Seattle Jazz Scene: Live Jazz Previews for April

Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

Dmitri Matheny Quintet

Wed Apr 3, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 109 S. Main St.

Musicians that dedicate themselves solely to the flugelhorn are few and far between in jazz. Even the great Art Farmer split time between trumpet and the full throated sound of the flugelhorn. Dmitri Matheny is surely one of the most visible artists in the Pacific Northwest, performing extensively throughout the region. Here, he is joined by some of Seattle’s best. Pianist Bill Anschell, bassist Phil Sparks, saxophonist Michael Brockman and drummer Mark Ivester join in an all – Mancini program. Matheny has always had a way of putting a personal bent on tunes just bordering on jazz in his own lyrical way. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

Ben Thomas Quartet

with Beserat Tafesse, Tim Carey & Evan Woodle

Thu Apr 4, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 109 S. Main St. 

Uber talented vibraphonist Ben Thomas is an agile, powerful player of a variety of forms within the jazz idiom. Known for his precision work with the Jovino Santos Neto Quinteto performing Brazilian jazz, or as a master of the bandoneon in his tango ensembles, Thomas is stellar as a straight up jazz vibraphonist as well. This assemblage is loaded with adventurous spirit. Beserat Tafesse has ascended to new heights in recent times as a jazz trombonist and as a bandleader. His powerful sound will have lots of harmonic density to push through, with Thomas’ four mallet work, and bassist Tim Carey’s guitar like approach to the electric bass. Drummer Evan Woodle has a way of keeping the band rhythmically open in a shape shifting sort of way. I love the way this band fits together……and breaks apart. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Ray Larsen Presents Four Thursdays

Thu Apr 4, 7:30 PM / Royal Room

Trumpeter Ray Larsen curates and performs four performances over the next eight months, in a residency at the Columbia City club that will reveal a broad spectrum of his musical interests. 

The premier will feature the trumpeter in reunion with long time mate and co-leader, guitarist Ronan Delisle. Spring Thing also features trailblazing bassist Jeff Johnson and drummer Greg Campbell. The performance will feature original compositions that present an open canvas for improvisation.

Larsen has a very distinct trumpet sound. While not a player that draws from the bebop tradition to a great extent, his stylistic range is broad and unforced. There is a great sense of melody within his elegant phrasing. Over time, he has developed a “sound” that is unmistakable.

Flutist Leanna Keith will open with a solo set. https://theroyalroomseattle.com/event/ray-larsen-presents-four-thursdays-2/

Greta Matassa Quintet

Fri – Sat Apr 5 & 6, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 109 S. Main St. 

Let me repeat a statement I have made many times on these pages- Greta Matassa is the finest jazz singer to rise from Seattle since the great Ernestine Anderson. Here, she is given two nights to dig into her vast songbook and show us all the subtle variances of her style and musical grace. Whether singing standards straight up, or improvising without lyrics to a challenging array of tunes, Matassa has mastered her instrument in a wonderfully natural and unforced way. The intimate vibe of the Fellowship will make attending both nights a recommended pleasure. 

Matassa carries with her, a band with tenure that features bassist Clipper Anderson, pianist David Joyner and drummer Mark Ivester. Tenor saxophonist Alexey Nikolaev is the band’s second lead voice, offering strong, melodic playing that compliments Matassa’s style perfectly. 

Matassa is the gold standard of jazz singers from the Pacific Northwest. Take advantage of these two nights to witness her artistry. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

Underground Sounds with Thomas Marriott, Rick Mandyck, Jeff Johnson & John Bishop

Tue Apr 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 8 PM / Underbelly- 119 First Av S.

Underbelly, the quaint cellar bar on First Avenue in Pioneer Square sits directly across the street from what was the New Orleans club, a former hub of local Seattle jazz. That vibe lives on Tuesday nights in the former burlesque venue, with four of the city’s top jazz musicians colliding in an explosive chordless quartet that at times has been known as “Free Fall.” This is an opportunity to witness great jazz in an informal environment with no cover. 

