Tuesday Jazz

November 6, 2007 / / No Comments

Here are some events happening tonight … most venues are linked on the right …

Egan’s Ballard Jam House: Susan Pascal and Dave Peterson (7:00pm)
Jazz Alley: Steve Smith and Vital Information
Triple Door Musicquarium: Rachel Bade-McMurphy
New Orleans: Holotradband
Tula’s: Jay Thomas Big Band

And for those who are looking for a jam session … Tuesday nights is when Seattle’s jazz musicians gather at the Owl ‘n Thistle for the weekly jam session with Bebop and Destruction.

The Owl ‘n Thistle
808 Post Ave
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 621-7777

Alex Ross and Ben Ratliff discuss Jazz, Pop and Classical

November 6, 2007 / / No Comments

From Slate.com … an interesting email dialogue between two New York writers regarding composer/artists, audiences and perceptions of jazz and classical music.

People tend to listen to various kinds of music over the course of the day: rock at the gym, jazz on the drive home, maybe a little Vivaldi while waiting at the dentist’s office for the root canal. There’s a long tradition of mixed-genre listening in American culture: As Joseph Horowitz notes in his book Classical Music in America, opera houses in the 19th century would offer Don Giovanni together with “Ethiopian songs, choruses, solos, duets, jigs, fancy dances, etc.” Yet conversations about music always seem to take place within a particular genre. Our concept in this Slate Dialogue is to converse for a day or two across the walls of specialized taste. I write mostly about classical music for The New Yorker, though I’ve touched on pop. You write about various kinds of music for the New York Times, with an emphasis on jazz. You have an excellent new book on John Coltrane, telling the story of his sound and analyzing his complex place in the wider culture.

Click here to read the entire article.

New Wednesday Night Gig – Joe Doria Trio

November 5, 2007 / / No Comments

Hammond B3 organist Joe Doria is starting a new weekly Wednesday night gig at The Victory Lounge (the old Lobo Lounge) with his longtime trio featuring Chris Spencer on guitar and Byron Vannoy on drums.

Every Wednesday
THE VICTORY LOUNGE
433 Eastlake Ave East {map it}
206.382.4467

Music starts at 9:30pm; $5 cover

Today – Jazz Vespers

November 4, 2007 / / No Comments

Seattle Jazz Vespers features “Hot Club Sandwich” on Sunday, November 4, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. in the historic Gothic sanctuary of Seattle First Baptist Church: 100 minutes of popular jazz with an inspirational interlude. The concert is f-r-e-e, family-friendly and the dress is casual. Located at the corner of Harvard, Union and Seneca Streets on First Hill near Madison and Broadway. F-r-e-e lighted adjacent parking. For more information, visit http://www.SeattleJazzVespers.org

Read More

The Local Scene Tonight

November 3, 2007 / / No Comments

There are always a million options of music on any given night. Here are a couple of options for tonight in addition to the Earshot Jazz Festival.

CHUCK DEARDORF GROUP at Third Place Commons
First call Seattle bassist leads his group featuring Bill Anschell on piano and John Bishop on drums for a concert at Third Place Commons in Lake Forest Park starting at 8:00pm. The show is free. 17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park, WA

MORE ZERO at Egan’s Ballard Jam House
The show starts late (11:00pm) but it might be the perfect show to check out after the Earshot Jazz Festival. Trombonist Chris Stover leads this group of Seattle’s finest through a set of original music.

GARY HOBBS TRIO at Bake’s Place
Portland drummer Gary Hobbs performs in a trio setting with Marc Seales on piano and Dave Captein on bass.

MARCO de CARVALHO at Tutta Bella Columbia City
Brazilian guitarist Marco de Carvalho always is enjoyable and with the early start time of 7:00pm this would be the perfect opportunity to catch a bite to eat before Earshot and also check out some great local jazz.

