Seattle Jazz Fellowship | Seattle Jazz Scene

Seattle Jazz Scene: Live Jazz Previews for Seattle

March 19, 2024 / Paul Rauch / No Comments

Monday Night Jam at Seattle Jazz Fellowship

Monday Nights, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.

The Monday night jam in Pioneer Square has been quite the thing since the third Monday in January 2025. The session has been a gathering spot for some of the best musicians in town, from seasoned professionals to ascending high school and college players. It has also become a focal point for gen z to gather socially outside of the shadow of technology and screen life. Each week the club is full, and a line ascends up the stairs, around the corner and down First Avenue. These young people arrived via a Tic Tok video with the idea of an all ages, cover free experience with new music performed honestly, in the moment. They became a jazz audience with much more reverence for the music than most sessions. They listen, applaud solos, cheer on their favorites and deeply enjoy the idea of musicians creating on the spot jam style. We long-time patrons of the art are right there alongside them and it is a true joy. The musicians, both in house band led by Thomas Marriott, and the jammers feel the vibe as well. The early start and end allows for those who have school and work the next day. If you are looking for a ray of hope in our city, this may be your gig. Show up by 7 PM and you should have a seat. Musicians enter at will as long as they sign up to play. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/

Tuesday Night Jam at the Owl

Tuesdays at 9:30 PM / Owl & Thistle

The Tuesday night jam at the Owl is a Seattle tradition dating back to 1997, and a band known as Bebop and Destruction. It’s interesting, and often zany history includes wild antics, colorful characters and many a drop in from national touring musicians including Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, Branford Marsalis, Emmett Cohen and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra. Pianist Eric Verlinde guided the jam into more tranquil waters over his eighteen years directing the session, a tenure that recently ended. Pianist Matt Williams has now taken the reins, injecting a new found enthusiasm and freeing up Verlinde to come and hang and play! The 9:30 start enables musicians with gigs that evening to show up and play after the opening set that lasts forty five minutes or so.

The session is very important within the musical and social fabric of the Seattle jazz scene. The very interesting and often humorous history of the session is well documented in an article I wrote for All About Jazz a few years back. Link provided below.https://www.allaboutjazz.com/tuesday-night-jams-at-the-owl-a-25-year-legacy-in-seattle

Bill Anschell Standards Trio

featuring Jeff Johnson & D’Vonne Lewis

Fri Jan 9, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.

There is no finer standardbearer for the art of the jazz piano trio in Seattle, than the trio led by pianist Bill Anschell. Sure, there are many fine pianists in the city playing trio gigs, but none with the tenure and group mind that Anschell, bassist Jeff Johnson and drummer D’Vonne Lewis possess. As one might expect from a trio of such esteem, there is a lot of read and react, a lot of listening going on to accompany the expert playing. This threesome contains musical personalities that not only fit together, they challenge each other and never approach a standard the same way twice. Johnson is a unique, self-made player that has developed a personal style and sound that serves as a conduit to receive and respond to the sounds around him. Lewis is in his true element in this setting, untethered from groove, yet swinging like mad. Anschell has a deep understanding of the journey this trio takes in the rare instances that it performs live. This engagement at SJF is simply an evening not to miss, no matter the circumstances. You won’t be disappointed. http://seattlejazzfellowship.org

Greta Matassa Sextet

Tue Jan 13, 7:30 PM / Jazz Alley

Greta Matassa is a jazz artist who uses her voice as her instrument. Whether articulating a lyrical narrative or improvising with sound, nobody has done it better in Seattle for decades. Matassa is a part of a great jazz sextet, and runs the band with that feather in her cap. Anchored by bassist Clipper Anderson and drummer Mark Ivester, Matassa welcomes in pianist David Joyner, tenor saxophonist Alexey Nikolaev and guitarist Brian Monroney, giving her a wide range of sounds to work with.