Trumpeter Thomas Marriott leads this band of long time mates with a strong intuitive connection. The author of fourteen albums as a leader and a recent inductee into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame is joined by the incomparable duo of bassist Jeff Johnson and drummer John Bishop. Saxophonist Rick Mandyck has switched to alto, but bears the sound and approach of some of the great tenor players in jazz. The band plays originals from Marriott, Mandyck and Johnson, along with a few standards. The vibe in the room is relaxed, the drinks are first class and there is a very cute puppy in the house to add to the charm. The house screens classic films and cartoons as well! A highly recommended hang on Tuesday nights.

Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

Geoff Harper Group

Sat Apr 13, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 109 S. Main St.

Veteran bassist Geoff Harper defies categorical placement in so many ways. He has often refered to himself as an “outside guy,” alluding to his time spent with on the edge artists personified by Wayne Horvitz. Yet jazz audiences in and around the Pacific Northwest have seen Harper on many, many occasions playing straight ahead modern jazz and swinging like mad. Perhaps one could chalk up that flexibility to an open mind and his usual job description as a sideman. For this date, SJF gives Harper a stage to spin whatever tale he chooses as a leader. The results are sure to be eclectic and fun. Harper describes the band like this–“We will be playing standards– think Ray Brown meets Ornette Coleman with a hint of Ahmed Jamal.”

Pianist / keyboardist Ryan Burns can bear many different sides of his muscial personality–he can move between traditional jazz piano to a more sonic presence with synths. No clue as to which way he will lean in Harper’s band. Drummer Byron Vannoy joins, a noted player who has been seldom scene over the past few years due to his professional life outside of music. His is a welcome presence to round out this trio. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

FORAGER featuring Rocky Martin, Martin Budde, Jackson Cotugno & Julian Wiseman

Sun Apr 14, 7:30 PM / Royal Room

The band Forager, much less their live performances, are difficult to describe in a whole sense. Sure, the four members of the band represent the current wave of young artists in jazz making noise post-pandemic. Guitarist Martin Budde is riding the wave of his debut release, Backburner on Origin / OA2 records. Tenor saxophonist Jackson Cotugno has become an in-demand player on the Seattle scene, as has bassist Julian Wiseman. Then there’s drummer Rocky Martin.

One can easily get the impression that what Forager actually is, is an amalgam of all that Martin is digging into at a given point of time– inside and outside of music. It is likely that as an audience member, you will experience that which I am alluding to– you will have to show up to have full understanding. Forager is a collective of four contributing composers. Yet Martin’s wide array of interests from botany to poetry to classic universal wonderments will be brought forward in some keen way. https://theroyalroomseattle.com/event/forager/

Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

Thomas Marriott Quartet

Thu Apr 18, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 109 S. Main St.

Trumpeter Thomas Marriott has been moving the needle more than anyone on the Seattle jazz scene over the past fifteen years and more–and this is true even before he founded the Seattle Jazz Fellowship. The author of fourteen albums as a leader and many more as a sideman, Marriott has been electrifying the scene with his live performances from the New Orleans and Tula’s era to the new SJF digs in Pioneer Square. In that time, he has been recognized as one of the finest trumpet players in jazz.

His bandleading skills inlude the wisdom to hire a band to play his original tunes and stick with them, creating chemistry and intimate knowledge of the music. Pianist Tim Kennedy has been behind the piano in Marriott’s Seattle quartet for some time now. Bassist Trevor Ford‘s style fits well with Marriott’s tunes that can push the edges while swinging hard. New York transplant Stefan Schatz is a drummer steeped in the jazz tradition that is new to the band. This is one not to miss. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Stanley Clarke

Thu Apr 18 – Sun Apr 21, 7:30 & 9:30 PM / Jazz Alley

Electric bass virtuoso, and NEA Jazz Master Stanley Clarke has been lighting it up for fifty years. Brought to national attention as a member of Return to Forever with Chick Corea, Clarke has gone on to become a jazz fusion pioneer and living legend through his recordings and performances as a leader.

