Seattle Jazz Scene: Live Jazz Previews for Seattle

March 19, 2024 / / No Comments

THE HEADHUNTERS
50th Anniversary and Album Release Celebration
Live from Brooklyn Bowl

Tue & Wed Sept 17-18, 7:30 PM / Jazz Alley

This Headhunters reunion does not include the band’s founder and guiding force, Herbie Hancock– let’s get that out right away. The music however, remains the same as when this band was founded in 1973 by Hancock riding the crest of the fusion wave of the early seventies. Hancock was experimenting with synthesizers and electric keyboards for this groove show, this time around with keyboardist Kyle Roussel surrounded by percussionist Bill Summers and drum kit ace Mike Clark. Bassist Chris Severin and NRA Jazzmaster Donald Harrison on alto saxophone completes the band. 

This is the celebration of a new live album, and more specifically, a celebration of this transformative music launched into orbit by the master Hancock. https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=7572

Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

Cecil Young: The Beer and his Audio Cocktails!- One night, Two Set Limit

with Phil Sparks, Xavier Lecouturier & Ryan Burns

Thu Sept 19, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 109 S. Main St.

Trumpeter / composer Cecil Young returns to Seattle Jazz Fellowship, following up on his 2023 two set performance that rated among the best of the year. The Garfield High School grad and longtime resident of New York City began his musical journey here under the tutelage of Seattle stalwarts Floyd Standifer, Clarence Acox, Hadley Caliman, Phil Sparks and the late great drummer, Larry Jones. Prompted by studies at The New School, Young eventually moved to New York. Browsing through wanted ads looking for employment, he answered a query that has led to his long-term association with the multimedia musical phenomena that is M’lumbo. It is that spread of musical landscape that Young has occupied since.

Interestingly, his history led to broad speculation as to what to expect from Young during his fall of 2023 SJF debut. It was jazz music that had a deep connection to soul, activism, humanity and unity. It also had a deep, intrinsic connection with Seattle culture that has been a part of his family’s story here. His performance reminded us of what a special place we inhabit, and how we take that spirit into the rest of the world. I’ve done my best here to describe the vibe, but in the end it is up to you to attend and decide for yourselves! Young described it as, “Experience the Joker’s Wild.” Updated title and personnel above. Cecil is “The Beer.” Have no fear, I’m your beer. Toast and cheer, I’m a beer- Yes I’m here!

https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn

Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio

Thu Sept 19 – Sun Sept 22, 7:30 & 9:30 PM / Jazz Alley

Seattle’s own Delvon Lamarr has found success in recent years with his soul jazz / funk Hammond B-3 organ trio, taking life one day at a time on the road for a large portion of the year. His travels are on a constant international scale, buoyed by the ace management of his wife Amy Novo. While Lamarr’s jazz skills are capable of so much more in terms of project pursuance, the trio occupies his time to the extent that his brilliance as a keyboardist, as a musical mind, has become interwoven into his current joyful, danceable approach with the groove based trio. 

The organist was a Seattle kid who literally could play whatever he layed his hands on and eventually settled on trumpet. Soon he added drums to his skill set, and while playing with B-3 stalwart Joe Doria, picked up the organ simply by witnessing and listening to Doria play. His dedication to the B-3 has been ever present, ever since. 

Lamarr is joined by guitarist Josh Perdue and Seattle based drummer Ehssan Karimi. https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=7571

Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

Tim Kennedy Trio / Quintet

Fri & Sat Sept 20-21, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 109 S. Main St.

Pianist Tim Kennedy is next up for a two night residency at 109 S. Main. Kennedy has always been one of the most versatile keyboardists in Seattle, but his persona as a jazz pianist is the core of his talents. The Friday night half of this weekend tilt will feature the pianist in a trio setting with bassist Geoff Harper and drummer Brad Gibson. On Saturday, the trio is the rhythm section of a quintet featuring multi-reedist Hans Teuber and trumpeter Thomas Marriott. 

The two night stand concept curated by SJF has brought out the best in its residents, a huge plus for Seattle jazz fans. The trio sets on Friday here, sets up the weekender Saturday with the classic quintet format. One nighters do not facilitate that kind of a glimpse into the soul of the artist. With the major economic barriers removed at the Fellowship, attending both very different nights is a real option. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

109 S. Main St. / Mondays at 7:30 PM FREE

It’s good news to hear that the Seattle Jazz Fellowship will host a jazz jam session on Monday nights. The all ages weekly session will provide that vital opportunity for mentorship between generations of players, and just as importantly, a chance for the Seattle jazz community to gather and just hang out. The weekly tilt is needed to continue the tradition of jazz jam sessions in the city. Not only are Mondays the least active evening for musicians playing gigs, the 7:30 start time should bring in a wider swath of the scene. The all ages component helps as well. If Thomas Marriott’s curation of sessions in the past is any indicator, the session will start with a house band playing a few tunes, and then the session begins. The cherry on top for the new session is that a good piano is employed. Most importantly, it will be FUN!https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

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

Tuesdays 8 PM / Underbelly

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.

The current iteration includes trumpeter Marriott. The author of fourteen albums as a leader adds a different sonic presence to the band. Johnson and Bishop have since been the groundbreaking presence in Galper’s rubato revolution, and are the tidal force that allows both Mandyck and Marriott to blast off. Unencumbered by chordal harmony, all four players are equal participants in terms of soloing. The format does put great dependence on the abilities of the bassist and drummer, again stating the importance of the foundational presence of original members Johnson and Bishop. The quartet plays originals from Johnson and Mandyck that are open conduits to exploration. Toss in Marriott’s formidable tunes, and adventurous interpretations of standards and you have Free Fall. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Ray Larsen Quintet

Thu Sept 26, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 109 S. Main St.

I have had difficulty getting to know trumpeter Ray Larsen as a musician in a complete sense. I know certain things such as his trumpet sound that is very original (how cliche). I once raced down a block because I heard a single trumpet floating through the air in Pioneer Square, KNOWING it was Ray Larsen. Sure enough, he was just outside of his next gig on art walk night, “clearing his throat” as they say, before hitting. So, not cliche at all.

I dare say that Larsen has assembled the perfect cast to present his original tunes and those of Lennie Tristano, Lee Konitz and Ornette Coleman for this date at 109 S. Main. Larsen’s music resides in a territory neighbored by jazz, classical and folk forms–I’m sure one could add to this list extensively. Leave it to be said, he is a melody based improviser with a wonderful imagination and elegant tonality. In bringing in iconoclastic saxophonist Neil Welch to the front line, Larsen gives a nudge to his more experimental side. Pianist Matt Williams has been fully exposed post-pandemic, emerging as a major contributor to the Seattle scene, both as a pianist and vibraphonist. What he has in common with veteran bassist Geoff Harper and drummer Evan Woodle is the ability to play on the periphery steeped in a clear understanding of the territory within that periphery. Simply put, they can swing in any fashion or variation you throw at them. That may be the best way to describe Larsen’s playing as well. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

Ben Wolfe Trio

Fri & Sat Sept 27-28, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 109 S. Main St.

Master bassist Ben Wolfe has Northwest roots and New York digs at the Juilliard School. He makes his second appearance at SJF, the first being at the non-profit’s original site at Vermillion. Wolfe brings in the great pianist George Colligan for this one, another major artist with Portland ties. Drummer Aaron Kimmel rounds out this trio of excellence, brought together to perform new music from Wolfe’s new CD, The Understated. Wolfe’s compositional chops are as sharp as his musicianship, both with the strong potential of swinging with intent. 

While SJF primarily presents Seattle artists, it does on occasion bring in artists of international renown. As well, it has developed strong ties with the scene in Portland, something that works both ways. This trio checks both boxes. To see artists of this quality in the intimate confines at 109 S. Main is a rare bird, and one not to be missed. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Photo Credit: Jimmy Katz

Tarbaby

featuring Orrin Evans, Eric Revis & Nasheet Waits

Tue Oct 1, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship

The term “power trio” conjures images of electric guitar infused, blues based rock between three essential elements of the form. In the case of Tarbaby, you could easily apply the term, though the application is attached to a jazz piano trio. Certainly the term would have to be presented in a collective sense, as all three participants revolving around a common post-bop center, exploring the piano trio with a complete and open approach that faces the tradition from all sides, both emotionally and intellectually. The trio’s fearless deep dive into the collective spirit can take the members from bright, humorous environes to darkly introspective melodies and guided only by fearless spontaneity. 

The band has often performed and recorded with added personnel to the core threesome, making this date on their tour a unique and special occasion performing strictly as a trio. While the trio is making the rounds of festivals and clubs around the country, their stop at Seattle Jazz Festival finds them in a room that holds seventy patrons at most–an intimate space housing the most intimate of forms in the jazz tradition. 

Pianist Orrin Evans is one of the most important, trailblazing artists in the music today, and a friend of Seattle and the Fellowship. Bassist Eric Revis is known widely for his work with the Branford Marsalis Quartet, but on his own, the Los Angeles based artist is a fearless composer and notable bandleader. Drummer Nasheet Waits has been around the music his entire life, being the son of esteemed drummer Freddie Waits. His recording and touring resume is extensive, including turns with Jason Moran, Christian McBride’s New Jawn, The Fred Hersch Trio and most recently with Dave Holland’s New Quartet. This is to mention but a few.

