This Sunday on Jazz Northwest

Jazz and Summertime are natural partners and next Tuesday night fans will be heading to the North City neighborhood of Shoreline for the 9th annual North City Jazz Walk from 7 to 10 PM. This Sunday, Jazz Northwest previews the Jazz Walk with music by Greta Matassa, Pearl Django and Jacqueline Tabor. These are three of the ten artists and groups appearing on August 11 in ten venues within walking distance of each other around 175th and 15th Avenue NE.

Also on this week’s show are the Jim Cutler Jazz Orchestra, Dmitiri Matheny and Stephanie Porter, all of whom will also be playing in the Seattle area next week. News about live jazz opportunities are always a part of Jazz Northwest on Sunday afternoons at 2 PM Pacific on 88.5 KPLU and streaming at kplu.org.

Next week, Jazz Northwest presents the first in a series of shows originating from Centrum’s Jazz Port Townsend the last weekend of July. On August 16, you’ll hear highlights from an informal gig in downtown Port Townsend featuring international jazz stars Terell Stafford, Steve Wilson, Eric Reed and others.

More info:
northcityjazzwalk.org
jazznw.org

Danny Kolke Trio concert on Jazz Northwest, January 18

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A hard-swinging piano trio led by Danny Kolke will be featured in highlights from this month’s Art of Jazz concert at the Seattle Art Museum airing at 2 PM Sunday, January 18 on 88.5 KPLU and streaming at kplu.org. The concert broadcast includes standards, spirituals and blues by the trio which includes Danny Kolke, piano, Jon Hamar, bass and Greg Williamson on drums. The trio plays regularly on Sunday evenings at Boxley’s in North Bend and has recorded two CDs live at the club and issued on Pony Boy Records.

Danny Kolke is also the manager of Boxley’s, a family-friendly restaurant which features live jazz seven nights a week. Student musicians get a chance to try the stage on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and the pros play Thursday through Sunday. Danny’s a father of three young musicians himself, and is a volunteer teacher of a jazz band at Mt.Si High School.

Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced by Jim Wilke exclusively for 88.5 KPLU. The program airs Sundays at 2 PM Pacific and streams at kplu.org. Jazz Northwest is also available as a podcast at jazznw.org following the broadcast.

The Art of Jazz series is presented by Earshot Jazz and coordinated by John Gilbreath in cooperation with the Seattle Art Museum, with support from KPLU. The next concert in the series will feature singer Eugenie Jones on February 12 at 5:30 pm. The concerts on the second Thursday of each month are free and open to the public at SAM.

Matt Wilson’s Arts & Crafts concert from Jazz Port Townsend on Jazz Northwest, October 26 on 88.5 KPLU

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photo by Jim Levitt

The mercurial Matt Wilson is an incendiary drummer and band leader.  Never predictable, his deep sense of swing and the joy of making music permeates every performance, whether he’s sideman or leader.  Jazz Northwest is pleased to present this performance which was at the conclusion of Centrum’s Jazz Port Townsend for 2014.  Joining Matt Wilson in his Arts & Crafts group are regular members Terrell Stafford on trumpet and Martin Wind on bass, plus pianist Dawn Clement and guitarist Anthony Wilson  (no relation).

The music ranges from originals by Matt Wilson and Terrell Stafford to a piece by Rahsaan Roland Kirk, folk songs and poetry, and a Beatles anthem. The band’s enthusiastic approach to making music ignited the large audience in McCurdy Pavilion where this concert took place.

Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced by Jim Wilke exclusively for 88.5 KPLU.  The program airs Sundays at 2 PM Pacific and is streamed at kplu.org.  A podcast of the program is available following the broadcast.

For more info:

All-Star Tribute to George Cables from Jazz Port Townsend on Jazz Northwest

Benny Green talks with George Cables about the Cables composition Benny is going to perform during the 2014 Jazz Port Townsend "Inspired by a Master - Tribute to George Cables." Benny Green, piano (lighter shirt); George Cables, piano

Pianist and composer George Cables was celebrated in a special concert at Centrum’s Jazz Port Townsend last July, and the concert was recorded for broadcast and will air Sunday, September 14 on Jazz Northwest on 88.5 KPLU. A perennial favorite at the festival and the Jazz Workshop each summer, George Cables teaches students, plays trio jazz in the clubs and often appears on the festival mainstage where this concert was recorded. Three pianists, Geoffrey Keezer, Benny Green and Dawn Clement take solo turns playing compositions by George Cables, and guitarist Anthony Wilson also contributes a piece associated with George Cables. The program ends with the master pianist playing one of his own compositions.

