Seattle Jazz Scene

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Byron Vannoy’s Meridian

NEW ORLEANS: New Orleans Quintet

JAZZ ALLEY: UNCF 3rd Annual Music for the Mind Gala

TOST: Michael Shrieve’s Spellbinder

from The Seattle Times:

As a Japanese woman and bandleader, Toshiko Akiyoshi was obliged to be a pioneer of one kind or another. In her day, women in jazz were singers and little more, and they certainly were not Japanese.

From the culture she was born to and the one she adopted, she gathered proverbs that even today she finds useful to remember.

“The Japanese have a saying, ‘The nail that sticks out will be beaten down,’ ” said Akiyoshi, who is in Seattle this weekend for a series of concerts and a lecture. “And here they say, ‘If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.’ ”

What Akiyoshi, now 79, accomplished seems unlikely for a woman raised in Japanese-occupied Manchuria, who came to jazz during the American occupation of Japan. As she puts it, she has been “demographically challenged.” She was turned on to jazz by a Teddy Wilson record and got a job playing piano in a dance hall for American officers.

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Nathan Eklund CD Release Party

JAZZ ALLEY: Manhattan Transfer

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Elizabeth Carpenter Trio
9pm – Steve Wacker (vocals, guitar) with guest Bob Knetzger (pedal steel, dobro)
11pm – Leif Totusek solo show!

LOCAL COLOR: Hillary Harris

SERAFINA: Jazzukha

LUCID: Kevin McCarthy Quartet

JAZZVOX CONCERT SERIES: Stephanie Nakasian w/ Hod OBrien

EL GAUCHO BELLEVUE: Trish Hatley Trio

LATONA PUB: Leif Totusek Trio

HIROSHI’S JAZZ AND SUSHI: Greg Schroeder Quartet

PAMPAS ROOM: Brian Nova Quartet

JAZZ ALLEY: Manhattan Transfer

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: AXIOM QUARTET featuring John Hansen, Alexey Nikolaev, Jon Hamar and Phil Parisot

NEW ORLEANS: The Bob Jackson Quintet

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7:00 – TBA
9:00 – Nate Eklund Group CD Release, with Nathan Eklund (trumpet/flugelhorn), Mark Taylor (saxophones), Dawn Clement (piano), Chris Symer (bass), Byron Vannoy (drums)

LUCID: Hardcoretet Headhunters Tribute
5241 University Way, 9:00pm

STANFORDS: Gail Pettis Trio
17380 Southcenter Pkwy, Tukwila, 7:00pm

MOXIE: Dennis Moss

SORRENTO HOTEL: Katy Bourne & Randy Halberstadt

THAIKU: Jon Alberts, Jeff Johnon, Tad Britton

LO-FI: Jacob Stickney Quartet, The Teaching

Thursday, March 5 at Tula’s – Axiom Quartet

Alexey Nikolaev – tenor sax
John Hansen – piano
Jon Hamar – bass
Phil Parisot – drums

Tula’s Restaurant and Nightclub
2214 2nd Ave
Seattle, WA 98121
(206)443-4221
7:30 pm
$8 cover

JAZZ ALLEY: Pearl Django with Connie Evingson

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Seattle Community College Jazz Orchestra with Lonnie Mardis

NEW ORLEANS: The Legacy Band w/Clarence Acox

THAIKU: Ron Weinstein Trio

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Darin Clendenin (piano) and Clipper Anderson (bass)
9pm – Vocal Jam, hosted by Billy Brandt, with Darin Clendenin (piano) and Clipper Anderson (bass)

WHISKEY BAR: Ronnie Pierce

Ray Vega and Thomas Marriott with New Stories at Tula’s Jazz Club

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JAZZ ALLEY: Pearl Django with Connie Evingson

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Jay Thomas Big Band

NEW ORLEANS: Holotradband

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Ronin Trio, featuring Kenny Mandell (sax), Don Berman (drums) and Nate Omdal (bass)
9pm – Bob & Sheldon

DEXTER AND HAYES: Tim Kennedy

MIX: Don Mock, Steve Kim & Charlie Nordstrom

JAZZ ALLEY: Karen Shivers Quartet

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: VOCAL JAM hosted by Greta Matassa

NEW ORLEANS: New Orleans Quintet

SEATTLE DRUM SCHOOL: Jim Knapp Orchestra
12510 15th Ave NE, Seattle, 8pm

TOST: Michael Shrieve’s Spellbinder

from The Seattle Times:

n a Nazarene church in Moscow, Idaho, the Garfield High School jazz band performed two charts Saturday night for the first time: “Just You Just Me,” and “I’ve Never Been In Love Before.”