Clark hits Jazz Alley in trio mode, in collective spirit with Dave Weckl on drums and piano / keyboard ace Beka Gochiashvili. Weckl is to fusion drumming what Clark is to the electric bass– a true match made in heaven. These shows amount to fusion royalty present in Seattle. https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=7539

Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn

The Racer Sessions: James Falzone

Sun Apr 21, 7 PM / Gallery 1412- 1412 18th Ave

The Racer Sessions are an iconic series of performances that feature artists in exploration mode. There is a wide variance in the performances depending on the participating artist, but all are strong in the art of improvisation. The tradition began at the old Cafe Racer on the edge of the University District, when it was a hip coffee bar. The sessions moved to the current incarnation of Racer on Capitol Hill, but have moved once again to the intimate room at Gallery 1412.

Clarinetist James Falzone is a world class musician, and a master of both classical and improvised forms. For his Fellowship date, he plays clarinet and piano in duo with Seattle-based dancer Giordana Falzone. G. Falzone is an accomplished movement artist, and the daughter of the noted clarinetist. https://www.racersessions.com/

Photo Credit: Daniel Sheehan

Ann Reynolds Quartet

with Tobi Stone, Heather Chriscaden & Evan Woodle

Ian Hughes Quartet

Thu Apr 25, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship – 109 S. Main St.

Pianist Ann Reynolds has been featuring the compositions of female composers in her recent performances, including those of the great Mary Lou Williams. Her skillful arrangements have raised awareness of these “new standards” for her audiences. Reynolds is supported by the solid rhythm section of bassist Heather Chriscaden and drummer Evan Woodle. Her beautifully harmonic support elevates the soaring, bold sound of tenor saxophonist Tobi Stone, who acts as the lead voice of this well formed quartet. 

Photo Credit: knkx

Guitarist Ian Hughes makes his Fellowship debut, leading a band that includes drummer Chris Patin, alto saxophonist Michael Jedynak, and bassist Marina Christopher. Hughes is known around Seattle for his work with the band Freudian Slurp among others projects. He is a tradition based player, with branches that extend into funk and adventurous original compositions. For this performance, he offers compositions inspired by nature, written during the pandemic to channel joy into times of despair. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Photo Credit: KNKX

Julio Jauregui

Fri Apr 26, 7 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 109 S. Main St.

Nobody embodies the spirit of Latin jazz in Seattle, better than talented pianist Julio Jauregui. The Mexico City native is an excellent jazz pianist who has pushed the limits of Latin music through a number of musical associations. He founded the band Tumbao with vocalist Carlos Cascante in 2001, and has been thrilling jazz and latin audiences with that combo ever since. Many of Jauregui’s performances are outside the orbit of local jazz programming. It’s satisfying to see him on the SJF schedule, giving the audience there the opportunity to witness his artistry and virtuosity. Band TBA https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn

Dylan Hayes Trio

Dylan Hayes is a highly skilled pianist, composer and arranger who moves around the Seattle jazz scene in a wide ranging sort of way. He is the curator of the legacy of conmposer Jim Knapp, and co-leads The Jim Knapp Orchestra with Jay Thomas. As a member of the collective ensemble, Meridian Odyssey, he is challenged in all facets of his skillset. For this performance, he strips it all down to the studs, performing in the traditional jazz piano trio format. It will be fun to see how the composer / arranger side of him interacts with the jazz pianist. Band TBA https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Willie Jones III Sextet

Tue Apr 30 – Wed May 1, 7:30 PM / Jazz Alley

Drummer Willie Jones III is touring in support of his new album Fallen Heroes, an homage to a long list of his mentors that include Roy Hargrove, Larry Willis and Jimmy Heath. Speaking of Hargrove, Jones has Justin Robinson on alto, a veteran of the late trumpeter’s quintet. Young trumpeter Giveton Gelin is on the gig as well, a rising star in jazz who appeared recently in Seattle at Langston. Vocalist Christie Dashiell adds a different dimension to the proceedings, with pianist Keith Brown and bassist Gerald Cannon rounding out this stellar assemblage of talent. This is one that has “fly under the radar” written all over it, and could well be one of the best hits of the year at Jazz Alley. https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=7527

Seattle Jazz Scene: Live Jazz Previews for March

Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

Jackson Cotugno Quartet

with Tim Kennedy, Stefan Schatz & Paul Gabrielson

Thu Mar 28, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 109 S. Main St.

