahead and upbeat emotionally, with Ross leading the band from behind the kit. Multi-reedist Brian Myers is a veteran player who provides much of the melodic fireworks in the band. Pianist Patrick Carr carries his share of the lead opportunities in the music, while fitting in with bassist Aaron Tomasko and Ross in the rhythm section to give the band its signature pop. The band is performing on the heels of Ross’ newest release, Dare to Hope. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Seattle Jazz Fellowship Monday Night Jam Session (all ages)
Mondays at 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 109 S. Main St.
The Monday jam in Pioneer Square is open and all ages with a sign up sheet. The curation and presentation is done extremely well. It is also an opportunity to hang as a community, have a drink with friends and support the music. The jam has developed quite an audience as well, and a young audience at that. The room is always full, with a line going down the block. Early arrival is advised- musicians planning to sign up and play will be allowed entrance no matter the crowd. Musicians now have a place to do there thing at a session in front of a large audience. The vibe and the overall scene of the session, including an audience that listens and participates has been thrilling, to say the least. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Tuesday Night Jam at the Owl
Hosted by Matt Williams
Tuesdays at 9:30 PM / Owl ‘n Thistle
For those unacquainted, this is the jazz jam session in Seattle with a grand history twenty seven years long. Started by the upstart neo-bop band, Bebop and Destruction, and nurtured for eighteen more by pianist Eric Verlinde, the baton now resides in the able hands of pianist/keyboardist/vibraphonist Matt Williams. There is an opening set, followed by the jam. The opening set is different each week, often with Williams at the keyboard. Now a month into his tenure, Williams’ enthusiasm for the gig is clearly evident. Unlike the jam at Seattle Jazz Fellowship on Mondays, this is a twenty one and over affair, and starts later to facilitate musicians arriving post-gig. One of the few late night jazz gigs left in Seattle! I wrote an article about the unique and often humorous history of the session for All About Jazz, link posted below. By the way, no bar serves Guiness as expertly as the Owl! https://www.allaboutjazz.com/tuesday-night-jams-at-the-owl-a-25-year-legacy-in-seattle

Free Fall with Jeff Johnson, Thomas Marriott, Rick Mandyck & John Bishop
Thu Jun 5, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.
A gathering of four of Seattle’s finest jazz musicians, Free Fall is a chordless quartet whose focus is open ended compositions that inspire free improvisation. Bassist Jeff Johnson is the fulcrum of the band, who along with the drummer John Bishop creates a open harmonic center for trumpeter Thomas Marriott and alto saxophonist Rick Mandyck to play through. All four members of the quartet are equal partners in terms of spontaneous composition.
The band has roots in a trio that Bishop, Johnson and Mandyck formed to play a weekly gig in Ballard in the early ’90’s. The addition of Marriott adds a whole new dimension to the gathering. The quartet has played enough together over the years to have an intrinsic connection that opens the door to extensive possibilities. One of the best and most interesting jazz experiences in Seattle and the first non-jam event at the new basement digs at 103 S. Main. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Birch Pereira
Fri Jun 6, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St
Bassist / vocalist Birch Pereira has been around for some time now in Seattle, and has created a musical identity somewhere between trad jazz, modern jazz, soul and americana with his band, The Gin Joints. In this iteration of his band, he pairs with Seattle legend Casey MacGill on piano and ukelele, a true perfect match in a niche of jazz that isn’t heard as often as one might like. Thomas Arastus joins on reeds and vocals, with the marvelous D’Vonne Lewis on drums.
Assign any genre designation you like to Pereira, but he has a deep taproot into jazz both conceptually and as a bassist. His vocal style is narrative in part, evoking a more high and lonesome sound than one might apply to a jazz or swing singer. He makes it work in a personal way that swings and tells a story. It’s difficult to find originality in the observant world of traditional music and artists, but somehow, Pereira has done just that. Add MacGill and you have a fun evening at SJF. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Fourager
featuring Rocky Martin, Martin Budde, Julian Wiseman and Jackson Cotugno
Sat Jun 7, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St
The four intrepid characters that make up the band known as Fourager are friends in music and all things revelatory in the growth of the human spirit. That is literal truth from the ground up. To make their current tour happen, they had to pluck tenor saxophonist Jackson Cotugno out of Manhattan, and from his current merger from Seattle into the scene there. The young tenorist has been missed in the meantime, so an opportunity to welcome him home is a gesture well worth exercising on this Saturday evening.
Drummer Rocky Martin, to my view, has been the foundational figure in the concepts of what this lot is seeking in their vigorous foraging of music, life balance and culture. Guitarist Martin Budde‘s versatitlity and virtuosity is a major asset. Bassist Julian Wiseman is the deep end of the musical pool here, that allows Budde some acrobatics in this piano-less setting. The band is celebrating the release of their first album with a west coast tour. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Duende Libre: Album Release Concert
Sat Jun 7, 7:30 PM / Triple Door
Duende Libre launches their fourth album, with a performance at the Triple Door Mainstage. Performing new originals from pianist Alex Chadsey, the trio features uber-talented electric bassist Farko Dosumov and drummer / percussionist Jeff Busch, a one-of-a-kind purveyor of world percussion.
Chadsey writes with his mates in mind, and their collective and multi-faceted talents give him a broad pallet in which to compose. Chadsey is a post-bop jazz pianist at the core, whose music gathers elements of the music from Cuba, Brazil and the Mediterranean. Busch has spent his musical life as a gatherer of world rhythms and the instruments used to create them. While Dosumov is flattered with Jaco-like comparisons, his style is actually very different in terms of groove and the roots of his playing. He can be viewed foundationally as a rock musician, but he is so musical, he can transition to jazz with relative ease. He has an authentically high musical IQ, in other words. This is one of the more interesting bands in Seattle right now, making this Triple Door hit a good time to support them. https://tickets.thetripledoor.net/eventperformances.asp?evt=2100