“We played the new charts very well,” said woodwind player Carl Majeau, a senior, “but we could get the dynamics a lot tighter and bring the energy level up a little. When you’re not 100 percent comfortable with the tune, more of your mind goes to playing instead of keeping up the energy level.”

Whatever Majeau and his bandmates may have thought, the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival judges who heard the performance deemed Garfield’s the best of the weekend, naming the group the “outstanding” Class 4A band. For the first time, both Garfield’s A band and its B, or second-string band, won their divisions at the prestigious festival, which has combined performance with jazz education for more than 40 years.

Garfield’s B band and Bellevue’s Sammamish High School were both named outstanding among Class 3A bands. Four members of Garfield’s A band were also recognized as outstanding soloists: Majeau, pianist Andrew Kennard, bassist Colleen Gilligan and trumpeter Riley Mulherkar.

“They’ve been stepping it up ever since the Clark [College Jazz Festival] competition a month ago,” said Garfield band director Clarence Acox.

The Hampton festival, which ran four days, featured performances by jazz greats like Bobby McFerrin, Monty Alexander and Jeff Hamilton. But the central aim of the festival is to nurture young talent from colleges, high schools, middle schools and even elementary schools.

“I am especially pleased with the success of the visiting artists to help show the surrounding communities what supporting our jazz-playing youth is all about,” said festival artistic director John Clayton. “And as always, the Seattle-area schools continue to impress.”

Other soloists from Seattle schools who were honored included: Peter Johnson (violin) from Bishop Blanchet; Andrew Campbell (alto sax) and Andy Clausen (trombone), both from Roosevelt; and drummer Ian Marsanyi from South Whidbey. All of the outstanding soloists performed together Saturday night in a club setting before a crowd of about 300.

Much of the attention in the big-band performance was focused on Garfield and Roosevelt, whose programs have a fierce rivalry. Spokane’s Mead High School was the No. 2 band in the Class 4A category, for the largest schools in the field. Roosevelt’s jazz band received a “special commendation” in the same category.

The jazz bands from Garfield, Roosevelt and Bellevue’s Newport High will compete in May in the Essentially Ellington national jazz-band competition in New York. Roosevelt and Garfield placed first and second, respectively, at Ellington last year.

“Garfield has a very good, very deep program,” said Roosevelt band director Scott Brown. “You’d be pressed to find a program elsewhere in the country with as many strong musicians as Garfield. We feel very proud to be able to perform continually at that same level.

JAZZ ALLEY: Jeff Lorber with Special Guests Christian Scott and Kyle Eastwood

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Susan Pascal Quartet

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Sunship
9pm – Speak, with Aaron Otheim (piano), Andrew Swanson (sax), Chris Icasiano (drums), Cuong Vu (trumpet) and Luke Bergman (bass). With special guest guitarist Alex Pinto, winner of the third place prize at the 2008 Gibson Montreux Jazz Guitar Competition
11pm – Passarim

LOCAL COLOR: Jenni Wren

SERAFINA: Fred Hoadley Trio

LUCID: Mack Grout Trio

SPECIAL CONCERT: Michael Owcharuk: Slava! Ukrainian Carols
Trinity Episcopalian Church, 609 8th Ave

EL GAUCHO BELLEVUE: Trish Hatley Trio

NORTH CITY BISTRO: Doug Reid Qaurtet

LATONA PUB: Phil Sparks Trio

PAMPAS ROOM: Brian Nova Quartet

THIS THURSDAY FEB 26 AT THE OWL AND THISTLE!!!