The three musicians have a history that predates the trio, and share common core values concerning the music. Those who have become acquainted with Evans’ playing during his many stops in Seattle as a bandleader, as a member of Bad Plus and with trumpeter Thomas Marriott, have surely noticed that the music is a sacred thing to him personally. There are certain truths about the music that need to be expressed no matter what path is traveled within the tradition. Tarbaby is a medium that invites telling the story from beginning to end, reading and reacting to all that comes to be during the journey getting there. I highly recommend researching the three musicians and listening to their music pre-gig. I could make that assertion for every date listed here, but this evening is truly special and deserves your full attention. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Double Bill: Frank Kohl Quartet

featuring Bill Anschell, Jeff Johnson & Matt Jorgensen

Chris Patin’s Acompanist’z AllgoRhythm

Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn

Veteran guitarist Frank Kohl has lived life on the road–both as a musician and driving an eighteen -wheeler. The native New Yorker has settled into a nice groove here in Seattle, performing both solo and in combos. His style is in the Jim Hall vein to give you an idea of his playing, but his extensive harmonic knowledge can lead him elsewhere. His style circumnavigates the jazz tradition from coast to coast.

Veterans tend to know how to put a band together for a given date, and Kohl has supported that notion by choosing drummer Matt Jorgensen, bassist Jeff Johnson and pianist Bill Anschell as bandmates, Seattle legends all. He will be challenged to engage in the give and take that group improvisation brings with this configuration. The performance is the front end of this two set, two band evening at SJF.

Explosive drummer Chris Patin is a product of the Seattle jazz scene in a pure sense. He was born and raised here, and has had his ear close to the vibe of the city music scene over the course of his life. Those sounds, that energy he possesses comes from the heart of life in Seattle. His sound is also the result of being the ultimate sideperson on a variety of gigs around town. This time around, he finds himself the leader of the band, named appropriately and creatively, Acompanist’z AllgoRhythm.

For this evening, Patin gathers a collection of notable Seattle musicians who themselves have been known as bandleaders, for a performance titled The Accompanist’z Allgorhythm. Keyboardist Jake Sele, bassist Marina Christopher and alto saxophonist Medearis Dixon have appeared frequently with area artists in the fields of jazz and rhythm and blues, though mostly as leaders of their own bands. This gig flips the script. How Patin as a bandleader leads this gathering in collective sound will be fascinating. There is a lot of musical intelligence in the band that has covered a broad stroke of the BAM tradition. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Nancy Erickson Lamont

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

Seattle vocalist Nancy Erickson Lamont hits the Fellowship in Pioneer Square to perform original tunes from her new album, Through the Passages. Lamont will be supported by pianist Shawn Schlogel, bassist Chris Symer and drummer Eric Eagle. Lamont makes her Fellowship debut, bringing the unique and intriguing aspect of performing originals with modern lyrical value. She spent many years as a music educator and has become a fixture on the scene over the past few years, with four album releases. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Alex Guilbert Quartet featuring Jeff Johnson, Hans Teuber & Andy Roth

Sat Oct 5, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 109 S. Main St.

Pianist Alex Guilbert is a man of many styles within the modern jazz world. One may find him on a trad jazz gig one night, and a delve into modern, free music the next. His musical imagination is wide ranging and open, employing marvelous chops. For this date at the Fellowship, he is joined by a formidable band featuring trailblazing bassist Jeff Johnson and multi-reedist Hans Teuber. Versatile drummer Andy Roth completes the quartet. 

Guilbert will perform originals and innovative covers of tunes from Keith Jarrett and others. Both Johnson and Teuber are Seattle jazz icons, and like Roth, great listeners and read and react players. The results should be exciting. Guilbert seems to fly under the radar when discussing Seattle’s considerable piano talent pool, making this a great opportunity to see him perform his original music with a superior cast in support. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Photo Credit: Detroit Jazz Festival

Keyon Harrold presenting Foreverland

Tue & Wed Oct 8-9, 7:30 PM / Jazz Alley

Detroit born trumpeter Keyon Harrold has a warm and bold trumpet sound, and a high end jazz pedigree in whatever form the music takes on a given project. His virtuosity is augmented by a keen sense of social awareness and an openness to change. His modern music blends a combination of  jazz, Afrobeat, soul, spoken word, hip-hop, blues and rock into an amalgam of twenty first century sounds. He can return to a more post-bop resonance within a given performance as well. Whatever form he decides to settle on, he is worth the effort to see live simply to witness one of the most prominent trumpet voices on the scene today. Harrold unfairly gets a bad rap for his participation in the unfortunate release of Don Cheadle’s Miles Ahead, or from traditional jazz fans who fear he has wandered off the rightgeous path. Yet every once in a while it is good to shake up your musical world and include the vibrancy of excellence in a differernt light. This may be one of those times.

Harrold hits JA with a quintet featuring Chad Selph on keyboards, guitarist Matt Sewell, bassist Dan Winshall and drummer Clean Edwards. https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=7588

Photo credit: Marta Sanchez. Bogus Madrid. Fuente: https://www.martasanchezmusic.com

Marta Sanchez Trio

Thu Oct 10, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship

SJF welcomes pianist Marta Sanchez and her trio to Seattle, for a one night hit at 109 S. Main. Sanchez is a noted composer whose melodic compositions reflect her style as an improviser as well. The trio will perform music from her latest release, Perpetual Void. 

Sanchez was born and raised around the music of her hometown of Madrid, Spain. She is currently a force on the scene in New York City. Sanchez will be joined by NYC drummer Eliza Dalem and in-demand bassist Tyrone Allen. After a long period of performing in a quintet format, the pianist has reverted to the trio in search of space and the possibilities it presents. Sanchez is very melodic in her spontaneous composing as an improviser, an orchestral approach that speaks to the melodic ease of her written pieces. Allen is a known quantity in Seattle from his appearances with Immanuel Wilkins and Micah Thomas, as well as the bassist in Portland born tenor sensation, Nicole Glover’s trio. 

The art of the jazz piano trio has been extensively examined at the Seattle Jazz Fellowship. It is an environment that encourages full immersion from the audience, and full expression from the musicians. Sanchez has a way of creating melodies that welcome you in as a listener, before applying a full embrace emotionally. Even the most complex of her melodies lead to a simpler light for her bandmates to interpret freely in the moment. This is one of those rare opportunities to see a notable artist whose performances in the PNW are few and far between. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

Dawn Clement

Fri & Sat Oct 11-12, 7:30 PM

Pianist / Vocalist Dawn Clement returns to Seattle to perform at SJF. The long tenured Seattle musician / educator moved to Denver a few years back, but still has a major presence in the Emerald City, including as a board member of SJF. She recently took over the directorship of Jazz Port Townsend, furthering her commitment to jazz in the PNW. Clement is not only a major force as a pianist and composer–her time as an educator in Seattle had a huge impact on many young musicians passing through her time at Cornish. Her soaring vocal style is accentuated perfectly by her original compositions, creating an orchestral perfornance style within one musician. This is a weekend not to be missed–and that’s before the band and program have been announced. More to come…….https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Photo Credit: Lisa hagen Glynn

Jeremy Pelt Quintet

Tue & Wed Oct 22-23, 7:30 PM / Jazz Alley

Trumpeter Jeremy Pelt returns to Jazz Alley with a quintet configuration he has employed for the past year. Fleet vibraphonist Jalen Baker and guitarist Misha Mendelenko are front and center in the rhythm section and the front line, with bassist Leighton Mckinley-Harrell and drummer Jared Spears holding down the fort. For his part, Pelt is not only a trumpeter with superior chops and a large sound, he is a band leader and advocate for the music whose work has great integrity. His respect for the history of the music, and realization of new musical roads to travel and carry it forward is adorned with great pride and humility. He allows his band to play and have a prominent voice in where the music goes on a given night, something one might say with a wink when the bandleader is a trumpeter in need of a blow now and again. The truth is, Pelt envisions his original tunes within the context of collective interaction onstage. He is seemingly always on point, and always delivers a satisfying set of music. You can cash this one in. https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=7589

Thu Oct 24, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 109 S. Main St.

Always nice to extend a hand across the border and bring our friend Cory Weeds into town to perform. The Vancouver based saxophonist arrives with a two tenor front line featuring NYC tenorist Jerry Weldon. Weeds’ BC mate, the marvelous pianist Miles Black heads up the rhythm section that includes Seattle stalwarts in bassist Michael Glynn and drummer Matt Jorgensen. 

Weeds’ bands are always swingin’, and steeped in the modern post-bop tradition. He has a long term relationship with this superb rhythm section, a history that dates back to dates at the now demolished Tula’s Jazz Club in Seattle, and Weeds’ current digs at Frankie’s in Vancouver. Having Weldon in town from Gotham is the cherry on top of the sundae. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn

Caleb Wheeler Curtis Trio

Fri & Sat Oct 25-26, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 109 S. Main St.

Caleb Wheeler Curtis was raised around the strong jazz scene in and around Detroit in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and is currently based in New York City. One of the premier saxophonists in jazz today, Curtis has an extensive recording and performance resume. He is an Imani Records recording artist, and a fixture on the scenes in New York and Philadelphia. He has appeared previously at the Fellowship with the Ember trio, and in Seattle with Orrin Evans’ Captain Black Big Band. His 2022 Imani release, Heatmap received critical acclaim, as did his duo release with pianist Laurent Nicoud titled Substrate. 