Nancy Erickson Lamont
Thu Jun 12, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.
Nancy Lamont Erickson is a talented vocal artist, composer and arranger, and arrives at the new basement space at 103 S. Main with an equally talented band. Her original compositions and skillfully rendered covers will be performed with familiar friends in bassist Chris Symer, pianist Dan Kramlich and drummer Max Wood. “The focus will be bringing people together in a spirit of peace and renewal,” says Erickson Lamont. “The Fellowship is a great place to renew ourselves and connect.”
This is a gig with a definite “hang alert,” meaning, “be prepared to have fun both with the music and the hang.” The community surrounding the artist’s performances vibes this way brightly. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Orrin Evans Trio
Tue Jun 17, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.
Philadelphia based pianist Orrin Evans returns to Seattle to perform in trio with west coast allies in bassist Eric Revis and drummer Tina Raymond. Over the past two decades, Evans has been a hugely influential force in jazz as a bandleader, side musician and briefly for three years, as one third of The Bad Plus. His influence has been impactful both on and off the bandstand. As a pianist, his rhythmic and harmonic approach is highly original and always soulful.
Bassist Revis has a long resume as a leader and side musician, perhaps most notably as a 25 year member of the Branford Marsalis Quartet. Not to overcook the whole “originality” thing, but Revis has an approach to the double bass that is just that, while being deeply resonant. Raymond last appeared in Seattle leading her own trio, and is an integral member of the Esthesis Quartet with Seattle’s own Dawn Clement. This is a special event and should be treated as such in terms of arrival time to be sure to get a seat. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Peter Daniel Quintet
Wed Jun 18, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.
Saxophonist Peter Daniel steps up to present music from his upcoming release, Quartets, with an all-star band in tow. Pianist Marina Albero is back from New Orleans and on the gig, with bassist Marina Christopher, drummer Heather Thomas and trombonist David Marriott. Daniel is a talented reeds player with a knack for arrangements that bodes well for this performance of his original tunes. His playing bears the marks of swing, funk and soul.
The new room at SJF provides artists with the opportunity to play their own music without the commercial concerns of most venues around town. An artist can settle in and show us where they are on their journey, in a true creative sense. This show gives us that glimpse of Daniel, a musician that needs to be heard more on the local jazz scene. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Dave Holland and Lionel Loueke
Tue-Wed Jun 17&18, 7:30 PM / Jazz Alley
A pair of jazz legends who have engaged frequently over the past decade, bassist Dave Holland and guitarist Lionel Loueke arrive at Jazz Alley performing the music from their recent release, United.
Holland’s jazz pedigree dates back to Miles Davis in the late sixties and early seventies, at a time when the band was in a state of rapid evolution. No matter the project or musical environment in which he appears, he takes that borderless sense of adventure into his playing. Some of the territory covered on United is harvested from the ripe musical seeds planted when playing together in the Aziza Quartet alongside saxophonist Chris Potter and drummer Eric Harland. Loueke’s multicultural sphere of influence on the music is front and center, transporting sound from Africa to New Orleans. The guitarist delves into his vocal and percussive prowess as well, merging gracefully with Holland’s bold, nuanced sound. A big YES on the Seattle jazz calendar. https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=8676