Mike Clark – drums
Joe Doria – hammond B3 organ
Andy Coe – guitar
Skerik – sax

The Owl ‘n Thistle
808 Post Alley
Seattle
(we didn’t get a start time in the email … but they usually start around 9pm)

MIKE CLARK gained worldwide recognition as one of America’s foremost jazz and funk drummers while playing with Herbie Hancock’s group in the early 1970’s. Mike became known as a major innovator through his incisive playing on Hancock’s Thrust album, which garnered him an international cult following.

Mike has performed with jazz greats such as Herbie Hancock, Chet Baker, Tony Bennett, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Woody Shaw, Larry Coryell, Jack Wilkins, Wallace Roney, Geri Allen, Billy Childs, James Genus, Bob Hurst, Chris Potter, Onaje Allan Gumbs, Bobby McFerrin, Al Jarreau, Dave Liebman, Nat Adderly, Oscar Brown Jr., Bill Doggett, Mose Allison, Maxine Brown, Gil Evans and his orchestra….

OWL ‘N THISTLE: Mike Clark, Joe Doria, Skerik, Andy Coe

JAZZ ALLEY: Jeff Lorber with Special Guests Christian Scott and Kyle Eastwood

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Greta Matassa Vocal Workshop

NEW ORLEANS: The Ham Carson Quintet

THAIKU: Jon Alberts / Jeff Johnson / Tad Britton

SERAFINA: Sue Nixon Duo

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Secondhand Sunday, with Brian Straub (guitar/vocals/writing), Tom Humphreys (guitar/vocals/writing), Chris Quirk (drums), Gar Hooker (bass) and Paul Hutzler (lap steel)
9pm – Moraine, with Dennis Rea (guitar), Alicia Allen (violin), Stephen Thomas Cavit (drums), Ruth Davidson (cello) and Kevin Millard (bass, Warr guitar)

LUCID: Trio Subtonic

FRANK DIMIERO JAZZ FESTIVAL: Sara Gazarek
Edmonds Center for the Arts

MAY: Hans Teuber Trio

Wednesday, February 25, 7 & 9:30 pm
Bill Frisell & Russell Malone
Presented by KBCS 91.3

The New York Times recently proclaimed: “It’s hard to find a more fruitful mediation on American music than in the compositions of guitarist Bill Frisell.” For this concert, the Seattle treasure pairs with up-and-coming guitarist Russell Malone, who is making his mark in the jazz world by blazing his own, decidedly unique trail into “The Great American Songbook.” Not to be missed.

The Triple Door
216 Union Street (downtown)
Seattle
$22 advance / $25 day of show

Tickets available at Triple Door box office (216 Union Street)
(206) 838-4333
www.tripledoor.net.

JAZZ ALLEY: Eliane Elias

TRIPLE DOOR MAINSTAGE: Bill Frisell / Russell Malone

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Dorothy Rodes Quartet with Jeff Johnson and Dave Peterson

NEW ORLEANS: The Legacy Band w/Clarence Acox

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Dave Anderson Quartet, with Dave Anderson (saxes), Chuck Kistler (bass), John Hansen (piano) and Adam Kessler (drums)
9pm – Vocal Jam hosted by Katy Bourne, with Randy Halberstadt (piano)

THAIKU: Ron Weinstein Trio

SERAFINA: Pasquale Santos, solo violin

WHISKEY BAR: Ronnie Pierce

Karen Shivers Quartet

March 2, 2009, 7:30pm
JAZZ ALLEY
http://www.jazzalley.com
Reservations: 206-441-9729

The Pacific Jazz Institute at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley presents vocalist Karen Shivers and her band for one night only. Band members include Bill Anschell (piano), Doug Miller (bass), and Greg Williamson (drums). Doors open at 6:00pm and show starts at 7:30pm.

Seattle based jazz vocalist Karen Shivers, is considered a ‘natural’; she has a wide-vocal range that is powerful, warm and rich. She is a singer steeped in the ‘classic’ vocal style of Sarah Vaughn and Carmen McRae. In 2008, Karen won the Seattle/Kobe Japan Sister City Female Jazz Vocalist Competition. Karen’s sophisticated approach to songs includes a mixture of attitude, verve and soul. The ever-increasing recognition of Karen’s talent has created opportunities for her to open for such world renowned jazz vocalists as: Ms Dianne Reeves and Ms Ernestine Anderson.