Saturday Night at Earshot

November 3, 2007 / / No Comments

The Earshot Jazz Festival goes out with a bang this weekend. Here is tonight’s sampling:

Tula’s Restaurant, 8:30pm
Aaron Goldberg Trio
The Brooklyn-based pianist, a Thelonious Monk Competition winner who toured with Joshua Redman and Wynton Marsalis, leads a sophisticated trio that boasts a stellar, rhythm section: bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland.
$18 general / $16 discount CALL 206-443-4221 FOR RESERVATIONS

Triple Door, 7:30pm
Elspeth Savani and Orchestra Zarabanda
Orchestra Zarabanda, a 12-piece Seattle-based dance band whose irresistible repertoire is inspired by the great Cuban orquestas and son groups of the last century, classic New York salsa/charanga and Cuban folkloric music.
$15 general

Chapel Performance Space, 8pm
October Trio w/ Brad Turner
Evan Arntzen (sax), Josh Cole (bass), and Dan Gaucher (drums) took the CBC’s Galaxie Rising Stars Award at Vancouver International Jazz Fest 2006. With standout trumpeter Brad Turner, they occupy the cutting edge of our neighbor to the north.
$15 general / $13 discount

Nordstrom Recital Hall, 7:30pm
Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra:
Great american songbook iv
UW sax professor Michael Brockman and ace drummer/educator Clarence Acox direct this local big band of all-star instrumentalists for “Great American Songbook IV,” featuring vocalists Greta Matassa, Bernie Jacobs, James Caddell, and others.

SRJO begins 13th Season this weekend

November 2, 2007 / / No Comments

SRJO begins 13th season with popular Great American Songbook concert

Dates, times and ticket prices:

– Saturday, November 3, 7:30pm
Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall (at Benaroya Hall)

– Sunday, November 4, 3:00pm
Kirkland Performance Center

Tickets: $15-$36

Available at:
– SRJO offices (206-523-6159) www.srjo.org

The Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra (SRJO) will open its 2006-2007 concert series with the “Great American Songbook IV,” the always popular concerts featuring best-loved songs by great American composers such as George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, Duke Ellington and others. Award-winning jazz vocalists Greta Matassa, James Caddell, and Bernie Jacobs will join the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra for this subscription season opener.

This is 13th annual concert series for the award winning orchestra. The concert featuring these great American song writers is one of the most popular in the orchestra’s repertoire. The “Great American Songbook IV” will be presented in the orchestra’s traditional two-concert format, one in Downtown Seattle and the other on the Eastside. The concerts will take place at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, November 3, in the Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall, and 3 p.m. Sunday, November 4, at the Kirkland Performance Center.

Read More

Friday Night Jazz

November 2, 2007 / / No Comments

The Earshot Festival is wrapping up this weekend with some great show and tons of more stuff happening in Seattle.

Triple Door, 7pm & 9:30pm
Billy Childs Sextet
Two-time Grammy-winning pianist Billy Childs is a West Coast musical treasure, a “sleeper” whose six-piece jazz chamber group best demonstrates his vast talents as a composer.

Chapel Performance Space, 7:30pm
Ita Bittova
The versatile vocalist/violinist’s “personal folk music” blooms in a fertile delta of Eastern European, classical, and rock traditions.
$15 general / $13 discount

Kirkland Performance Center, 8:00pm ** SJS Recommended
Gene Bertoncini
Gene Bertoncini is one of the most eloquent and versatile masters of the unaccompanied acoustic jazz guitar. His command of the instrument is intimate and powerful. He weaves soft, seductive jazz arrangements that cherish the melodies and harmonies of great songs.
$29 adult, $15 youth BUY ONLINE AT KPCENTER.ORG

Tula’s Restaurant, 8:30pm
Aaron Goldberg Trio **SJS Recommended
The Brooklyn-based pianist, a Thelonious Monk Competition winner who toured with Joshua Redman and Wynton Marsalis, leads a sophisticated trio that boasts a stellar, rhythm section: bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland.
$18 general / $16 discount CALL 206-443-4221 FOR RESERVATIONS

Other Friday Night Events:

Bake’s Place: Katy Bourne Trio
Egan’s Ballard Jam House: Jason Parker Quartet (7:00pm)
Serafina: Javier Anderson (bossa nova guitar)
Triple Door Musicquarium: James Baumgart Trio (free)
Jazz Alley: The David Grisman Quintet