For this performance, Curtis forms a trio with bassist Colson Jiminez and drummer Michael Sarin. Sarin is New York based, but has Seattle roots. Curtis thrives in a chordless environment such as this, something Fellowship members bore witness to with his appearance at Vernmillion with Ember. He performs on the straight alto saxophone, also known as the stritch, and doubles on trumpet on occasion. His playing is adventurous, hence the preference for the melodic freedom gained in a piano-less environment. He is technically brilliant, but not constrained by those abilities. The approach he employs is very much melody based, ascendent and probing for beauty. An absolute can’t miss opportunity for Seattle jazz fans. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

Photo Credit: Boston Globe

Legacy of Wayne Shorter: Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, Brian Blade with Mark Turner

Sat Oct 26, 8 PM / Town Hall

The Earshot Jazz Festival hits its absolute peak with this evening of music from four masters of the form. Individually, pianist Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade have created extensive legacies as solo artists, and on a variety of collective projects. But together, they are the children of the great Wayne Shorter, three fourths of his historic and trailblazing quartet of the twenty first century. In what may have been the most groundbreaking period of his storied career, Shorter employed the trio to actually build compositions piece by piece through group improvisation. This trio not only brings Shorter’s music with them, but that group mind that the master so brilliantly curated.

For this date, they bring in saxophonist Mark Turner, an adventurer in his own light, and a generational presence on tenor saxophone. This show should prove to be one of the true highlights of the year in Seattle jazz. https://earshotjazz.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/#/instances/a0FUJ00000BzSsH2AV

Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

Skerik Quartet featuring Johnaye Kendrick

Sun Oct 27, 8PM / Royal Room

2024 Earshot Jazz Festival artist-in-residence Skerik is perhaps the perfect musician to hold that distinction. A versatile, shape shifting saxophonist, he can morph into different forms without jettisoning his musical identity. Vocal artist Johnaye Kendrick can be described along those terms as well, making this a spellbinding union. Kendrick uses her voice as an instrument of perfect pitch, while Skerik can summon emotional response in a variety of ways.

Pianist Tim Kennedy, bassist Geoff Harper and drummer D’Vonne Lewis are familiar partners for both artists, making this unique union one with foundational presence. I’m mildly surprised that this gig is being staged at the Royal Room–one would think it would sell out fast there. Be sure to make a dinner reservation if you want to be seated in a good location. It’s a separate act at the quirky Columbia City venue. https://earshotjazz.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/#/instances/a0FUJ00000BzqL72AJ

Photo Credit: BBC

Kenny Garrett and Sounds From The Ancestors

Tue & Wed Oct 29-30, 7:30 PM / Jazz Alley

Saxophonist Kenny Garrett was raised in the music under the tutelage of Detroit legend Marcus Belgrave, and went on to develop his craft while performing with some of the music historic greats- Duke Ellington, Art Blakey and Miles Davis. He has gone on to become one of the most prominent jazz artists of the new century, creating a style that includes elements of the entirety of the jazz tradition. While the altoist’s performances are clear testaments to his virtuosity and creative individuality, his direct connection with his audience is something special to experience. Yes, there are the Grammys and the obvious influences that many will point out. But nobody has embodied the spirit of his age in music quite like Garrett. There is a lot of his hometown of Detroit in his sound, with images of Aretha Franklin and Gaye merging with those of John Coltrane and Joe Henderson in his music. It is the collective experience of life growing up in one of the world’s great music cities. Like his mentor Belgrave, he is a jazz wanderer, a gatherer of sound that has created a unique and vibrant musical identity that is steeped in jazz tradition and open to the journey ahead. This is one not to miss. Band TBA https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=7518

Bill Anschell Standards Trio

Wed Oct 30, 8 PM / The Alhadeff Studio Theater at Seattle Center

The tradition of the jazz piano trio is well exemplified by this trio that works as an equal partnership between three very unique individual musicians. Those three individuals are all in on the “we” narrative of the tradition that evolved into a genuine sub-genre in jazz under the auspices of the trios of Bud Powell, Ahmad Jamal and Bill Evans.

The trio’s group mind is perfectly presented on their 2018 Origin Records release, Shifting Standards, skillfully recorded live in studio without isolation by ace engineer, Reed Ruddy. Pisnist Bill Anschell‘s fertile imagination as a composer translates perfectly to his approach as an interpreter of song, and his ability to improvise within the framework of a tune. In choosing bassist Jeff Johnson as a partner on this journey, he chooses a major component of the trios of iconic pianists Jessica Williams, Chano Dominguez, and most importantly, the groundbreaking rubato trio of Hal Galper. Johnson’s ability to utilize melodic solo passages, earth shattering chordal swipes and an elegant vibrato enables him to get inside Anschell’s playing and add broad strokes of musical intelligence. Drummer D’Vonne Lewis has a wide ranging, athletic skill set, tempered by the fact that he is one of the great listeners on the Seattle scene. He has a wonderful sense of when to add explosive color and when to lay back and provide nuance.

The trio has a rare connectivity, a trait found in all of the great piano trios in jazz history. This perfornance as part of the 2024 Earshot Jazz Festival allows Seattle jazz fans t know we have a sizable chunk of that great tradition right here in our city.

Joshua Redman Group featuring Gabrielle Cavassa

Thu Oct 31 – Sun Nov 3, 7:30 & 9:30 PM / Jazz Alley

Veteran saxophonist Joshua Redman has appeared on the venerable stage at Jazz Alley on many occasions in many configurations. In this iteration, he fronts the band with laid back vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa. Having just seen this quintet perfrom at the 45th annual Detroit Jazz Festival, I can honestly say I was more than surprised how much I enjoyed their set. Why surprised you say? Because despite the fact that I have seen Redman perform admirably many, many times, the presence of the almost non-chalant style of Cavassa worried me. It’s true, I am naturally suspicious of vocal intrusion into what I see as an instrumental artist’s musical landscape. Well folks, I was way off on this one. The band turned in a performace that built up a presence and intensity in the making, with all band members turning in splendid performances. Cavassa’s style with Redman’s bold passages and melodic figures alongside made for a beautiful union of sound.

The collective resonance of the band was lit by the fire of pianist Paul Cornish, bassist Philip Norris and drummer Nazir Ebo, the same virtuosic rhythm section on this date. This is very straight ahead fare, not for the near jazz crowd. It lives on melody, harmony and killin’ chops. If that’s your thing, this is one to hit. https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=7590

Opinion/Editorial: The Time to Act is Now to Support Local Seattle Jazz

November 24, 2023 / / No Comments

“Our mission is to build community, provide access to the mentorship cycle, incentivize excellence and to lower the barriers to access jazz for both performers and listeners.”

This quote from the original mission statement of the Seattle Jazz Fellowship states in no uncertain terms, the focus of the Seattle 401(c) 3 non-profit that has guided its journey from its point of inception in October 2021. This was when the fellowship initiated its “Fellowship Wednesdays” weekly affair at Vermillion Art Bar on Capitol Hill. While the non-profit has engaged in a variety of special events, the Wednesday series has presented live jazz featuring Seattle resident musicians with occasional out of town guests now for more than two years. It has provided a stage for Seattle jazz musicians to perform original music for an appreciative listening audience and be paid respectfully. While only one night a week, it has been a beacon of hope for the Seattle jazz scene that has lost its collective mainstages largely due to gentrification. The business model that guided jazz dinner clubs like the New Orleans Creole Restaurant in Pioneer Square and the iconic Tula’s Jazz Club in Belltown became obsolete. The price tag for the consumer became sky high, while the numbers needed to manage a successful business became impossible. An alternative was needed if the resident jazz scene in Seattle was to survive.

On Tuesday November 21, SJF founder Thomas Marriott announced that the December 6 edition of Fellowship Wednesdays would be the last staged at Vermillion, as the fellowship would be moving into its own space in Pioneer Square beginning in late January of 2024. The venue will be a pop-up affair in the historic Globe building near the intersection of First Avenue and Main St., smack dab in the middle of the neighborhood that not long ago was the heartbeat of Seattle nightlife. Programming will increase to “several” nights a week according to Marriott, increasing employment opportunities for musicians, and live jazz access for listeners. The non-profit’s logical next step is a large one, and will require a significant increase in support from the Seattle music community at large. Most importantly, it will require an “all in” support network from Seattle jazz musicians themselves. In an interview I conducted with Marriott that culminated in an All About Jazz article in February 2022, he stated, “It takes everybody showing up. It takes people getting off the bench and off the sidelines and saying,’I’m going to show up to this person’s gig because it’s good for all of us.’” 

Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

In essence, this is a calling to step up to the plate and hit it out of the park. The time is NOW. What is required is not a burden, but an act of love and respect for jazz music in Seattle, and the artists that provide the sounds. It is a call to the jazz audience to not only support the music with your dollars, but to show up and join in the fellowship and broad sense of community this music provides. 

Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn

You can purchase a membership using the link below. If your personal income allows you to make a donation beyond standard membership, now is the time to do so. If your working life puts you in contact with personal and/or corporate entities that are possibly willing to support this venture, now is the time to begin that conversation. We can create something beautiful and long-lasting if we so wish–it’s up to us as a community. Do we want local, fair paying gigs in an inclusive environment that welcomes the public without typical financial barriers to access? The answer is definitely yes. It is now officially in our hands.