Born in St. Louis, MO., Karen is the daughter of a Tuskegee Airman and an elementary school teacher. Karen was the first African American woman elected to office in Kitsap County, WA, and served as a Central Kitsap School Board member in Silverdale, WA. She attended UPS Law School, but left it to be a Caregiver when her mother became terminally ill. After her mother’s death, she decided to pursue what she had always loved to do, singing jazz. Karen developed her singing style while working along side jazz pianist Bob Nixon, former pianist for Pulitzer-winner Charles Mingus and Ernestine Anderson.

Karen’s sophomore CD, “Precious Love” (12/05, Pony Boy Records), was listed as one of the best new Jazz CD releases for 2005, by KPLU 88.5, Jazz NW host Jim Wilke. Karen will be joined in concert by her CD Band mates: Bill Anschell (piano), Doug Miller (bass), and Greg Williamson (drums).

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: MusicWorks Big Band

JAZZ ALLEY: Elaine Elias

NEW ORLEANS: Holotradband

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Jason Parker Quartet
9pm – Eric Apoe and Reggie Garrett

MARTIN’S ON MADISON: Karin Kajita

MIX: Don Mock, Steve Kim & Charlie Nordstrom

DEXTER AND HAYES: Tim Kennedy Trio

Tickets for the up-coming Frank DeMiero Jazz Festival are now being offered to the public at not just a reduced price, but at “name your own price” prices.

Emails have been sent out offering tickets to all three headlining concerts, which are currently priced between $35 – 40 each, for whatever the ticket buyer would like to pay.

From the email:
For a limited time, we invite you to NAME YOUR PRICE. That’s right, you decide how much to pay for tickets to the 33rd annual Friends of Frank DeMiero Jazz Festival:

We understand that the state of the economy is unsettling. And yet, your support of this cause is important. That’s why we invite you to NAME YOUR PRICE for tickets.

This comes after the Frank DeMiero Jazz Festival made news by contacting The Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra (SWOJO) to back up vocalist Carmen Bradford, advertising the show, and later booking The Mach One Orchestra for less money and removing SWOJO from the bill. {You can read Seattle Jazz Scene’s story here.}

For more information about Name Your Own Price tickets to the Frank DeMiero Jazz Festival, click here.

from Doug Ramsey’s Rifftides blog:

The sagging economy has led the Portland Jazz Festival to cancel one of the major concerts of its final weekend. Artistic director Bill Royston announced that for the first time in his 32-year-career as a jazz impresario he was pulling the plug on a primary event. Advance sales to a Friday night concert by singer Cassandra Wilson and pianist Jason Moran amounted to about 400 seats in a 3000-seat hall in downtown Portland. Royston called the cancellation “an arduous decision.”

Despite difficult economic times, Royston said, overall attendance at the two-week festival so far has been down only twelve percent compared with the 2008 festival. Tickets for the Wilson-Moran concert lagged despite Ms. Wilson having won a Grammy award last week. Royston said that other weekend concerts will go on. Among the headliners are Bobby Hutcherson, Lou Donaldson, Aaron Parks, Pat Martino, Jane Bunnett and Kurt Elling.

Last weekend, it seemed that, except for a few empty rows in the backs of the halls, the concerts were well attended. Portland’s weather, which can be rainy at this time of year, was cold and dry, making for exhilarating trips through downtown between concert halls, clubs and restaurants. Since I last attended the Portland festival in 2007, it has made a significant improvement in the way it presents music. The prime-time evening concerts now take place not in hotel ballrooms with boomy acoustics and frustrating sight lines, but in performance halls designed for satisfying aural and visual experiences.

Continue reading Doug Ramsey’s Rifftides blog.

RAY VEGA / THOMAS MARRIOTT
with the New Stories Trio
Marc Seales, Doug Miller and John Bishop

Friday – Saturday, February 20-21
TULA’S JAZZ CLUB
2214 2nd Ave, Seattle
8:00pm, $15
Call 206-443-4221 to make a reservation

The band will be recording both nights for an up-coming CD on Origin Records. Be a part of history and reserve your table today by calling 206-443-4221.