And make your calendars for Saturday Night at Bake’s Place: Gary Hobbs Trio

Review: Dafnis Prieto at The Triple Door

November 2, 2007 / / No Comments

By Cynthia Mullis

Whew! What a month! My head is spinning with jazz, concerts and thoughts about jazz concerts. Not to mention that I think I hurt something during my recent infatuation with playing tunes in concert E major…on the alto sax. My head is throbbing and I’ll be happy when the Aerosmith and Emmy Lou Harris tunes come up on my iPod during my walk later on today! As I start to catch up, I’ll send in a few more reviews of concerts that I’ve attended recently.


On October 22nd I heard drummer Dafnis Prieto and his group Absolute Quintet at the Triple Door. I loved the group from the first note and was thoroughly absorbed in the music, despite being very tired and hungry when I arrived for the second set. I’ll leave the deeper analysis of that concert to the true Afro-Cuban aficionados in the audience (I personally saw Fred Hoadly, Chris Stover, Ann Reynolds, Lillian Woo, Susan Pascal, Carolyn Caster, Ron Barrow, Cindy Hughen…that was just the second set). The New York Times has been raving about this guy for awhile but I’d never had a chance to hear him—check out his website at dafnisprieto.com for more information. My impression of the drummer was that he was a hurricane of poly-rhythms, intricate rhythmic melodies, freakish eight-limbed independence and true-blooded Cuban musical tradition. I enjoyed that the ensemble had a different instrumentation than usual, with the cello player straddling the line between acting as a bass player and being another melodic voice (in addition to doubling on trombone). To my ears, the violinist (whose name I didn’t catch) and the cellist gave the group a bit of a folk oriented sound while remaining completely modern. Yosvany Terry was on alto sax, soprano and shekere and was much more thoughtful and musical that when I heard him a few years ago: great alto sound, great technique and not overpowering of the ensemble. Jason Linder rounded out the group on keyboards. The music was metrically complex—I didn’t bother to attempt figuring out the time signatures—but I really appreciated was how deeply rooted in the Afro-Cuban tradition the music was without being overwhelmed by the clavé, montunos, and other aspects of this style of music. It was an exciting and fresh evening of music—I’m glad I took the opportunity to check it out and I’ll be curious to see what other people’s reaction was to this concert.

Now a little rant: as much as I love going to shows at the Triple Door, I was bummed that they raised the prices on their food and that it wasn’t as good as it has been on previous visits. Plus I know the wait staff is just doing their job, but it seemed like every time I closed my eyes to lose myself in the music, someone was tapping me on the shoulder to see if I needed anything else. Also, I’ve been a little bummed about how lately the sound at the TD tends to be boomy and washed out. I would like to hear more definition in the instruments without having to concentrate so hard. Maybe the sound issues are necessary to drown out the racket of ceaseless conversation that seems to be the norm at concerts these days, along with the commotion that comes with the enterprise of selling food and drinks. I luv ya, Triple Door, but for the number of concerts I’ve seen there recently, I’m entitled to vent a little.

Thursday Night Jazz

November 1, 2007 / / No Comments

Tonight is the last night of the Seattle Jazz Showcase … it has been a wonderful three week run so make sure and join us tonight as we end with two terrific groups.

8:00pm – Victor Noriega Quintet
9:30pm – Vern Sielert Dektet

Admission: $10

The LAB at Seattle Drum School
12510 15th Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98125 {map it}
Tel: (206)364-8815


EARSHOT JAZZ FESTIVAL

Tula’s Restaurant, 8:30pm
Eric Person & Meta-Four
The acclaimed New York saxophonist, at the helm of the ambitious quartet Meta-Four, shows why he has been called on by trumpeter Dave Douglas, World Saxophone Quartet, and rockers Vernon Reid and Ben Harper.
$15 general / $13 discount CALL 206-443-4221 FOR RESERVATIONS
MORE INFO…

Triple Door, 7pm & 9:30pm
John Abercrombie Quartet
In a rare appearance behind his new ECM release, the guitarist appears with his acclaimed, all-star “Third Quartet” — drummer Joey Baron (Masada), bassist Marc Johnson (Bill Evans), and violinist Mark Feldman.