Buy a membership, volunteer your time, make a donation, show up–this is what is required of you. The exploding moment we have all been waiting for is here. Nobody is going to show up and be the savior of the local Seattle jazz scene–we are collectively just that. Marriott has set the foundation. It’s “go time” to take it from there and build our community. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/membership

Photo Credit: Jim Levitt
Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn
Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

Album Review: Ray Vega & Thomas Marriott/ East West Trumpet Summit- “Coast to Coast”

June 29, 2023 / / No Comments

For some people, the whole notion of an east-west summit of anything in jazz brings up the perceived differences over time between American west coast jazz and its east coast counterpart. The basic premise is that jazz on the American west coast is a cousin to the cool jazz movement, a calmer, less soulful part of the tradition that relies more on composition and arrangement than the playing of individual improvisers. East coast jazz is seen more as hard driving, soulful and rooted deeply in the blues. All of these perceptions have been eclipsed in great part by among other aspects of modern living, the internet and efficient commercial air travel. Follow link to All About Jazz to continue https://www.allaboutjazz.com/coast-to-coast-ray-vega-and-thomas-marriott-east-west-trumpet-summit-origin-records

Album Review: Jeff Johnson- “My Heart”

What could possibly be so interesting about a thirty-two-year old session of first takes, recorded live to 2-track DAT by a quartet led by a Seattle- based bassist who is not exactly a household name? A quick answer would include superlatives such as “masterful,” or “historic.” A brief history of bassist and composer Jeff Johnson creates a better sense of understanding. Johnson is perhaps best known as a pioneering member of pianist Hal Galper’s revolutionary rubato trio of the ’90’s, and ’00’s. His education in music was not from an institution of higher education, but from the fertile jazz scene of the early ’70’s in his native Minneapolis. His original sound would later be nuanced by time spent in Texas and Oklahoma, and by time spent alongside masters, including such greats as Philly Joe Jones, during a brief tenure in New York. Follow link to All About Jazz to continue https://www.allaboutjazz.com/my-heart-jeff-johnson-origin-records

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

June 30, 2022 / / No Comments

“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

Seattle Jazz Fellowship’s Saturday Jazz Matinee

April 4, 2022 / / No Comments

The jazz non-profit hits it out of the park presenting piano great George Cables and his trio, with the Fellowship ‘Ceptet

Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn



Trumpeter and Seattle Jazz Fellowship founder Thomas Marriott is always on the lookout to bring to life ideas that further the goals of the Fellowship. The principle of lowering barriers to access was practiced in booking The George Cables Trio alongside the non-profit’s Fellowship ‘Ceptet for a 1 PM jazz matinee, a promotional risk of sorts. The Saturday tilt would allow more students to attend, as well as families. Then there are those that are reticent about venturing out at night, when most of the music takes place on the Seattle jazz scene, or for that matter, any local jazz scene. 

The show was made possible by a generous donation from Bob and Sue Frause, friends of Marriott’s late parents David and Helen Marriott. The Marriotts were hugely influential in their support for jazz in Seattle, and the Frause family wanted to both support the Fellowship and memorialize David and Helen in some way. Cables was a favorite of theirs, and a dear friend. There was never any doubt as to who their son wanted to bring in to perform. Cables would add drummer Jerome Jennings from New York, and Seattle jazz legend Chuck Deardorf on bass, a long-time friend. Marriott decided to include a key mentorship project of the Seattle Jazz Fellowship in the billing–the Marriott led Fellowship ‘Ceptet.

Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

“We decided to include the ‘Ceptet in the event and to keep the price of the ticket down (and make it early) so we could use the event to further our goals of building community, increasing mentorship, incentivizing excellence and lowering barriers to access,” says Marriott.

The 1 PM start turned out to be agreeable to the Seattle jazz public, as the room filled to capacity in anticipation of two superb sets. The sun washed through the club’s windows looking out onto Rainier Ave, shadows cast across the room seldom seen before by patrons more accustomed to the club’s typical late night persona. The crowd was decidedly cross-generational, with families and students not normally associated with evening sessions at the club in attendance. They came for the music, as the Royal Room itself was not quite accustomed to an afternoon happening. The kitchen was closed, and one bartender was left to attend to the needs of a full house.

Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

The Fellowship “Ceptet opened, featuring a line-up that spoke well to the non-profit’s premise. Marriott, along with drummer John Bishop, pianist Marc Seales and alto saxophonist Mark Taylor are four of the finest jazz musicians to emerge from the Seattle scene historically. Tenor saxophonist Jackson Cotugno, trombonist Beserat Tafesse and bassist Grace Kaste represented the new wave of jazz artistry in the city, with Kaste still a senior at Roosevelt HIgh School. All three would demonstrate to the audience that their inclusion was merited in terms of artistic facility. 

The band played a selection of Marriott originals, and a cover of Thelonious Monk’s “Ask Me Now.” Throughout the seven tunes selected, the band offered crisp arrangements and imaginative soloing. Immediately noticeable was the rhythm section, with Seattle stalwarts Bishop and Seales working seamlessly with Kaste. Kaste performed with the refinement and elegance of a veteran, much to the delight of Deardorf, her mentor since the age of thirteen in attendance. The front line responded to the strong vibe in the room with fire, queued by Marriott’s leadership, and most importantly his brilliant solo work. Taylor, who has been somewhat invisible the past few years from live performance in Seattle, played beautifully, with his trademark, original style on alto. Cotugno continued a somewhat meteoric visibility on the Seattle scene offering a modern approach, with a pre-bop sound that speaks to Ben Webster. Tafesse, who has been ever-present post-pandemic at area jam sessions, was in a way introduced to the jazz public at large, providing harmonic depth and spirited soloing. 

Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

The set had a dynamic arc from start to finish. opening with “Fellowship Blues,” and delving into Marriott’s “Human Spirit,” and O.D.A.A.T (One Day at a Time). The Monk interlude was lush and spacious. It stood out in terms of arrangement, featuring a commonality between Marriott and his saxophone counterparts in Taylor and Cotugno–all three produce a rich tonality that fares well in moments of intensity, or those of melancholy. By the time the band arrived at Marriott’s “Stupor in D,” and “The Tale of Debauchery,” they had found a connective spirit that resonated well with an audience that was pleasingly dialed in. 

Pianist Cables at 78 years of age, still not only performs at a high and inspired level, but maintains the prowess he has demonstrated throughout his career without any signs of slowing down. His playing is crisp, brilliantly articulated and radiating with the joy that is an integral part of his personality both on and off the bandstand. 

The trio offered in depth interpretations of Wayne Shorter’s “Speak No Evil,” and Bill Strayhorn’s gorgeous “Lotus Flower,” with Cable’s playing accented perfectly by Deardorf’s seemingly effortless style. Jennings played as though delighted to be in the presence of the two jazz elders he would converse with over the ninety minute set. 

Photo Credit: Jim Levitt
Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

The standards “Too Close For Comfort,” and “Who Can I Turn Too” brought the audience to Cables’ romantic side, perhaps prepping them emotionally for his two originals he silently dedicated to his late wife. “Song For Helen,” and “My Muse” brought more than melancholy to the audience. Cables’ lush harmonies and sweeping, melodic runs spoke to fond remembrance, joy and gratitude. It reminded the attentive audience that they were in the company of one of the true giants of jazz music. The elders in the audience could think back to seeing the master as a sideman with the likes of Dexter Gordon and Art Pepper. With that, came the realization that Cables had joined the two saxophone icons as a true master of the form. His graciousness and humility was a true gift to the younger members of the audience, many of them musicians themselves. As young bassist Kaste learned on the bandstand, and many of her contemporaries witnessed in the audience, true mentorship and the process of paying dues in this music is done in the presence of the masters of the form. For this one afternoon, those lessons were communicated with unusual clarity. 

Photo Credit: Jim Levitt

The matinee portends good things for SJF, for what is to come down the road. With their weekly “Fellowship Wednesdays” commencing on April 20, the non-profit moves front and center in support of the resident jazz scene in Seattle. 


Seattle Jazz Fellowship Photo Gallery: Alex Claffy Quintet and The Fellowship ‘Ceptet at the Royal Room

February 9, 2022 / / No Comments

The Seattle Jazz Fellowship, the city’s 501 (c) (3) jazz non-profit, has taken a hiatus from their weekly dates at Vermillion until April 20, when the Wednesday night program will re-ignite for another six week run. In the meantime, the organization founded by Thomas Marriott has turned its focus to presenting performances featuring the Fellowship ‘Ceptet, a rotating gathering of the best of the Seattle jazz scene. The seven piece ensemble opened for New York based bassist Alex Claffy and his quintet on Tuesday, February 8 at the Royal Room in Columbia City. 

The ‘Ceptet performed compositions by trumpeter Marriott, along with a Thelonious Monk classic. Marriott was joined by a front line of altoist Alex Dugdale, tenorist Jackson Cotugno and trombonist David Marriott, Jr.. Pianist Marina Albero, bassist Trevor Ford and drummer D’Vonne Lewis held down the rhythm section.

Claffy’s quintet featured Portland born and raised tenorist Nicole Glover, and trumpeter Benny Benack III. The New York based band was all in on the hang in Seattle as well, attending both the Monday night jam at the Royal Room, and the Tuesday night jam at the Owl ‘n Thistle. 