It has been a lot of fun to see the rise of tenor saxophonist Jackson Cotugno on the Seattle scene. The young tenorist is on a lot of gigs these days, as well as leading his own quartet. Cotugno has benefited greatly from the oral tradition in the music, putting himself in positions to play with the majority of the major voices in Seattle jazz. His sound is old, comping favorably with pre-bop masters like Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster, but his spirit is adventurous and open minded, more taking cues from post-bop masters. 

Cotugno is building his sound and approach among some of the best players in the city. Pianist Tim Kennedy, bassist Paul Gabrielson and drummer Stefan Schatz are top tier players that set the bar high for him, a challenge he takes on with great verve. The two set evening should be swingin’, and a delve into the adventurous spirit represented by its four participants. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Omar Sosa Quarteto Americanos

Tue – Wed Mar 27 & 28, 7:30 PM / Jazz Alley

Omar Sosa has been on a fascinating musical journey for quite some time now. He has created his sound by his real life adventures in Cuba, Africa, The United States, and during the pandemic shutdown, Spain. What we haven’t witnessed for thirty years is a tour like the current one, featuring American musicians. San Francisco cats, in bassist  Ernesto Mazar Kindelan, drummer Josh Jones and saxophonist Sheldon Brown join Sosa in a band that features improvisation within jazz, latin and world forms. The performance will feature compositions from earlier in Sosa’s career, when he first arrived in San Francisco in the mid 1990’s. The ensemble more closely resembles a traditional jazz setup than in the recent past, giving newer fans a glimpse into something more experienced fans remember well from when Sosa first crossed the threshold into American jazz. His performances are always all in, honest and emotive.

 https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=7510

Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

Susan Pascal Quartet

with Bill Anschell, Chris Symer & John Bishop

Fri – Sat Mar 29 & 30, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 109 S. Main St. 

Vibraphonist Susan Pascal has been a strong presence in Seattle jazz for quite some time, going back to establishing herself with a lengthy residency at the now shuttered Belltown jazz spot, Tula’s. While being one of the few vibes masters around town, she has always managed to put together outstanding bands. Her status as a strong female bandleader over the past twenty years has served as quantifiable inspiration for up and coming female players. 

Pianist Bill Anschell is a major headliner in the city himself, and has performed with Pascal during the majority of her tenure as a bandleader. Drummer John Bishop is one of the most original percussion masters ever to rise in Seattle. Bassist Chris Symer is an exceptionally musical bassist, always offering melodic input into the mix aside from hanging on to the groove. Pascal’s vibe (pun intended) as a leader is one of equal partnership within the musical conversation. With these four conversationalists, it should be a fascinating narrative. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Seattle Jazz Fellowship Presents: Orrin Evans & The Captain Black Big Band

“While the nonprofit has been acknowledged for providing a place for the resident Seattle jazz to thrive, it is equally important to note the Fellowship’s work in caring for the music itself.”

The Seattle Jazz Fellowship, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by trumpeter Thomas Marriott, was created in response to the loss of viable jazz stages showcasing the vibrant resident jazz scene in Seattle. While local jazz musicians and fans alike mourned the downfall of longtime resident haunts such as the New Orleans club and Tula’s Jazz Club, Marriott and a supportive group of like-minded community members sought an alternative to the traditional jazz supper club personified by the aforementioned institutions. Gentrification of the downtown core of the city had driven rents to such a level that sustaining a club that could also serve as a community hub had become difficult at best. Food and liquor sales became the life blood of these attempts, driving up the price of access to jazz fans, while wages for musicians hung at early 1980’s levels. Worse yet, musicians had to rely on the door or ticket receipts to be paid at all. Like many jazz scenes around the country not based in New York City, the best musicians had to leave town to have any hope of earning a living as a professional jazz musician. The story of the Seattle Jazz Fellowship (SJF) and its guiding principles first appeared in All About Jazz in February, 2022, in the article Seattle Jazz Fellowship: A New Beginning For Live Resident Jazz . To continue reading, click here https://www.allaboutjazz.com/seattle-jazz-fellowship-presents-orrin-evans-and-the-captain-black-big-band-captain-black-big-band