Seattle City Hall, noon-1pm
Michael Brockman Trio
The co-leader of the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, on alto sax, leads his sparkling trio.

OTHER EVENTS TONIGHT:

Asteroid Cafe: Jam Session with Tim Kennedy
Jazz Alley: Tony DeSare
Ballard Jam House: Gayle Cloud 7pm; Passarim 9pm
Lo-Fi: The Hang with Evan Flory-Barnes
May: Hans Teuber
Thaiku: Tad Britton Trio

Live Music-Another Option

October 31, 2007 / / No Comments

Sad that the Seattle Jazz Showcase is winding down?

Too broke for Earshot?

How about checking out the Columbia City Beatwalk? The BeatWalk is a monthly, community music event, which takes place on the first Friday of each month in the Columbia City neighborhood. For one low cover price of $5.00, you can stroll around and hear/see live music in 7 different venues! That’s a lot of musical bang for your buck. Venues include a book store, a health club, an art gallery and several bars and restaurants. There is a variety of programming and there are always at least a couple of jazz acts. This Friday, the Garfield Jazz Quintet will be playing at Bookworm Exchange. This is one swinging, little group, and these teenage musicians already have some fierce chops going on. If gypsy jazz is more your thing, the Djangomatics are playing at Lottie’s Lounge. The BeatWalk takes place this coming Friday, November 2 from 7-10pm. For more information and the complete line-up, visit www.columbiacitybeatwalk.org.

This Friday – Gene Bertoncini (attn guitar players!)

October 30, 2007 / / No Comments

Kirkland Performance Center Presents…
Gene Bertoncini
November 2, 8:00 PM
Adults $29.00 • Sr $26.00 • Youth $15.00

John Klevens, Klevens Capital Management & Seattle Jazz Guitar Society present…

Gene Bertoncini is one of the most eloquent and versatile masters of the unaccompanied acoustic jazz guitar. His command of the instrument is intimate and powerful. He weaves soft, seductive jazz arrangements that cherish the melodies and harmonies of great songs. Part of the 2007 Earshot Jazz Festival.

{More info}

Spend Halloween with McTuff

October 30, 2007 / / No Comments

Spend your Halloween night with Joe Doria and McTuff at the Tractor Tavern.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31
THE TRACTOR TAVERN
5213 Ballard Avenue NW
Seattle, WA 98107
8:00pm

Joe Doria – Hammond B3 Organ
Skerik – saxophone
Andy Coe – guitar
D’Vonne Lewis – drums

Collectively inspired by the sounds of a bygone era, McTuff resuscitates the groove-laden spirit of ’60s soul with both Doria originals and classic organ-driven tunes of a bygone era, but don’t expect anything as straightforward as simple nostalgia. “There’s a time for all that wonderful heady music,” the band advertises, “and then there’s a time to grab your poison of choice, the woman you want, and just [into] relax the groove.”

And where better to do this than the Tractor Tavern? And when, if not Halloween night?

The agenda is simple, as these four intrepid fellas say themselves: “Let’s get into trouble, baby!”

Two New Groups at the Seattle Jazz Showcase

October 30, 2007 / / No Comments

Tonight’s Seattle Jazz Showcase performance features two relatively new Seattle jazz groups, both of which have been creating a buzz lately.

8:00pm – Byron Vannoy’s Meridian
Drummer Byron Vannoy leads some of Seattle’s most creative musicians through his original music. The group features Byron Vannoy – drums; Chris Symer – bass; Kacey Evans – keyboards; Chris Spencer – guitar; Eric Barber – saxophones

9:30pm – Ziggurat Quartet
The Ziggurat Quartet features four innovative jazz improvisers performing all original compositions. A passion for rhythmic experimentation drives the ensemble’s complex original compositions; many of the pieces are deeply influenced by the rhythms of East Indian music, as well as jazz and contemporary chamber music. Coupled with strong improvising, the result is a mix of music that is engaging, spontaneous, and compelling. Members of the quartet bring personal voices and broad aesthetic horizons to the ensemble, together charting new directions for jazz quartet. The group features Eric Barber – saxophones; Bill Anschell – piano; Doug Miller – bass; Byron Vannoy – drums

Admission: $10

The LAB at Seattle Drum School
12510 15th Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98125 {map it}
Tel: (206)364-8815

Seattle Jazz Showcase Resumes Tonight

October 29, 2007 / / No Comments

Week three of the Seattle Jazz Showcase starts tonight.

