Seattle Jazz Scene

JAZZ ALLEY: Esperanza Spalding

Seattle Jazz Vespers: A Benefit Concert for Haiti
From Earshot Jazz: This special concert benefits relief efforts for last week’s Port-au-Prince, Haiti earthquake. All donations are free-will and will be donated to Companis/ World Relief. Presented by the Seattle Jazz Vespers, this benefit event features the Stephanie Porter Quartet and special guest Lance Buller. Porter is a longtime figure of the Northwest jazz scene, performing for over 15 years. An outstanding jazz vocalist, Porter prompted one Downbeat critic to muse: “Porter is one of the most complex individuals and unpredictable singers I’ve ever met. Lord how this lady sings.” Her quartet of Bill Anschell (piano), Danny O’Brien (bass), and Steve Yusen (drums) will be augmented by trumpeter and vocalist Lance Buller. The Seattle Jazz Vespers presents 100 minutes of Pacific Northwest jazz the first Sunday of each month in the beautiful sanctuary of the Seattle First Baptist Church. Always a family friendly concert, the event also features light refreshments and an opportunity to meet with artists following the performance. The 2010 Vespers season is set to include such ensembles as Cocoa Martini, Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra, Blue Street Singers, and the Zazou Sextet. Please spread the word about about this benefit concert! First Baptist Church, Sunday February 7 at 6pm.

SERAFINA:
11:00am: Alex Guilbert Duo
6:30pm: Ann Reynolds & Tobi Stone

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Kelley Johnson Quartet

JAZZ ALLEY: Esperanza Spalding

BAKE’S PLACE: Jovino Santos Neto Quarteto

BOXLEY’S: Kelly Eisenhour Quartet

WAYWARD COFFEEHOUSE: Jazz in the Corner
8570 Greenwood Ave N, 8:00pm

LUCID: Solbird

SERAFINA: Leo Raymundo Trio

SORRENTO HOTEL: Sue Bell Quartet

Singer Gail Pettis will celebrate the release of her new CD, Here in the Moment, currently #5 on the JazzWeek chart, with a performance at Tula’s on Wednesday, February 10 at 7:30pm.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10
TULA’S JAZZ CLUB
2214 2nd Ave, Seattle
7:30pm, $10
Reservations: 206-443-4221

With an exquisitely subtle three-and-a-half-octave approach to the Great American Songbook, Gail Pettis developed a loyal following as her debut recording “May I Come In?” received international play throughout 2007. Now she returns with “Here in the Moment,” a collection of 11 songs including a 5/4 arrangement of “Who Can I Turn To,” a rousing latin treatment of “I Could Have Danced All Night,” and a duo with bass on the Nashville hit “Snap Your Fingers.” With a recent award of “Northwest Vocalist of the Year” from Earshot Jazz, “Here In The Moment” reflects an exciting period in this singular vocalist’s musical career.

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Hadley Caliman Quintet featuring Thomas Marriott

LATONA PUB: Phil Sparks Trio

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE
7pm – Larry Johnson and Gary Engbrecht
9pm – Dina Blade and Friends, with Greg Glassman (guitar), Chuck Kistler (bass) and Jim Knodle (trumpet)

TRIPLE DOOR MUSICQUARIUM:
5:30pm – Peter Schmeeckle Sextet
9:00pm – Tor Dietrichson Blues Machine

BAKE’S PLACE: Greta Matassa and Gary Scott

SERAFINA: Kelly Ash Trio

LUCID JAZZ: Bebop w/ K.N.O.T.

LOCAL COLOR: Beth & Jim Wulff

BOXLEYS: Ocho Pies

HIROSHI’S: Jazz and Sushi

BOXLEY’S: Jay Thomas Trio

LUCID JAZZ LOUNGE: The Hang with The Teaching

THAIKU: Jon Alberts, Jeff Johnson & Tad Britton

SERAFINA: Alex Guilbert

NEW ORLEANS: Bob Jackson Quintet

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE: Susan Robinson with Darin Clendenin (piano), Clipper Anderson (bass) and Mark Ivester (drums)

from The New York Times:

PAT METHENY, the jazz guitarist, has lately spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about robots. Actually, that’s putting it mildly: he has been downright obsessed with robots, and with getting them to do his bidding. “I haven’t slept more than four hours a night for six months now,” he said one day last fall at a makeshift rehearsal space in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn, the former home of a Byzantine Catholic church.