Photographers Jim Levitt and Lisa Hagen Glynn were there to document the event with their stellar photographic skill sets. Enjoy the results! To further explore the goings on with the Seattle Jazz Fellowship, visit their website at https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/

Photo Credit:
Lisa Hagen Glynn
Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn
Saxophonist Jackson Cotugno
Photo Credit:
Lisa Hagen Glynn
l to r: Alex Dugdale, Thomas Marriott, Jackson Cotugno, David Marriott
Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn
l to r: Nicole Glover, Alex Claffy
Photo Credit:
Lisa Hagen Glynn
Bassist Alex Claffy
Photo Credit:
Lisa Hagen Glynn
pianist Marina Albero
Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn
Trunmpeter Benny Benack III
Photo Credit:
Lisa Hagen Glynn
Photo Credit:
Lisa Hagen Glynn
Guest drummer Ted Poor
Photo Credit:
Jim Levitt
Drummer D’Vonne Lewis
Photo Credit: Jim Levitt
Pianist Marina Albero
Photo Credit:
Jim Levitt
Trumpeter and SJF founder Thomas Marriott

Seattle Jazz Fellowship: Why in one evening,”Fellowship Wednesdays” became the most important jazz hang in Seattle

December 2, 2021 / / No Comments
Pianist Dylan Hayes leads a tribute to Jim Knapp, for Seattle Jazz Fellowship. Dylan Hayes, piano; Jay Thomas, trumpet and sax; Michael Glynn, bass; Xavier Lecouturier, drums;

It was 5 PM on a crisp Wednesday afternoon on December 1, and thirty people sat casually in the brick lined digs of Vermillion Art Gallery and Bar on Capitol Hill, intently listening to the soft spoken musings of jazz legend, Julian Priester. The historic trombonist was playing selections from his storied career that continually over the course of seven decades has stood at the progressive forefront of the music. This afternoon it was his work with Dave Holland and Herbie Hancock that was featured. His historical and cultural anecdotes were thrilling to hear, providing weekly attendees a unique perspective on the music that they had become passionate about.  

There are a variety of ways to enjoy jazz music performed at its highest level of artistry in Seattle. Many of those options include a cover and a high end price tag for dinner and drinks. Those venues tend to lack a major component of jazz culture- the hang. It is during that time before, between and after sets that cultivates community and enables fellowship. 

The Seattle Jazz Fellowship weekly offers Priester’s free listening session, and two sets featuring two separate ensembles of the finest resident jazz musicians in Seattle for a reasonable cover. Vermillion serves fine drinks at a very reasonable price. If you need to eat, you can pop over to Mario’s for a slice, or head around the corner to grab a burrito. The music is the focus, and because of the organization’s non-profit status, it can book and curate music that is not ruled by the age old “butts in the seats” mentality, but with the idea of artistry in music first and foremost. At the front door, vaccination status is checked, and a twenty dollar cover charged. Fellowship founder Thomas Marriott remarked at one point, “It’s a twenty dollar cover, if you can swing it.” The important thing to Marriott and the Fellowship, is that you are there in the first place, that the evening is treated as a sacred place of music for the entire community. 

The seventh edition of “Fellowship Wednesdays at Vermillion” featured young pianist/arranger Dylan Hayes performing a set of his quartet arrangements of the music of recently departed composer Jim Knapp, followed by the Nathan Breedlove Quartet. Hayes was joined by Seattle jazz icon and Knapp associate, Jay Thomas, first-call bassist Michael Glynn and drummer Xavier Lecouturier. Thomas, a 55 year veteran of the Seattle scene, played brilliantly, putting a shine on Hayes’ perfect arrangements. The focus and drive of the band revealed what has been a commonality with all fourteen sets presented thus far by the SJF–that the musicians bring their “A” game to the set, that the vibe of the room was one that invites and appreciates artistry. 

l to r: Xavier Lecouturier, Michael Glynn, Dylan Hayes                 Jim Levitt photo
Jay Thomas                                                 Jim Levitt photo
l to r: Xavier Lecouturier, Michael Glynn, Jay Thomas             Jim Levitt photo

Between sets, the hang was thick, with many of the city’s top musicians present, as well as a jazz audience that spanned generations. New players on the scene, now especially unknown due to the pandemic, emerge and become acquainted with their new community. Younger players are mentored by the more experienced players. The audience is able to interact with the musicians in a meaningful way. They are truly a part of the performance, of the evening’s activities. The room itself has a warm glow, an intimate, welcoming vibe. The all ages policy invites younger players and fans, and allows parents to share the music with their children. 

Just before hitting the stage for his set, veteran trumpeter Nathan Breedlove informed us that Delfeayo Marsalis would be dropping by. Indeed he did, playing most of the set with this assemblage of veterans that included pianist Ron Perrillo, bassist Phil Sparks and drummer Brian Kirk. Marsalis and Perrillo played both dynamically and melodically, with the live nature of the room projecting the sound through the narrow gallery to the rear of the club, through the doors, and out into the Capitol Hill night. Marsalis’ presence brought the striking realization that in only seven total nights of operation, the hang at Vermillion was gaining significant notoriety for all the right reasons. 

Delfeayo Marsalis                                              Jim Levitt photo
l to r: Brian KIrk, Phil Sparks, Nathan Breedlove                                    Jim Levitt photo
Brian Kirk                                                 Jim Levitt photo
l to r: Nathan Breedlove, Phil Sparks, Delfeayo Marsalis

With the playing of the last note of the evening, the room was electric, the vibration of the music still stirring in the room and in the souls of all those that attended. Old friends and new acquaintances were united in fellowship, which of course, is the point. SJF wants you to be there, to help create a sacred place for the music. One departs the room with an overwhelming sense of community, a true feeling of belonging to something sacred, historic and sustainable. With current economnic times in direct conflict with the proliferation of art, the model presented by Marriot and the SJF is proving to be one that promotes artistry and accessibility. It is a foundational source of fellowship as its name portends, within the framework of a community that has sustained itself over a century of time. The ambitions of the group to expand to five nights a week in a permanent home is the light that shows the way to the present and future of the Seattle jazz scene. The music, the gathering of friends and the emotional and spiritual high experienced by those fortunate enough to attend speaks loudly and clearly to that. 

Scroll down to On the Scene: Live Jazz Previews for December to see the full schedule of the Seattle Jazz Fellowship. Next week: Iconic jazz vocal artist Greta Matassa, and Latin Jazz piano firebrand Julio Jauregui lead their respective bands to the Vermillion stage. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/

Nathan Breedlove                                        Jim Levitt photo
Phil Sparks (b), Ron Perrillo (p)                               Jim Levitt photo

Live Review: East-West Trumpet Summit at Meydenbauer Center Theatre- Oct 9, 2021

October 18, 2021 / / No Comments

Lisa Hagen Glynn photo

Two trumpet quintets in jazz are rare, historically and presently. The alliances most commonly mentioned are the bop era tandem of Fats Navarro and Howard McGhee and their post-bop descendents, Freddie Hubbard and Woody Shaw. The individual players in both these pairings had similar qualities in terms of style and approach.

Ray Vega                   Lisa Hagen Glynn photo

The pairing of Bronx born trumpeter Ray Vega, and his younger partner, Seattle’s Thomas MarriottT, as well have their musical commonalities. It is where the differences lie between the two that provides the intrigue around their recordings and live performances.The age-old belief that the east coast version of jazz is commonly more intense, and the west coast approach more laid back, has not been completely eradicated by modern travel, and in recent times, social media. Vega’s move from the Bronx and New York City to Burlington, Vermont has certainly redefined the “east” portion of the equation, while Marriott is now suddenly the more urban of the two, residing in the city of Seattle. Musical styles aside, the true story of this historic pairing has much more to do with friendship, with mentorship, and a long time friendship and bond that has seen Vega name his youngest son after Marriott. A little background therefore, is necessary to be able to appreciate the magnitude of this latest meeting in Seattle, performing at the Bellevue Blues and Jazz Festival. To continue reading, click on this link:https://www.allaboutjazz.com/east-west-trumpet-summit-at-meydenbauer-center-theatre-thomas-marriott-and-ray-vega

Thomas Marriott              Lisa Hagen Glynn photo
Roy McCurdy                         Lisa Hagen Glynn photo
Lisa Hagen Glynn photo
L to R- Thomas Marriott, Ray Vega                    Lisa Hagen Glynn photo
L to R- Ray Vega, Orrin Evans, Thomas Marriott
Roy McCurdy, Michael Glynn                        Lisa Hagen Glynn photo
The rhythm section- Orrin Evans, Roy McCurdy, Michael Glynn
L to R- Orrin Evans, Thomas Marriott, Michael Glynn, Ray Vega, Roy McCurdy

A Night On the Town with The Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio

September 9, 2021 / / No Comments
DLO 3 on stage with friends at Jazz Alley. Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn


The stage at the esteemed Seattle jazz club, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, holds special meaning for local musicians who are brought up through the traditions of the city’s historically vibrant jazz scene. The majority of the performers who grace the Belltown nightspot’s hallowed podium are national and international touring artists, who over the years have included Dexter Gordon, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Chick Corea, Branford Marsalis, Betty Carter and Cecile McLorin Salvant to mention but a few. On occasion, the club has set aside nights for its resident jazz elite, including the great Ernestine Anderson.