8:00pm – Chad McCullough Group
9:30pm – Geoff Harper Trio

Admission: $10

The LAB at Seattle Drum School
12510 15th Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98125 {map it}
Tel: (206)364-8815

Coming Up:
Tuesday: Byron Vannoy’s Meridian; Ziggurat Quartet
Wednesday: Halloween … no music
Thursday: Final Night! Victor Noriega Quartet; Vern Sielert Dektet

Monday at the Earshot Jazz Festival

October 29, 2007 / / No Comments

Triple Door, 7pm
Willem Breuker Kollektief’s Faust
The Dutch sax giant’s legendary, seriously whimsical ensemble accompany F.W. Murnau’s 1926 silent masterpiece with an adventurous interplay of circus fun and serious big-band chops. $20 general / $18 discount

Tractor Tavern, 8pm
Sunship
Gregg Keplinger & Rick Mandyck
A night of reverential mayhem: Sunship, inimitable experimenters fortified by sound alchemist Stuart Dempster, plus two more Seattle innovators, drummer Gregg Keplinger and electric guitarist Rick Mandyck.
$15 general / $13 discount

Tula’s Restaurant, 8:30pm
Michael Bates’ Outside Sources
New York bassist Michael Bates’s growing boldness as a composer earmarks 2007 as a banner year. This Vancouver International Jazz Festival standout plays at the crossroads of structural experimentation and indisputable charisma. Michael Bates, double bass, Russ Johnson, trumpet, Quinsin Nachoff, saxophone/clarinet, Jeff Davis, drums.
$15 general / $13 discount CALL 206-443-4221 FOR RESERVATIONS

Click here for more info.

Sunday at the Earshot Festival

October 28, 2007 / / No Comments

Tula’s Restaurant, 8:30pm
Butch Thompson Trio
Jazz-historian pianist Thompson has enjoyed four decades of renown in a panoply of settings, including as a regular on A Prairie Home Companion. He joins the Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society and Seattle trad specialists Holo Trad Jazz in varied combos at Ballard Elks, and brings his trio to Tula’s.

Triple Door, 7pm & 9:30pm
Cedar Walton Trio
For half a century, from his playing on Coltrane’s seminal Giant Steps to stints with Lee Morgan, the Jazz Messengers, and beyond, pianist Cedar Walton has crafted a gorgeous and peerless urban idiom.
$24 general / $22 discount

Seattle Art Museum, 8pm
Cuong Vu Trio
Few trumpeters inspire as much excitement as this richly melodic Pat Metheny sideman and recent add to the UW jazz faculty. He premieres Earshot-commissioned work for his heralded trio with drummer Ted Poor and remarkable bassist Stomu Takeishi.

Bill Horvitz at Gallery 1412

October 27, 2007 / / No Comments

Gallery 1412 presents guitarist Bill Horvitz on Sunday, October 28th at 8:00pm. Bill Horvitz will be peforming with his group featuring Steve Adams on saxophones and flutes and drummer Paul Kikuchi. For the opening set, Bill will be joined by brother Wayne Horvitz on piano, keyboards, and electronics.

GALLERY 1412
1412 18th Ave (18th Ave and Union St)
Seattle, WA 98122

“An intriguing composer and a pliant melodicist. While his music might be free jazz, it’s not free form; it’s exceptionally well organized… each tune has a personality and life of its own.” – Chris Kelsey, Jazz Now, Oakland, CA

Bill Horvitz has collaborated with many of new music’s most recognized innovators, including Elliott Sharp, John Zorn, Bobby Previte, Butch Morris, Myra Melford, George Lewis, Bill Laswell and Frank London.

