Seattle Jazz Scene

From Paul de Barros’ Friday column in the Seattle Times:

The first half of 2008 has not yet been named Wayne Horvitz Season, but perhaps it should be.

Writing about Manhattan’s Winter JazzFest at the Knitting Factory, New York Times jazz critic Ben Ratliff wrote, “Mr. Horvitz should have a room named after him at the club … his aesthetic and his music encoded the notion of ‘downtown jazz.’ “

Click here to read the entire article.

Tad Britton and The Fu Kun Wu Lounge present a very special one-time performance featuring guitarist/pianist, DAVE PETERSON. Dubbed, “THE DAVE PETERSON EXPERIENCE“, this trio also includes Tad Britton on drums and Jeff Johnson on bass.

THURSDAY, FEB 21 – THAIKU
5410 Ballard Ave. N
NO COVER
8:30pm

Download the Second Set from Matt Jorgensen +451 performing at the Portland Jazz Festival on Friday, February 15th.

The performance featured:

Mark Taylor – saxophone
Thomas Marriott – trumpet
Ryan Burns – keyboards
Phil Sparks – bass
Matt Jorgensen – drums

Click the link below to play the mp3 file.

The download of Set One was posted yesterday, click here to read that post.

Posted from Andrew’s blog about his recent seizure, brain surgery and tests:

Fuck this is not easy because it’s not good news folks. I have brain cancer. Oligodendroglioma. Is the form. They grade these aggressive tumors on a scale from 1 to 4, (4 being the most aggressive), mine is a 3. Poopshit. The better side of the news is, that for now, they feel they got enough in the retraction so there will be no immediate surgery. That’s a bit of a relief for my head. For sure. Down side is, I have to start figuring out how to attack this thing and shrink it. That is where you can help me…..

Click here to continue reading Andrew D’Angelo’s blog.

Click here to read our previous story about Andrew.

This post has nothing to jazz … but it sure is nice out today!

Comments?

The Portland Jazz Festival kicks off this weekend and will feature a couple of bands from Seattle.

Origin Records Presents:

FRIDAY, FEB 15, 9:00pm
MATT JORGENSEN +451
with special guests Upper Left Trio

SATURDAY, FEB 16, 9:00pm
BRENT JENSEN with Bill Anschell, Dennis Caiazza and John Bishop

THE EMBASSY SUITES
319 SW Pine Street
Portland, OR 97204

This is a free show presented by Origin Records … see you at the show!

The Jack Gold-Molina Group
Featuring Chris Pugh – guitar, Michael Monhart – saxophone, Paul Kemmish – bass, Jack Gold-Molina – drums

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24 – SURESHOT
4505 University Way NE
(NE 45th Street and University Way NE in the University District)
2:00-4:00 PM
No Cover, All Ages

Come and join the Jack Gold-Molina Group for an afternoon of intense, hard hitting free jazz. If you want to see and hear real quality creative music, ground breaking free improvisation that burns, we will have it for you as part of Sureshot’s ongoing Sunday afternoon live music series. The music goes from 2:00-4:00 PM, it is all ages, and there is no cover charge. The recently released CD by Chris Pugh and Jack Gold-Molina, “Penumbra/Heqat”, has been receiving international acclaim, and there will be copies on sale for $10 at the venue.

Word has come that Midge Lanphere, wife of the late saxophonist Don Lanphere, passed away on Wednesday, February 13, at her home in Wenatchee.

No details yet on a memorial service but we will post details as they come in.

Kelley Johnson is currently on her Jazz Ambassador Tour through Central America. She has been posting some updates to her blog:

We are performing and teaching this time as part of Danilo Perez’ Panama Jazz Festival and that makes the first leg of our ambassadorship different than anything we’ve done before. This has to be the biggest, most organized grass roots jazz festival of all time. The last few days has been pure pleasure and ease and it’s been wonderful being involved.

You can follow the details of the tour by clicking here.

If you thought the New York Giants winning the Super Bowl was a major upset, imagine the shock when a jazz musician won the top Grammy award for Album Of The Year!

From the AP:

Bake’s Place regular Ben Thomas (vibes/bandoneon) brings a special new project for a night of tango music. Joining Ben will be Eric Rynes (violin), Jerrod Wendland (piano) and Jeff Norwood (bass). They have been playing milongas for dancers in dance halls throughout Washington, but will have a change of venue by playing at Bakes’ Place in Issaquah. Come join them and Craig and Laura Baker for a night of tangos, waltzes, milongas and great food.

Saturday February 9, 2008
Ben Thomas and Tangabrazo!

Bake’s Place at Providence Point
4135 Providence Point Dr. SE
Issaquah, WA 98029
phone: 425-391-3335
http://bakesplace.org

Details:
Dinner Time: 7:00 – 8:00pm
Performance Time: 8:00 – 10:30pm
Dinner and show price: $49.50 (3 course; includes dinner salad, entree and gourmet dessert)
Show Price: $22.00

On Friday, January 25, saxophonist and Seattle-native Andrew D’Angelo suffered a major seizure while driving in Brooklyn, NY. Tests in the hospital revealed a large tumor in his brain. Andrew will undergo brain surgery at some point in the next few weeks. At this time, it is believed that the tumor is not cancerous, but this will not be confirmed until a biopsy is performed.

Like many musicians, Andrew has no health insurance and needs help to cover the massive medical expenses. You can help out by contributing online through his website.

Andrew has also posted a blog so people can follow his progress.