George Cables honed his craft as a sideman before beginning his own career as a leader and soloist. Among the many influential leaders he played with are Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, and perhaps most notably Dexter Gordon and Art Pepper. He has recorded on dozens of albums and CDs, the most recent being his own Icons and Influences (HighNote).

Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced by Jim Wilke exclusively for 88.5 KPLU. The program airs and streams Sundays at 2 PM Pacific and is also available as a podcast at kplu.org.

This Sunday on Jazz Northwest

IMG_0089Serendipity is defined as the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. It’s also a word that can apply to a lot of good jazz experiences… the unexpected combination of musicians, a scrap of improvisation that inspires a new development in the music or even an unusual location to hear jazz.

This program includes several unusual encounters between musicians, audiences and spaces, most of them from live performances with Steve Kaldestad, Jay Thomas, Danny Kolke, Pete Christlieb, Jacqueline Tabor, Mike Allen, Hugh Fraser and others, plus a 1984 UW Studio Jazz Band that includes some of today’s top Seattle players.

Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced by Jim Wilke exclusively for 88.5 KPLU and is heard Sunday afternoons at 2 PM Pacific. It is also streamed to the internet and availabe as a podcast at kplu.org.

This Sunday on Jazz Northwest: Miles Davis Tribute recorded live at Tula’s

Miles Davis is still one of the most influential figures in jazz, even after more than twenty years since his death (1991). On what would have been his 88th birthday on May 26, a section of 77th Street in New York City where he lived and composed some of his most memorable music was renamed Miles Davis Way.

In Seattle on May 24, a quintet of Seattle musicians gathered on stage at Tula’s to play some of the music composed and played by Miles Davis and members of the groups he led, including Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock. Playing for a full house of enthusiastic fans, trumpet player Thomas Marriott led a quintet with Mark Taylor, saxophones, Darrell Grant, piano, Evan Flory-Barnes, bass and Matt Jorgensen on drums. The music reflected several distinct periods and styles of Miles Davis multi-faceted career as trumpet player, bandleader and catalyst.

The two sets of music were recorded for broadcast and highlights from the second annual “Miles Night” at Tula’s will air on Jazz Northwest, Sunday, June 1 at 2 PM Pacific on 88.5 KPLU, and stream at kplu.org. The program will also be available as a podcast. Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced by Jim Wilke exclusively for 88.5 KPLU.

LISTEN TO A PREVIEW:

MORE INFO:

thomasmarriott.net
tulas.com
milesdavis.com
jazznw.org

New releases and live jazz previews on Jazz Northwest, Sunday April 27 on 88.5 KPLU

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This week on Jazz Northwest (Sundays, 2 PM on 88.5 KPLU), new releases by The Danny Kolke Trio + Pete Christlieb “Live at Boxley’s” and Nelda Swiggett’s Stringtet, with her trio + two musicians from the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. Plus a sampling of music in the week to come with Bill Watrous, Fred Hersch and The Mercer Island High School Jazz Ensemble 1 and news of the best bets for live jazz.

Jazz Northwest is produced and hosted by Jim Wilke exclusively for 88.5 KPLU. The programs airs Sundays at 2 PM Pacific on 88.5 KPLU and streaming live at kplu.org . The program is also available as a podcast.

The Duke meets The Bard in “Such Sweet Thunder” in a concert broadcast on 88.5 KPLU

Duke_Ellington_-_publicityIn 1957, Duke Ellington completed and presented “Such Sweet Thunder” in concert for the first time. Working with Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington composed a suite of musical portraits of characters from Shakespeare’s plays; Hamlet, Lady MacBeth, Caesar, Cleopatra, Henry V, Iago and others. In two unique performances last month, The Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra was joined by actors from the Seattle Shakespeare Company to perform the Ellington suite with related excerpts from Shakespeare’s plays.