Wearing a T-shirt and faded jeans, his tousled mane tucked under a baseball cap, Mr. Metheny stood before a 14-foot-high, 35-foot-wide wall festooned with musical instruments: an imposing, circuit-wired one-man band. The contraption itself seemed byzantine, all the more so when it sprang to life in a mechanical whirl: beaters tapping cymbals, levers gliding over strings, mallets cascading across a vibraphone.

Continue reading at The New York Times.

WATCH ON YOUTUBE:

from The New York Times:

… Never a grandstander, unconcerned with publicity, [Fred] Hersch has been a fiercely independent but unassuming presence on the New York jazz scene since he moved to the city at age 21 in 1977. He has made more than 45 albums as a solo performer, composer, bandleader or duo partner since 1991, when he released his first record of original material, a collection of unclassifiable songs composed for jazz rhythm section, tenor saxophone and cello, aptly titled, “Forward Motion.” His body of work is clearly recognizable as a manifesto of contemporary jazz. “Some people think I sound like Fred,” says Mehldau, who like Iverson is a former student of Hersch’s. “That’s because Fred was a major influence on me and on a lot of the players around today. Fred’s musical world is a world where a lot of the developments of jazz history and all of music history come together in a very contemporary way. His style has a lot to do with thinking as an individual, and it has a lot to do with beauty. I wouldn’t be doing what I do if I hadn’t learned from Fred, and I think that’s true of quite a few other people.”

Continue reading at The New York Times.

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Smith/Staelens Big Band

NEW ORLEANS: Legacy Quartet w/Clarence Acox

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
9pm – Vocal Showcase hosted by Kathleen Donnelly, featuring Julie Olson, Pat Johnston and Dee Brown. Accompanied by Darin Clendenin (piano), Dan O’Brien (bass) and Robert Rushing (drums)

BOXLEY’S: Bob Hammer & Chris Clark

LUCID: Leif Totusek & Company

THAIKU: Ron Weinstein Trio

JAZZ ALLEY: Brian Bromberg Band

Seattle jazz artists Gail Pettis and Hadley Caliman both have CDs with strong showings on the JazzWeek National Airplay Chart.

Gail Pettis’ new CD, Here In The Moment, is currently #5 and Hadley Caliman’s Straight Ahead jumped from #54 to #12 this week.

Bellingham-based composer Phil Kelly‘s new CD, Ballet Of The Bouncing Beagles, featuring a number of Seattle musicians, is currently #26.

Congratulations to both Hadley, Gail and Phil for giving Seattle such a strong presence on national radio.

RELATED LINKS:
Buy Gail Pettis’ Here In The Moment
Buy Hadley Caliman’s Straight Ahead
Buy Phil Kelly’s Ballet Of The Bouncing Beagles

Best Contemporary Jazz Album
75
Joe Zawinul & The Zawinul Syndicate
[Heads Up International]

Best Jazz Vocal Album
Dedicated To You: Kurt Elling Sings The Music Of Coltrane And Hartman
Kurt Elling
[Concord Jazz]

Best Improvised Jazz Solo
Dancin’ 4 Chicken
Terence Blanchard, soloist
Track from: Watts (Jeff “Tain” Watts)
[Dark Key Music]

Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual Or Group
Five Peace Band – Live
Chick Corea & John McLaughlin Five Peace Band
[Concord Records]

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
Book One
New Orleans Jazz Orchestra
[World Village]

Best Latin Jazz Album
Juntos Para Siempre
Bebo Valdés And Chucho Valdés
[Sony Music/Calle 54]

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Jay Thomas Big Band

SHORECREST HIGH SCHOOL: Jazz Festival with Pearl Django, Susan Pascal and Dawn Clement

JAZZ ALLEY: Brian Bromberg Band

NEW ORLEANS: Holotradband

BOXLEY’S: Courtney Cutchins Quartet

MIX: Don Mock

OWL ‘N THISTLE: Jam w/ Eric Verlinde & Jose Martinez

Tomorrow, Shorecrest student Alexa Peters is producing a jazz festival at her high school to raise funds to buy a new piano for the music program.

The show starts at 7:00pm and features performances by Pearl Django, Dawn Clement and Susan Pascal.

Shorecrest High School
15343 25th Ave NE
Shoreline, WA 98155

Tickets available at the door.