Delvon Lamarr at Jazz Alley. Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn

Before the worldwide pandemic brought the live performance world to a screeching halt, Jazz Alley began featuring resident artists on Monday nights (the reference to ‘resident’ artists as opposed to ‘local’ was inspired by Seattle jazz great Julian Priester, who explained that the term local could be interpreted as pedestrian). With live music at the club re-igniting in the summer of 2021, the club decided to take a chance on Seattle’s best, booking Thomas Marriott, Greta Matassa, Marc Seales and Ari Joshua with positive results both in terms of performance and attendance. It was quite striking to see a full club in on every note for Seattle veteran pianist Seales for example, with a band that featured Seattleites Marriott and Jeff Johnson. 

The Seattle based Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio took to the Jazz Alley stage to begin a two night, sold out engagement on August 24th, a Tuesday evening with a full house on hand. Many in the audience were about to experience live music for the first time since the pandemic induced shutdown. There was a sense of rejuvenation, of celebration in the room, as Lamarr escorted his mother, brother and sister in law to their table suspended over the stage in the front of the balcony. The soulful R&B and blues guitarist Jimmy James was his usual sharp witted and comical self. “Do you know how to tell if someone is not from Seattle,” he quipped. “When they ask how to get on THE five!” James is all south end Seattle, just as Lamarr’s roots run deep in the Emerald City. New drummer Dan Weiss, who hails from Reno, was getting a full dose of the immensity of the moment, of his Seattle bandmates about to take stage on the city’s most prestigious jazz precipice. The trio had enjoyed a degree of commercial success prior to the shutdown, and had drawn well in their previous visit to the club. 

DLO3 at jazz Alley. Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn

Seattle’s reputation of being a remote and unique cultural outpost is perhaps a bit outdated in its modern incarnation, but nonetheless steeped in historical accuracy. When Jazz Alley opened, it would often feature a national touring artist accompanied by Seattle musicians. In the seventies and eighties, it was common to see such Seattle stalwarts as Chuck Deardorf and Dean Hodges manning the rhythm section for notables like Kenny Burrell or Mose Allison. The resident artists could be found full time at clubs like The New Orleans, or Tula’s beginning in the nineties. But headliners at the old Jazz Alley on University Way, or the current Belltown location, were clearly the exception, not the rule.

Lamarr is what some might refer to as a “natural” musician, one that has an innate understanding of music as a base point for his personal musical progression. In middle school, he came to play in the band by chance, by clearly showing his teacher and mentor Sam Chambliss his ability. 

“One day I saw a horn on the floor, and didn’t even know what it was. I told Mr. Chambliss, ‘I can play that.’ He said, ‘Good, I’ll put you in band.’ It was a baritone horn. I picked it up and played it naturally right away. I couldn’t read music, so I would just copy the person next to me. Whatever they played, I played,” he recalls. 

Lamarr settled on B-3 after playing drums in the band of Seattle B-3 master, Joe Doria. A year of simply observing his bandleader from behind the kit, allowed him to casually sit down and play the complex instrument.

“I had been watching Joe play it for a year, and literally sat down and played it like I had been playing it my whole life,” says Lamarr.

Lamarr was, and is, a jazz first musician no matter what musical tradition he employs. There is an intuitive eclecticism about his art that transcends form. The influences of his first love, R&B and soul, speaks through his music as well. Taking those elements of his musical personality, and creating a concept that not only would be sufficiently expressive for a genius musician like Lamarr, and as well supply ample opportunity to make a living, eventually became the domain of Amy Novo, Lamarr’s wife, life partner and manager. 

“She literally owns DLO3,” exclaimed Lamarr from the Jazz Alley stage that night. “She came up with the idea, and made it happen in every way. I just have to play music.”

Novo worked tirelessly, while her husband created music that would land them with the esteemed Kurland Agency. They found an audience that, like the music, transcended genre. The potent recipe of jazz, rhythm and blues and rock pulled in a sizable crowd that enabled the band to play venues like the Blue Note in New York, worldwide festivals and of course, Seattle’s Jazz Alley. Guitarist James provided the punch that incorporated that which encompasses all of Lamarr’s stylistic indulgences- the blues. The band’s sound has been represented well on the studio albums Close But No Cigar (Colemine, 2018) and I Told You So (Colemine,2021) for Colemine Records, and the live offering Live at KEXP (Colemine, 2018). 

Guitarist Jimmy James and drummer Dan Weiss at Jazz Alley with DLO3. Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn

That “sound” has a historical lineage, perhaps unknown to Lamarr at the beginning stages of the band’s development. In the fifties and sixties, Seattle Hammond B-3 artist Dave Lewis had a multitude of hit records with what was being referred to at the time as the “Seattle Sound.” It was instrumental, organ based music, that had markings of  jazz, rhythm and blues and the hybrid form taking hold of the airwaves in those days– rock and roll. Lewis’ band would eventually have a huge impact sociologically by playing north end gigs that were the exclusive domain of white bands. This would put an end to musical segregation in the city, which included separate unions for white and black musicians. The unity exhibited by late night jam sessions on Jackson St., now had legal and ethical legitimacy by practice among venue owners. The “sound” would have an impact on Seattle jazz, as well as artists in all blues based styles, including Jimi Hendrix. DLO3 has received a large degree of popularity and commercial success with their own unique organ based sound, that much like Lewis’ combo, is an open door for guest artists to enter and leave their mark. It is a style that is constantly in motion and inviting new musical notions. Whether performing for a sit down audience at Jazz Alley, or accommodating a dance crowd, the band has the unique ability to satisfy multiple audiences, a luxury seldom afforded by jazz artists. 

Lamarr’s solo work, and his minimalist comping style, are unmistakingly tied to his roots as a jazz musician. His dual persona in a way, is like an artistic aperture allowing the entire blues tradition into the mix. So much is the same, so much is different. “When I play DLO3 music versus swinging jazz, the approach is completely different. I intertwine the soul with jazz and make sense of it,” he explains. It is not, however, groove dance music, no matter how thick and comfortable drummer Weiss makes that pocket seem. Lamarr’s thought processes arrive musically from the jazz lexicon, smothered in blues based soul and funk. “It’s undeniable that music is better when it speaks to somebody’s soul instead of just hearing a beat,” he points out. 

The trio’s open door welcomed in India Arie bassist Khari Simmons, and Polyrhythmic’s guitarist Ben Bloom on this Tuesday evening engagement in Seattle. Relieved of bass line duties, Lamarr is able to ascend as a soloist to new heights, and for two tunes, as a vocalist. Until this opening night in Seattle, Lamarr had never dared to sing in public. He soulfully rendered two new compositions to accommodate this new, very personal revelation. “No Walk in the Park,” and “Can’t Win For Losing,” unmasked the organist’s inner creative sanctum, leaving himself completely vulnerable to an audience that included family, long time friends and some of the city’s top music scribes. That comfortable vibe, that which one feels when surrounded by loved ones, by being home, gathered all the loose ends of the evening into one, enlightened space. The jovial nonchalance of Lamarr’s outward personality, and his deep, soul searching inner musical self came to a singular state of being. This wasn’t another ordinary stop on a long tour–it was Seattle, it was Jazz Alley, this was about neighborhood and being home.

Delvon Lamarr at the Owl jam session. 8/24/21

The afternoon preceding DLO3’s opener at Jazz Alley, Lamar and Novo set up a B-3 at the Owl ‘n Thistle, an Irish dive bar in Seattle’s Pioneer Square, with intentions of returning after the Jazz Alley hit to attend a weekly jam session that has taken place at the Owl for more than two decades. The jam is the social focal point of the Seattle jazz scene, and where Lamarr would come to match his chops with the best players in town. In those days, the young Lamarr would play trumpet and drums at the session. Two weeks prior, he had dropped in at the Owl after a gig at Woodland Park, with Novo and Simmons in tow. He played drums a bit, but mostly just enjoyed the hang tremendously. He realized how shut in socially he could be, between touring and ultimately, due to Covid-19. Knowing that he would be playing the house B-3 at Jazz Alley, he set up his own equipment at the Owl, and arrived around 10 PM, just as the house band led by pianist Eric Verlinde was finishing up its set. The trio played a few tunes for the jam packed (pun intended) audience in the small, brick lined room. Soon, Lamarr was at the organ with a rapidly changing cast of musicians at the open session, clearly enjoying himself. While Lamarr is an affable sort, his normal positive self seemed to play into a state of heightened joy and repose. Novo as well sported a look of knowing she was in the right place at the right time. Normally a whirlwind during a gig, dealing with the business portion of the band, she as well could just revel in the sense of normalcy, of fellowship and community, that was so clearly at hand. 

DLO 3 plays the Owl jam session, after their opening night set at Jazz Alley 8/24/21 Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn

Of course, the evening would end with Lamarr and Novo once again loading one hulk of a musical instrument into their van. There was another night at Jazz Alley to traverse, and whatever else comes literally down the road as things slowly return to normal. There is the uncertainty of the Delta variant, of course, yet over two nights at their city’s most esteemed club, every seat is full, every audience member engaged and content. There is hope in the air, that we will rise above a two year pandemic hiatus, and find our stride musically, and inevitably, socially.