Bill Anschell Peru Reunion Trio
Fri & Sat Jun 13-14, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.
Pianist Bill Anschell toured Peru with this trio in 2006, and since, has been staging reunion shows periodically. In bassist Chris Symer and drummer / percussionist Jeff Busch, Anschell dwells in a comfort zone developed over years of performing modern jazz music with these bandmates. The trip to Peru inspired the use of the sounds that surrounded them on their journey, manifesting in a unique style and format for improvisation. For Busch, it was yet another stop around the globe, gathering sounds, techniques and instruments to broaden his overall musical perspective.
Prior to the Peru tour, the then Atlanta based Anschell had toured South America several times, and journeyed to Paraguay with Symer and saxophonist Rich Cole in 2010. Currently, the trio features tunes from Peru, Paraguay, Chile, Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia, in addition to Anschell’s well crafted originals. In all of this, the main concern is that Anschell, Symer and Busch are three of the most highly acclaimed voices on the Seattle jazz scene. The trio will have a two night residency to take a deep dive into their sound. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Bill Frisell Trio
Thu Jun 19 – Sun Jun 22, 7:30 & 9:30 PM / Jazz Alley
Guitarist Bill Frisell is an original and distinctive stylist of his instrument, and as a long time resident of Seattle, someone quite familiar to Seattle jazz and improvised music fans. Frisell has moved to NYC, but his trio with bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Rudy Royston remains one of the most forward moving musical forces of the past few decades.
Over a career that has spanned more than forty years, Frisell has developed a creative process that has spawned a guitar revolution in terms of sound, approach and guitar set-up. In any case, his style and unique melodic sense has been hugely influential with the current generation of jazz guitarists, or more precisely, guitarists that utilize improvisation as their mode of musical expression. The trio is a veritable clinic of listening and responding, honed over years of performing together. The trio’s most recent release, Valentine, is a perfect template of what to expect for these shows at Jazz Alley. https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=8659

Skerik Quartet
Fri & Sat Jun 20-21, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.
Skerik is one of the most innovative and versatile artists this city has witnessed in quite some time. His previous appearances at SJF have been stellar, and the same is expected from this quartet and the guests that are likely to appear with them. The saxophonist is fearless and relentless in his pursuit of new sounds and approaches to any music he performs. In pianist Tim Kennedy, bassist Geoff Harper and drummer Brad Gibson he has musicians with a similar bent that he has performed side by side with for many years. Friday night’s show will feature special guest Andy Coe, a guitarist whose jazz pedigree and progressive rock acumen seems a perfect fit for this band.
One has come to expect a variety of special guests at Skerik’s shows, in particular those at the Seattle Jazz Fellowship. You’ll just have to show up to find out! The known quantity is that the band will be pushing things to the outer limits of what one might expect!

Artemis
Tue & Wed Jun 24-25, 7:30 PM / Jazz Alley
Artemis is a collective of some of the leading female voices in jazz today. That alone is means to celebrate, but more precisely, the celebration point is the huge amount of talent the band brings on a nightly basis to whatever stage they occupy. Founded by pianist Renee Rosnes, bassist Noreko Ueda, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen and drummer Allison Miller, the band now features Portland born and raised tenor saxophonist Nicole Glover. Glover pairs with Jensen as band members with PNW ties, as Jensen hails from Nanaimo, BC.
Every member of this band are quite capable and successful as bandleaders, yet as a collective they are a positive force on the festival circuit, as well as club tours such as this that brings them to the stage at JA. Glover, now one of the most acclaimed tenor players in jazz, is emblematic in many ways of strong female musicians who have benefited from the mentorship of the highly respected veteran musicians in this band. Glover and Jensen are one of the most formidable front lines in the music today, and just one reason you should be present when this quintet makes one of its rare appearances in Seattle. https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=8658