The Greatest Gig of His Life
On Tuesday Feb 2, local jazz guitarist Ron Peters will be performing with locally known gypsy jazz band Pearl Django at the Shorecrest Performing Arts Center, Shorecrest High School in Seattle, as part of a Jazz Festival. Other acts include vibraphonist Susan Pascal and pianist Dawn Clement as well as the students of the Shorecrest High School Jazz Ensemble.

Although this may seem like just another event in the world of a gigging musician, it’s actually part of a larger event being played out every day since December 12, 1991. That’s the day Ron’s daughter Alexa was born.

For you see, this isn’t just any ordinary jazz festival; it’s Alexa’s jazz festival. She conceived of it, created it, hired the musicians, rented the hall, created a flyer, did all the things you need to do to create a successful event. And she’s doing it for her school, Shorecrest High School. She is a senior, and in the state of Washington, one of the graduation requirements is what is known as a Culminating Project, or a Senior Project. Whatever you call it, this is hers. I have seen hundreds of culminating projects, and this is by far one of the very best. She has gone above and beyond the basic requirements, and the evening of February 2 promises to be absolutely stunning.

continue reading…

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Vocal Jam with Greta Matassa

NEW ORLEANS: New Orleans Quintet

TOST: Michael Shrieve’s Spellbinder

SEATTLE DRUM SCHOOL: Jim Knapp Orchestra

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB:
3:00 – Fairly Honest Jazz Band
8:00 –Jim Cutler Jazz Orchestra

BOXLEYS: Tracy Knoop Quartet

MARTIN’S ON MADISON: Tim Kennedy

TRIPLE DOOR MUSICQUARIUM: Sunday Night Salsa

SERAFINA:
11:00 – Conlin Roser
6:00 – Alex Guilbert

JAZZ ALLEY: Tower of Power

CONCERT: Wayne Horvitz’ These Hills of Glory w/ Beth Fleenor & Figeater,
Rendezvous, 2320 2nd Ave., 7:30pm

TRIPLE DOOR MAINSTAGE: Seattle Jazz Legends in Concert
From Earshot Jazz: This special one-night-only event features guest artists Buddy Catlett, Grammy Award-nominated vocalist Ernestine Anderson, George Griffin, and Dave Holden alongside Seattle legend Ronnie Pierce, Clarence Acox, Bill Anschell, and Brian Nova. The event is being filmed as part of the feature-length documentary project entitled “In Between the Raindrops,” which showcases Seattle jazz artists’ performances and interviews, in addition to interviews with such greats as Quincy Jones and Clark Terry. The film, co-produced by Jessica Davis and Joe Andolina, pays tribute to these historical jazz figures and highlights Seattle’s rich jazz history. Performance is at 8pm at the Historic University Theater (5510 University Way NE). Following the concert there will be an after-party at Lucid Lounge, just down the block at 5241 University Way NE. For more information, visit seattlejazzlegends.com

By Andrew Gilbert
Special to The Seattle Times

This concert, with Buddy Catlett, Ernestine Anderson and others, is part of a jazz-documentary project spearheaded by Jessica Davis. As part of the process she’s donned a new hat, taking on the role of concert producer for Sunday’s “Seattle Jazz Legends in Concert” at the Historic University Theater. Presented by Lynx Records, the event features several of the musicians interviewed for “Raindrops,” including bassist Buddy Catlett, vocalist Ernestine Anderson, saxophonist Ronnie Pierce and drummer George Griffin, whose credits range from Jimi Hendrix and Etta James to Ray Charles and Lionel Hampton.

Read the complete Seattle Times article.

8 p.m. Sunday, Historic University Theater, 5510 University Way N.E., Seattle; $20 (206-420-8091 or www.brownpapertickets.com).

CONCERT: IS THAT JAZZ? – Tom Baker Quartet and Cuong Vu Trio
The Chapel Performance Space, 4639 Sunnyside Avenue North, 8pm

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB:
8pm – Randy Halberstadt Quintet
Midnight – Urban Acheivers, Led Zeppelin cover band, plays a one night only set of music

JAZZ ALLEY: Tower of Power

BAKE’S PLACE: Visiting Songbirds:
Crossing Borders w/ Jennifer Scott and Kristen Strom

SERAFINA: Tim Kennedy Trio

LUCID: Brendan O’Donnell Quartet

BOXLEY’S: Karen Shiver’s Quartet

EL GAUCHO BELLEVUE: Trish Hatley Trio

LOMBARDI’S: Leah Stillwell

LOCAL COLOR: Maggie Laird

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Overton Berry Ensemble, w/Overton Berry (piano), Rick Spano (drums), Jeff Davies (bass)
9pm – Overton Berry Ensemble

