We’ve received multiple reports that Gary Bannister passed away this morning in Seattle. More details will follow.
Most people will know Gary as the talent buyer for Jazz Alley, but it should be noted that as Earshot Jazz celebrates it’s 25th anniversary, and in the midst of their 22nd Earshot Jazz Festival, Gary was one of the original founders of Earshot.
We dug up this 1995 Seattle Times story on Earshot:
“Earshot was founded in 1984 around a dining room table by three jazz enthusiasts, who contributed to the music in different ways: Paul de Barros, a writer and frequent Seattle Times contributor; Alan Youngblood, a musician; and Gary Bannister, an educator.
Their blueprint soon formed the basis for a nonprofit jazz support group, particularly for avant-garde, original artists living in the Northwest or others stretching the music’s style. A monthly newsletter appeared that the group is still best known for, but still following the writing-musician-educator groove.”