The Bill Horvitz Band moves with fluid grace between tight compositions and improvised solo and ensemble work, communicating with a telepathic rapport.

Wayne Horvitz is a seattle-based composer, pianist and electronic musician. He is the leader of Zony Mash, Pigpen, The Four plus One Ensemble and co-founder of the New York Composers Orchestra. He has performed and collaborated with Bill Frisell, Butch Morris, John Zorn, Robin Holcomb, Fred Frith, Julian Priester, Philip Wilson, Michael Shrieve and Carla Bley among others. He has been commissioned by the NEA, Meet The Composer, Kronos Quartet, Seattle Chamber Players, Mary Flagler, BAM, Earshot Jazz and others.

Saturday at The Earshot Jazz Festival

October 27, 2007 / / No Comments

For a complete schedule of events, click here.

Tula’s Restaurant, 8:30pm
Jean-Michel Pilc Trio featuring Ari Hoenig
Pilc, a former French rocket scientist, constructs dazzling piano work of dense harmonics, speed-of-sound technical facility, and otherworldly propulsion. On afterburners: bassist Thomas Bramerie and stunning drummer Ari Hoenig.

Triple Door, 7pm & 9:30pm
Garfield High School Jazz Band w/ Houston Person
The Garfield band, local-favorite past Essentially Ellington winner, renews its summer Centrum-workshop collaboration with revered tenor saxophonist Houston Person, once an Etta Jones mainstay and long treasured in his own right.

Town Hall, 8pm
Musafir
Musafir (Hindi and Urdu for “traveler”) plays the music of the Rajasthan desert of North India, the “gypsy homeland” of the Roma. They create a transcendent blend of music, dance, and performance art.
Advance $22 ($19 discount), door $25 ($22 discount).
Discount available for Earshot and Town Hall Members, Seniors and Students

Saturday, October 27 Harvest Moon Jazz Cruise aboard the Steamship Virginia V, 4 -7pm
Sunday, October 28 Ballard Elks, 12:30pm
Sunday, October 28 Tula’s Restaurant, 8:30pm
Butch Thompson Trio
Jazz-historian pianist Thompson has enjoyed four decades of renown in a panoply of settings, including as a regular on A Prairie Home Companion. He joins the Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society and Seattle trad specialists Holo Trad Jazz in varied combos at Ballard Elks, and brings his trio to Tula’s.
>> Note correction to brochure: Ballard Elks show is on Sunday Oct 28.
BALLARD ELKS: TICKETS AVAILABLE AT DOOR MORNING OF EVENT $13 general / $11 discount
TULA’S: CALL 206-443-4221 FOR RESERVATIONS & $15 general / $13 discount
S.S. VIRGINIA V: CALL 206-624-9119 FOR RESERVATIONS, $50 per person / $90 per couple

Seattle PI Review: Radding and Rigler / Harris and Watts

October 26, 2007 / / No Comments

Kudos to the Seattle PI for their coverage of the Earshot Jazz Festival … a Seattle daily newspaper actually publishes a jazz review! Let’s hope there is more coming soon.

Radding and Rigler hit the right note; Harris and Watts fall short

By BILL WHITE
SPECIAL TO THE P-I

Two duos brought different listening experiences to the Chapel on Monday night. Reuben Radding (bass) and Jane Rigler (flute) were like funambulists who created their own falls and recoveries. Radding, the more dangerous player, was balanced by Rigler’s classical poise. Trevor Watts (saxophone) and Jamie Harris (percussion) blended free jazz with traditional African rhythms, a combination that wasn’t entirely successful in the duo format.

One could imagine a martial-arts duel choreographed to the musical exchanges between Radding and Rigler. The opening piece was a short round of sparring jabs, with Rigler thrusting syncopated blasts of wind into Radding’s off-kilter balancing act. She switched to piccolo for the next piece, playing flurries of notes without giving any of them a conventional tone, while Radding scraped his bow against the face of his instrument before the resolution of a low, bowed note that sounded like a distant foghorn.

{read the entire review}