The complete concert will be broadcast in two parts on Jazz Northwest on 88.5 KPLU. Part 1 will air on Sunday, March 9 at 2 PM Pacific, and Part 2 will air one week later on Sunday, March16 at 2 PM Pacific.

Actors from The Seattle Shakespeare Company include Hana Lass, Darragh Kennan and George Mount, The Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra is co-directed by Clarence Acox and Michael Brockman. The concert performance was recorded at Kirkland Performance Center on February 16.

Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced by Jim Wilke exclusively for 88.5 KPLU. It is also available as a live stream and a podcast after the broadcast at kplu.org .

For more information:
srjo.org
seattleshakespeare.org
jazznw.org

The Emerald City Jazz Orchestra plays for the Woody Herman Centennial at Tula’s

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This week on Jazz Northwest features highlights from an Emerald City Jazz Orchestra celebration of the Woody Herman Centennial at Tula’s in December as well as excerpts from Steve GriggsPanama Hotel Jazz suite which will receive a full performance at The Seattle Art Museum on February 13.

Also included on this show are new CDs by Greg Williamson, Mercedes Nicole and Marc Seales as well as picks for live jazz in the coming week.

Jazz Northwest airs Sundays at 2 PM Pacific on 88.5 KPLU and is also streamed and available as a podcast at kplu.org following the broadcast. Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced by Jim Wilke, exclusively for 88.5 KPLU.

Jonathan Pugh featured on Jazz Northwest this Sunday

Jonathan Pugh grew up in Wenatchee and his first musical memories include standing by his Dad as he led the band at his Summer youth circus.  Later, he connected with Don Lanphere in Wenatchee and studied with him during his teen years.  It was mutual inspiration as Jonathan become a regular member of the Don Lanphere Quintet, touring and recording eight albums with the sax legend during his resurgent career.

Jonathan Pugh started on trumpet, but today focuses on the mellower cornet. He presently teaches in the Edmonds Schools. Joining him in this Art of Jazz concert from the Seattle Art Museum are Dave Peterson on guitar, Jon Hamar on bass and Max Wood on drums, all notable for their tone and swing.

The Art of Jazz Concerts are presented by Earshot Jazz, John Gilbreath, Executive Director and the Seattle Art Museum with the support of KPLU.  The series is now in its 17th year of free concerts presented on the third Thursday of each month from 5:30 to 7;30. The next concert on February 13 will feature the Steve Griggs “Panama Hotel” Quintet playing music inspired by the novel “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet” by Jamie Ford, set in Seattle’s International District during the early 40s.

Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced by Jim Wilke exclusively for 88.5 KPLU.  The program airs on Sundays at 2 PM Pacific and is streamed at kplu.org.  A podcast is also available following the broadcast.

more info:
earshot.org
seattleartmuseum.org
jazznw.org

Cyrille Aimée and Diego Figuereido Duo concert at Jazz Port Townsend on Jazz Northwest

Vocalist Cyrille Aimee, with guitarist Diego Figueiredo, perform on Saturday night at the 2013 Centrum Jazz Port Townsend Festival.
Photo by Jim Levitt

A French singer and a Brazilian guitarist teamed up for a charming duo on the final night of Centrum’s Jazz Port Townsend 2013. Both Cyrille Aimée and Diego Figueiredo have busy solo careers but they find time to tour together since they first met at the Montreux Jazz Contest. They perform some Brazilian tunes and some French chansons, plus American standards . The combination of virtuosity and creative interplay won many new fans for the duo during their appearance at last Summer’s festival in Port Townsend.

The complete concert will be broadcast on Sunday, January 5 at 2 PM Pacific on 88.5 KPLU, concluding the series of broadcasts recorded last July at Jazz Port Townsend. The concert will also be streamed live at kplu.org, and will also be available as a podcast following the broadcast.

Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced by Jim Wilke exclusively for 88.5 KPLU. The program airs Sundays at 2 PM Pacific.

More info:
centrum.org
cyrillemusic.com
diegofigueiredo.net
jazznw.org

Northwest Jazz Favorites on Jazz Northwest this Sunday, December 29

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This week on Jazz Northwest, Jim Wilke picks some of his favorite CDs issued in 2013 by Northwest jazz artists.  Not necessarily an exhaustive nor exclusive list, this hour does provide some examples of the high level of jazz recordings produced in the Pacific Northwest.   The complete list will be posted at jazzafterhours.org/bestcds.html which includes national and international releases as well.