Drummer Dan Weiss in the pocket at Jazz Alley with DLO3 Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn


A single evening saw the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio in front of a full house, and then immersed in the hang, that which in the end really matters. A return to normalcy means so much more than audience being reunited with artist. Rising above the fray of a worldwide pandemic, that place where none of us had ever resided, is more about being reunited with each other. Of feeling that embrace. On one Tuesday evening in Seattle, the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio and family felt the embrace that only home can bring. —Paul Rauch

There’s a New Jazz Spot in Ravenna

August 25, 2021 / / No Comments

There’s a new spot in North Seattle for an intimate evening of jazz. Calluna restaurant, a casual European American restaurant at 5628 University Way NE in the Ravenna neighborhood, will offer live jazz Wednesday-Sunday beginning in September.

Calluna was opened by familiar faces on the jazz scene in Seattle in former Tula’s manager Jason Moore and his partner, Heather Bourne. With Tula’s ending its 26 year run in October of 2019, they were looking to open a restaurant outside of the music business. The restaurant opened in December of 2019, just three months before the world shut down due to Covid-19. After close to two years in their new digs, they realized how much they missed the music. They knew post-pandemic, they had to breathe some life into the intimate, homespun room.

“I missed the music, I missed the culture and the musicians themselves” says Moore. Very much like they did at Tula’s, Moore and Bourne took on the task of renovating their new space, from painting and cleaning, to the huge step of committing finances to a piano and acoustic revisions to the room. Experience told them that a room in Ravenna was going to have to draw people in with something special and welcoming. This isn’t Belltown, and lack of foot traffic in the north end neighborhood makes Calluna a destination venue, needing top end talent and superior ambience to attract a crowd. 

L to R Heather Bourne, Jason Moore. Lisa Hagen Glynn photo

Knowing the room was not suitable for more volumnus bands, they decided on a duo/trio format, with solo acts a possibility as well. The recently shuttered New York club, Bradley’s, was cited as an example to follow. While Calluna doesn’t plan on being the late night hang that the iconic Bradley’s was known for, it will offer top tier Seattle jazz musicians performing in duos and trios without drums, just right for the cozy living room vibe that best describes the Ravenna eatery. Moore brought in a Yamaha C-3 piano, and invited the best players in town to join in on the fun.

September will bring in a large strand of Seattle’s top jazz musicians, including Bill Anschell, Jeff Johnson, Greta Matassa, Stephanie Porter, Kelley Johnson, Rick Mandyck, and a special John Coltrane birthday celebration with Alex Dugdale. Anschell will square off in a duo with bassist Jeff Johnson, a fine example of the programming at Calluna. The marvelous jazz vocalist Matassa will perform with Clipper Anderson on bass and Alexey Nikolaev on saxophones. The demands the room places on the musicians in terms of intimacy will create an environment unlike what one might experience at a larger venue. The fine food and drink and Moore’s standard and understanding of live jazz performance will be a big plus. 

Pianist Bill Anschell, who closed Tula’s, will open Calluna with bassist Jeff Johnson.
Bassist Jeff Johnson    knkx.org

Calluna adds to nightly opportunities for Seattle jazz fans. From the Royal Room in Columbia City and Egan’s in Ballard, to Jazz Alley and the arrival of the new Seattle Jazz Fellowship, the landscape for live jazz, post-pandemic, is beginning to take shape. For more information on Calluna, and a full music calendar, follow the link below.   

https://callunaseattle.com/music-calendar/


20 Seattle Jazz Musicians You Should Know: Matt Jorgensen

October 29, 2020 / / No Comments
Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn

The jazz life in the twenty-first century requires a diverse and multi-skilled portfolio, requiring a resume previous generations of jazz musicians never fathomed having to deal with. Seattle’s Matt Jorgensen has spent the entirety of his career figuring out what this skill set entailed, and has navigated those waters, well, skillfully.

Jorgensen is a jazz drummer by trade, and has throughout his career composed original tunes. His entrepreneurial skills have manifested in the creation of the highly regarded indie-jazz label, Origin Records, in partnership with fellow drummer John Bishop. The label has now released close to seven hundred albums. A second label, OA2 came soon after, and Origin Classical next. The label in turn spawned the Ballard Jazz Festival, a Seattle jazz scene annual rite of spring each May since 2002. To continue reading, click this linkhttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/20-seattle-jazz-musicians-you-should-know-matt-jorgensen-matt-jorgensen

“20 Seattle Jazz Musicians You Should Know” Continues With 2 New Installments

September 26, 2020 / / No Comments

Over the course of forty weeks, All About Jazz has given front page treatment to twenty of Seattle’s bright lights in the jazz universe. This unprecedented coverage highlights artists making a splash on the national and international scene. As we begin to rise from the scorched earth created by the worldwide pandemic, we attempt to keep the home fires burning here in Seattle, by celebrating a host of our outstanding artists. This time around the block, we feature drummer/record company owner/graphic artist/ festival promoter John Bishop, and pianist/composer Marina Albero. 

John Bishop

To say that John Bishop has had a profound impact on the life of jazz music in the Pacific Northwest, and more specifically, the city of Seattle, would be a sizable understatement. His influence has cast a spotlight on the vibrant Seattle scene on an international scale. As a musician, record label owner, festival presenter, graphic designer and educator, he has contributed mightily to the profound sense of community that exists presently and historically in his home city and abroad. Photo Credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn Follow this link to continue reading.https://www.allaboutjazz.com/20-seattle-jazz-musicians-you-should-know-john-bishop-john-bishop

Marina Albero

A lot can happen in life over six long years. The past six years in the life of Marina Albero have been eventful to the point of being a revelation. She arrived here with her then partner, flamenco jazz pianist Chano Dominguez, and their two children, aged 12 and 15. It was a fresh start, with the hope of finding more work in America than was being afforded them in Europe. The children were to start school in a new country, speaking their third language, behind Catalan and Spanish. Marina would play in the house band at Teatro Zinzanni and tend to the everyday needs of their children, while Chano continued to tour internationally, as he had for a quarter century. Photo credit: Lisa Hagen Glynn Follow this link to continue readinghttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/20-seattle-jazz-musicians-you-should-know-marina-albero-marina-albero

Pandemic Blues: The Slow Withdrawal From the Abyss

May 20, 2020 / / No Comments

The Covid-19 pandemic has been a unilateral blow to the norms of all segments of our culture. For those of us dependent on the gathering of people in clubs, theatres, arenas and the like to make a living, that blow seems especially thunderous. Through the sociological haze of the state wide stay at home order, many musicians have taken to streaming performances, bringing a much needed sense of solace and hope. Music, just as love, can remind us of what it is like to not have it, the vacuity it engenders when it is suddenly taken from us. It is something in our lives that communicates through all perceived boundaries. Kudos locally to Earshot Jazz for their Saturday night series, to the Marina Albero led Quarrantine Sessions, and all musicians worldwide for sharing their music within the quarantine from their very living rooms. 

As you can see, this is the first time I have written a word here since April 1. This site has been largely about live performances in recent times, about presenting a means to research what is happening nightly around the city. My agenda today is to bring to your attention, some things that have been brought to my attention. As well, I am providing links to a profile series I am writing for allaboutjazz.com, “20 Seattle Jazz Musicians You Should Know.” This series gives Seattle musicians an internaional spotlight at the much acclaimed site, and is linked to local websites via the musician’s member page at AAJ. I highly recommend to all who do not have such a page, to create one. That way, any CD review, feature article, interview, or profile that mentions your name will be hyperlinked to your page, and from there, anywhere you need it to go. Here is the link to get that started https://news.allaboutjazz.com/download-the-all-about-jazz-musician-starter-guide.php

As we slowly return to normal life over the next months, years, we look forward for hope. We hope to have an Earshot Jazz Festival in October, the rescheduled Ballard Jazz Festival in November. We hope that the venues that generously support the music are there when we are ready to move forward. Most of all, we hope that we are all well, and ready to HANG. The fellowship our community provides to all who care to participate, is what is missed most of all. Here are a few things to ponder……..

Our friends Ryan Burns, Cole Schuster and Max Holmberg have taken to recording remotely, and are announcing the release of two brand new singles. The always eclectic, and remarkably versatile Burns is featured on Hammond B-3, along with Schuster on guitar, and Holmberg on drums. Here is a link to the press release. https://www.artistpr.com/press-release/ryan-burns-jazz-music/?fbclid=IwAR0gJRWMm_BZ4FTx0IMhm1WrKKxBzGNEXMD13MBVXjmNQLo_-g41IvdxAAg

As I mentioned, I am in the midst of writing 20 musician profiles for AAJ. So far we have featured Jeff Johnson, Jovino Santos Neto, Brittany Anjou, Xavier Lecouturier, Rex Gregory, Gail Pettis, Christopher Icasiano, Chuck Deardorf, Jay Thomas and Samantha Boshnack. Ten down, ten to go! Here is the link to my articles at AAJ, the overwhelming majority of which cover jazz in Seattle. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/contributor_articles.php?id=163817

Roosevelt High School grad Chris McCarthy has been making quite a name for himself in New York. He recently released a new album on Ropeadope Records, and pre-covid, was often seen performing with several noteables, including Jerry Bergonzi and Sasha Berliner. Here is an in depth look at the album……..

CD Review: Chris McCarthy- Still Time to Quit

From 2017 to 2020, composer and pianist Chris McCarthy charted a path as a noted sideman for such notables as Jerry Bergonzi and Jason Palmer. He was often seen performing with vibraphonist Sasha Berliner and in duet with vocalist Clotilde Rullaud. In short, he has gained a reputation for imaginative and supportive playing.