CONCERT: IS THAT JAZZ? – Jessie Canterbury’s Vertigo and Bad Luck
The Chapel Performance Space, 4639 Sunnyside Avenue North, 8pm

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Ingrid Jensen/Jon Wikan Group

JAZZ ALLEY: Tower of Power

BAKE’S PLACE: Visiting Songbirds:
Crossing Borders featuring Jennifer Scott and Kristen Strom

SERAFINA: Djangomatics

LUCID: Jason Parker Quartet – Tribute to Miles Davis

LATONA PUB: Phil Sparks Trio

BOXLEY’S: Susan Pascal Trio

EL GAUCHO BELLEVUE: Trish Hatley Trio

HIROSHI’S: Ocho Pies

LOMBARDI’S: Leah Stillwell

LOCAL COLOR: Marc Smason and Joann Klein

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Susan Harper and the Acoustic Conspiracy
9pm – Tony Grasso Saxophone? Quartet! + Manghis Khan, w/ Tony Grasso (trumpet), Dan Blunck (soprano/alto sax), Brian Kent (tenor sax), David Johnson (bari sax), Tim Carey (bass), Viren Kamdar (cajon/congas) and Yaw Amponsah (African drums)
11pm – Chris Stover (trombone), Josh Wolff (piano), Chris Symer (bass) – Music by Caetano Veloso, Tom Jobim, and Bill Evans, plus Chris Stover originals!

Here’s what’s happening for the second weekend of  Is That Jazz?
Festival Website: www.isthatjazz.org

Friday, January 29
JESSE CANTERBURY’S VERTIGO
Seattle clarinetist Jesse Canterbury leads an all-acoustic ensemble in a strikingly original mix of chamber music, improvisation, and tune-oriented melodic material informed and inspired by the music of clarinetists Louis Sclavis and Michael Moore. The group includes guitarist Tom Baker, cellist Joanne DeMars, and trombonist Chris Stover.

BAD LUCK
Co-led by drummer Chris Icasiano and saxophonist Neil Welch, Bad Luck is about sound art, slowly developed loops and pedals used to propel the music into new aural fields. Tight-knit original compositions meet sonic mosaics in a musical relationship cultivated by years on the bandstand.

Saturday January 30
CUONG VU TRIO
The brilliantly creative Cuong Vu brings his trio mates (Stomu Takeishi and Ted Poor) from New York to headline and close out the 2010 Is That Jazz? Festival. If you haven’t heard this scorching ensemble, do not miss this opportunity. In the words of one critic: “It’s pure art. There’s dark-darkenss, joyful lament… and everything about anguish and despair in flat, naked beauty… it will shake you.”

TOM BAKER QUARTET
Led by Seattle guitarist and composer Tom Baker, this quartet (with clarinetist Jesse Canterbury, bassist Brian Cobb, and drummer Greg Campbell) weaves modern avant-jazz tunes with beautiful and haunting improvisations. Their music blurs the boundaries between notated music and free improvisation; the unique soundscapes that result are grounded in history, while pushing at the boundaries of jazz.

All performances at: The Chapel Performance Space
(4639 Sunnyside Avenue North, Seattle – SW corner of 50th and Sunnyside in Wallingford).

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Whitney James w/ Ingrid Jensen & Jon Wikan

NEW ORLEANS: Ham Carson Quintet

JAZZ ALLEY: Tower of Power

BOXLEY’S: Monkstone Theocracy

LUCID: The Hang w/ The Teaching

SEAMONSTER: Hammond B3 Night

THAIKU: Jon Alberts, Jeff Johnson and Tad Britton

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Roosevelt High Vocal Showcase, hosted by Stuart MacDonald
9pm – Tap Jam! Hosted by Jessie Sawyers w/ Hans Brehmer (piano), Frank Heye (drums), Nathan Reese (bass), George Bullock (guitar)

JAZZ ALLEY: Herb Alpert and Lani Hall

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Greta Matassa Jazz Workshop

THAIKU: Ron Weinstein Trio

BOXLEY’S: Danny Kolke Trio

NEW ORLEANS: Legacy Band w/ Clarence Acox

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
6pm – West Woodland Student Showcase, hosted by Robert Parks
9pm – Vocal Jam, hosted by Katy Bourne, w/Randy Halberstadt (piano)