Jazz Northwest is produced and hosted by Jim Wilke exclusively for 88.5 KPLU.  It airs Sundays at 2 PM Pacific and is available as a podcast at kplu.org following the broadcast.

Overton Berry next on Jazz Northwest – December 22

OvertonSeattle jazz icon pianist Overton Berry leads his trio in an “Art of Jazz” concert at The Seattle Art Museum on the next Jazz Northwest on 88.5 KPLU. Overton Berry is a member of the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame and his career goes back for six decades not only in Seattle and the West Coast, but beyond to Hong Kong, Vietnam, and elsewhere.

Joined in this concert by bassist Jeff Davies and drummer Rick Spano, Overton Berry plays a variety of music from soul jazz classics, to ballads, Brazilian music and the classic “Hymn to Freedom” by Oscar Peterson.

The Art of Jazz concerts are presented by Earshot Jazz, John Gilbreath, Executive Director and the Seattle Art Museum on the second Thursday of each month, year ’round. The next concert in the series will feature the Jonathan Pugh Quartet on January 9.

The concerts are recorded by Jim Wilke for broadcast on Jazz Northwest, Sunday afternoons at 2 pm on 88;5 KPLU. The program is also available as a podcast at kplu.org following the broadcast.

More info:
overtonberry.com
earshot.org
seattleartmuseum.org
jazznw.org

This week on Jazz Northwest

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This week on Jazz Northwest we’re starting the holiday season by revisiting some of our favorites: the Roosevelt Jazz Band’s “Jazz Nutcracker,” Don Lanphere’s “Year ‘Round Christmas” and Hans Teuber and Dave Peterson play “Silver Bells”. We’ll sample Jim Knapp’s new string orchestra “Scrape” plus Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra, Thomas Marriott and more.

Jazz Northwest airs Sundays at 2 PM Pacific on 88.5 KPLU, and streams at kplu.org. There is also a podcast available after the broadcast.

Bill Anschell’s “Peru” Trio next on Jazz Northwest, November 24 on 88.5 KPLU

anschellbystevekornPianist Bill Anschell was born in Seattle and began his career here, but he’s ranged far and wide since then.  He’s  been a jazz coordinator for the Southern Arts Federation, produced radio programs, been musical director and pianist for Nnenna Freelon with whom he toured and recorded, and he’s toured widely in South America.

One of those tours was last year in Peru with his Seattle trio, Chris Symer on bass and Jeff “Bongo” Busch on drums and percussion.  This trio was featured in this month’s Art of Jazz concert at the Seattle Art Museum, presented by Earshot and recorded for Jazz Northwest.  It was a particularly apt choice for the series as it compliments the current exhibition at SAM,  “Peru: Kingdoms of the Sun and Moon” which continues through January 5.

The Bill Anschell Trio plays three pieces of Peruvian music adapted for this trio along with original music by the pianist on Jazz Northwest, Sunday November 24 at 2 PM Pacific on 88.5 KPLU. The program is also streamed at kplu.org and available as a podcast following the broadcast.

Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced by Jim Wilke exclusively for KPLU.

More info:
billanschell.com
seattleartmuseum.org
earshot.org
jazznw.org

This week on Jazz Northwest

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Overton Berry Trio – Bill Kotick, Chuck Metcalf and Overton Berry – 1970

This week’s show ranges from Portland (John Stowell, Rebecca Kilgore) to Vancouver and Victoria (The Nightcrawlers, Kelby MacNayr Quintet).  We’ll also hear from the young (Ariel Pocock) and the … not so young (Overton Berry, Chuck Stentz & Joe Baque).  We even have two Bills on the bill  (Bill Anschel and Bill Frisell).

News about where to hear some of these and other NW jazz artists is always part of the show, and we’ll look at what’s ahead for the last week of Earshot Jazz Festival 25.

Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced by Jim Wilke exclusively for 88.5 KPLU and is heard Sundays at 2 PM Pacific.  A podcast of the show is also available at kplu.org after the broadcast

Anthony Wilson’s Power of Nine on Jazz Northwest, Sunday, November 3

The Anthony Wilson Nonet performs at the 2013 Centrum Jazz Port Townsend Mainstage concert on Saturday night.

Guitarist Anthony Wilson leads his nonet on Jazz Northwest, Sunday, November 3 at 2 PM (PDT) on 88.5 KPLU.  The concert was recorded at Centrum’s Jazz Port Townsend last summer.   Truly an all-star aggregation, the group includes Terell Stafford, trumpet, Jiggs Whigham, trombone, Jeff Clayton, alto sax & flute, Anat Cohen, tenor sax and clarinet, Gary Smulyan, baritone sax, Gerald Clayton, piano, Joe Sanders, bass and Matt Wilson, drums.  All were on the faculty for the Jazz Port Townsend Jazz Workshop  which took place the week leading up to the festival.

Music on the program includes a couple of classics, and two contemporary pieces, one an original by Anthony Wilson who has recorded four CDs with this instrumentation as well as three more an organ trio.  He has also toured and recorded as a member of the Diana Krall group.

Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced by Jim Wilke exclusively for 88.5 KPLU.  The program is also streamed live at kplu.org and is available as a podcast.

More info:
Centrum.org/jazz
anthonywilsonmusic.com
jazznw.org

This week on Jazz Northwest

roberta-155-by-ben-huggler-copyJazz Northwest previews and samples upcoming events every Sunday afternoon at 2 on 88.5 KPLU. This Sunday (10/27) will include CDs by Roy Hargrove, Roberta Gambarini, the Jim Knapp Orchestra, Darcy James Argue and others appearing in Seattle concerts, as well as some new releases by resident Northwest musicians.

Jazz Northwest is produced and hosted by Jim Wilke, exclusively for 88.5 KPLU. The program is also available as a podcast at kplu.org

Kareem Kandi Band at Seattle Art Museum on the next Jazz Northwest

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Tacoma-based saxophonist Kareem Kandi brought his band to the Art Of Jazz Series at The Seattle Art Museum this month and played a hard-swinging concert enjoyed by an enthusiastic audience that filled Brotman Forum at SAM.  Saxophonist Kreem Kandi was joined by B3 organist Delvon Lamar and drummer Adam Kessler in a classic organ trio performance that included standards and originals.  The concert was recorded for Jazz Northwest and will air on Sunday, October 20 at 2 PM PDT.

Kareem Kandi is a Northwest native who studied at Olympic College and the Cornish College of the Arts.  His big Dexter Gordon-style sound is comfortable fit in an organ trio format that reflects the tradition while adding new songs to keep it fresh.  Two originals by Kareem Kandi are included in this performance.

The performance was part of the regular Art of Jazz Series and the current Earshot Jazz Festival presented and produced by Earshot Jazz, John Gilbreath, Executive Direcotr with the support of the Seattle Art Museum and 88.5 KPLU.  The Art of Jazz Series is presented on the second Thursday of each month from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. The concerts are free and open to the public.  The next concert in the series will feature The Bill Anschell Quartet on November 14.

Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced by Jim Wilke exclusively for 88.5 KPLU.  The program airs Sundays at 2 PM Pacific and is also available as a podcast at kplu.org following the broadcast.

More info:

John Gilbreath is guest on Jazz Northwest preview of the 25th Earshot Jazz Festival

John Gilbreath, Executive Director of Earshot Jazz, will talk with Jim Wilke about the current Earshot Jazz Festival on Jazz Northwest on Sunday October 6. The 25th Earshot Jazz Festival began this week and will continue through November 17 with over 60 individual events at various locations around Seattle. Music on this program includes John Hollenbeck’s Claudia Quintet which will be appearing on Sunday, October 6 at the Poncho Theatre at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle.   Other groups  appearing at the festival and on this program include Dave Douglas, Darcy James Argue, Steve Treseler, Ingrid Jensen and Cuong Vu.

Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced by Jim Wilke exclusively for 88.5 KPLU.  The program is broadcast Sundays at 2 PM Pacific and is streamed live at kplu.org.  A podcast of the program is also available immediately after broadcast.

More info:
earshot.org
jazznw.org