McCarthy’s path has been blazed from a renowned high school program in Seattle, to the cloistered realm of the New England Conservatory, finally landing in the pressure cooker that is the New York jazz scene. His first recording, Sonder (Red Piano, 2017), could easily have categorized him as a project artist, as the music was an amalgam of forms, including spoken word and vocal parts. The music was well written and performed, but in no way did it set a trajectory for what was to come next. To continue reading, click here https://www.allaboutjazz.com/still-time-to-quit-chris-mccarthy-ropeadope

Swedish born flutist/composer Elsa Nilsson spent some years here in Seattle, studying at Cornish College of the Arts. She has become a major force on the New York scene as a musician, activist and organizer. 2020 has seen her release a new solo album, Hindsight, and a new collective recording with her trio SXNE, For Human Beings. The album is a fully improvised suite of five movements. Read the review here:

SXNE: For Human Beings

Flutist Elsa Nilsson voice performing on an instrument that has historically received secondary status in jazz music. Often the second or third instrument for saxophonists such as Eric Dolphy, Charles Lloyd, and Tia Fuller, it would seem even the most passionate fans of the genre have relegated the flute as such. Modern times in jazz have however, cast that notion aside. Flutists covering a wide musical swath through the annals of modern jazz include the eclectic sounds of Nicole Mitchell, the post-bop works of jamie Baum,  and the diverse, fearless approach to the instrument by Nilsson, a Swedish born, New York based whirlwind. Continue reading here- https://www.allaboutjazz.com/for-human-beings-sxne-bumblebee-collective


CD Review: Thomas Marriott- Trumpet Ship

April 1, 2020 / / No Comments

In a day and age when social and personal narratives pervade the jazz recording medium, it is a welcoming feeling to experience a recording of superb jazz musicians playing music in the moment the way it’s supposed to be played—for the people.

For his spring 2020 quartet release Trumpet Ship (Origin, 2020), Seattle-based trumpeter Thomas Marriott has summoned a powerhouse quartet that hits hard from the outset and never lets up. He has convened a band that shares his ferocity of approach, stretching the boundaries, while respecting tradition of modern jazz music. While many recent releases have been attached to some sort of conception, Marriott focuses the music on the fellowship that accompanies friendship and community. To continue reading click this linkhttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/trumpet-ship-thomas-marriott-origin-records__30386.php

Jim Levitt Photos: Marc Seales Band at Jazz Alley

March 4, 2020 / / No Comments

KNKX has teamed up with Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley to present Northwest Music Mondays, a nod to the vibrant Seattle jazz scene. This is a welcome addition to the monthly Seattle jazz calendar post-Tula’s. Jazz photographer extraordinaire, Jim Levitt, was there on the scene to capture the Marc Seales Band playing before a full house at the city’s most esteemed jazz stage. Seales was joined by trumpeter Thomas Marriott, bassist Chuck Deardorf, drummer Moyes Lucas, Jr., and guitarist Jesse Seales. Many thanks to Mr. Levitt for documenting Seattle jazz in such fine and vivid detail!

The Marc Seales Group performs at Jazz Alley, for a KNKX Northwest Music Monday show. Marc Seales, keyboards; Jesse Seales, guitar; Thomas Marriott, trumpet; Chuck Deardorf, bass; Moyes Lucas Jr, drums;
Thomas Marriott

Marc Seales and Chuck Dearforf

Jesse Seales

Marc Seales- piano; Moyes Lucas, Jr.- drums; Chuck Deardorf- bass

Marc Seales

Moyes Lucas, Jr. 

Chuck Deardorf

The Marc Seales Group performs at Jazz Alley, for a KNKX Northwest Music Monday show. Marc Seales, keyboards; Jesse Seales, guitar; Thomas Marriott, trumpet; Chuck Deardorf, bass; Moyes Lucas Jr, drums;

Jim Levitt Photos: Marina Albero CD Release at the Royal Room

December 25, 2019 / / No Comments

Jim Levitt is at it again, this time at Marina Albero’s CD Release at the Royal Room on December 17. Albero was celebrating the release of her 3 CD set, A Life Soundtrack before a full house, surrounded by friends, fans and family. 

Jim’s work is art in itself, with the vibrant Seattle jazz scene as a canvas. We are deeply appreciative for his work here at seattlejazzscene.com

Marina Albero celebrates the release of her three-volume recording A Life Soundtrack, with a concert at The Royal Room. Marina Albero- piano and hammered dulcimer; Hans Teuber- saxophone, flute; Jeff Johnson- bass; Jeff Busch- percussion; D’Vonne Lewis- drums; Serena Dominguez Albero-voice; Marcel Dominguez Albero- cajon, saxophone
Jeff Johnson

Serena Albero sings “Mi Secreto.”
Hans Teuber

Marina and Serena Albero

Marina Albero- psalterium

Marina Albero- piano; Jeff Johnson- bass; D’Vonne Lewis- drums; Jeff Busch- percussion

Marcel Dominguez- alto

Marina Albero performs with her son, Marcel Dominguez
Jeff Busch

Standing O, Music is Love

CD Review: Marina Albero- A Life Soundtrack

December 19, 2019 / / No Comments

Attempts to characterize the music of Barcelona-born pianist Marina Albero seem to get lost in the details. She is not an artist who found herself within a passion for a particular form. That her music is the sum of her life experiences would be a factual description that would nonetheless fall short, given the far reaching, culturally diverse, and wildly meandering path that has occupied her first forty years. To continue reading, click this linkhttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/a-life-soundtrack-marina-albero-self-produced

CD Review- Charlie Porter: Immigration Nation

December 6, 2019 / / No Comments

Jazz has always carried with it a social narrative with historical ebbs and flows reliant on the polarizing issues of its time. With Immigrant Nation (OA2, 2019), Portland based trumpeter Charlie Porter embraces the forever narrative of American immigration, the historical force of humanity that has formed and enriched this country from its beginnings. The linear timeline of American immigration that widened at the beginning of the twentieth century has narrowed due to the gut wrenching actions of the current administration, providing much artistic impetus to inspire a much needed reaction from the jazz community. Porter follows through with a view and statement from the collective lens of the musicians on this session. Much like Max Roach’s We Insist! (Candid, 1960), concerning the civil rights movement of the 1960’s, and Roxy Coss’ modern narrative piece, The Future is Female (Posi- Tone, 2018), Porter surrounds the listener with a social narrative that is rich musically, and open-ended poetically. To continue reading, follow this linkhttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/immigration-nation-charlie-porter-oa2-records

Jim Levitt Photos: Thomas Marriott and Friends From Philly- Oct 26, 2019/ Royal Room

October 29, 2019 / / No Comments

Jazz beat photographer Jim Levitt was visiting family in California during a major portion of the 2019 Earshot Jazz Festival, but is back with a vengeance! Jim shared these fine shots of Thomas Marriott’s Earshot performance at the Royal Room, featuring friends from the Philadelphia jazz scene. 

Saxophonist Victor North offered his soaring tenor sound, working with Marriott on the front line of a quartet featuring a remarkable father-son tandem. Bassist Michael Boone is a veteran of the Philly scene, and a mentor to many young players on the rise there. Among them is his remarkable son, Mehki Boone, a 13 year old drummer with the presence, skills, and maturity of a seasoned, veteran player. 

Tula’s: The Final Weekend- Photographs From Lisa Hagen Glynn

October 2, 2019 / / No Comments

Tula’s Jazz Club ended it’s vaunted 26 year run with two nights of music with old friends, and a late night hang not seen at the club in many years. It was a bittersweet time, in the end joyous in the form of the music that took place on the stage. 

Photographer Lisa Hagen Glynn was there, not just as a photographer, but on the hang as she often is at Tula’s. She captured some poignant moments, that will serve as portraits of this place that the Seattle jazz scene called home for  a quarter century. In that time, the best of the best in the Northwest played Tula’s, and as seen through the lens of Lisa, that standard was upheld to the end. 

Pianist Bill Anschell leads a trio on the final night at Tula’s- 9/29/2019


Bill Anschell- piano; D’Vonne Lewis- drums

Bassist Michael Glynn, last night at Tula’s, 9/29/2019

Jam at the last night of Tula’s- Michael Brockman- tenor; Mark Taylor- alto; Anton Schwartz- tenor; Michael Glynn- bass


And then we sing- Kelley Johnson, Gail Pettis, Stephanie Porter, adnd Jacqueline Tabor, last night at Tula’s 9/29/2019
Mack Waldron, last night at Tula’s, 9/29/2019

The club, and the couple that created it- Mack and Tula Waldron

The gang on Saturday night, 9/28/2019

Marc Seales- piano; Thomas Marriott- trumpet; Susan Pascal- vibes; Jeff Johnson- bass; D’Vonne Lewis- drums


Greta Matassa and Thomas Marriott, last weekend at Tula’s, 9/28/2019

Marc Seales, last weekend at Tula’s, 9/28/2019

Thomas Marriott performs at Tula’s on the last weekend.

Thomas Marriott

Mack, Tula, Jason, and Heather, last night at Tula’s

Seattle jazz royalty- Mack and Tula Waldron, last night at Tula’s, 9/29/2019