Jazz Alley for their part, continue to bring in iconic Seattle performers to the hallowed ground that is the stage at the center of Seattle jazz for more than forty five years. Matassa has performed there on several occasions, along with other Seattle greats in Thomas Marriott, Jovino Santos Neto and Marc Seales. Treat yourself to a night at JA, and support local Seattle jazz at the same time! https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=8729

Heather Ward Quintet

Thus Jan 15, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.

Vocalist Heather Ward had the courage to jump start her singing career when most people are taking a deep breath and thinking of less ambitious adventures after years of a career and family first life. Her performance at SJF will place her original compositions, re-harmonizations of non-jazz tunes and ambitious interpretations of jazz standards front and center, backed by a formidable band. Pianist Randy Halberstadt and bassist Trevor Ford are first call Seattle players, while drummer Rivkah Ross makes the trip up I-5 from Portland to fill out the rhythm section. Saxophonist Sidney Hauser joins to add another melodic voice to the front line. All four musicians joining Ward for the evening have headlined gigs of their own at SJF. http://seattlejazzfellowship.org

George Colligan Trio

Fri & Sat Jan 16-17, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.

George Colligan is one of the finest pianists in jazz, and a generational talent at that. The Portland-based artist is a frequent visitor to Seattle via the Seattle Jazz Fellowship, and that is a tremendous asset to the scene here in Seattle. For this weekend residency, he teams up with a pair of Seattle aces in bassist Michael Glynn and drummer Matt Jorgensen. While the conversation that night will no doubt be explorative and born in-the-moment, the voices are familiar to the trio, adding to the intrigue of the group mind that joins them. Colligan has played with the best of the best, including the recently departed Jack DeJohnette with whom he released a live trio album in the past year. This promises to be a superb weekend, worthy of attending both nights. seattlejazzfellowship.org

Marc Seales Quartet with Special Guest Ernie Watts – Album Release Celebration

Tue & Wed Jan 20-21, 7:30 PM / Jazz Alley

Seattle piano legend Marc Seales celebrates the release of his latest Origin Records release, People and Places, joined by iconic tenor saxophonist, Ernie Watts. Joined by a stout LA rhythm section of drummer Moyse Lucas Jr. and bassist Bruce Lett, Seales and Watts spin their magic rising from a quarter century of musical partnership. Once again, Jazz Alley rises to the occasion, bringing in the best of the Seattle jazz scene to the city’s most important jazz stage. https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=8730

Ron Weinstein Trio with Jeff Johnson & John Bishop

Thu Jan 22, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.

Remember when Sunday nights at Vito’s with Ron Weinstein was a thing? While the veteran pianist has a regular organ gig at the SeaMonster, his unique pianisms have been infrequently heard post-pandemic, or more specifically, since Vito’s fell victim to a fire that resulted in the building being raized. Vito’s, like Tula’s, is now a fenced area with a big hole in the ground. But Ron Weinstein? He lives and is playing well, and still lighting things up with trailblazing bassist Jeff Johnson. For this hit at SJF, he adds drummer John Bishop, who as you may well know, has a bit of history with the aforementioned Johnson. Weinstein will open with a few solo tunes before launching into the trio, presenting music from a new solo vinyl release. There is always a whole lot of character to performances with Weinstein at the helm. http://seattlejazzfellowship.org

Ann Reynolds Quintet

Fri Jan 23, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.

Pianist Ann Reynolds has brought to light the music of prominent female composers to Seattle audiences over the past few years, not only resulting in fine performances, but having the positive effect of bringing about awareness of these works to the jazz public. For this performance, the quintet features the music of Carla Bley and Mary Lou Williams, as well as originals from Reynolds and tenor saxophonist Tobi Stone. Alto saxophonist Jessica Lurie, bassist Geoff Harper and drummer Chris Icasiano complete this formidable quintet. Reynolds informs that the main focus will be on Bley’s compositions, adding intrigue to the performance. This writer appreciates the pianist’s penchant for going all-in on her dates, always resulting in her absolute best shot. seattlejazzfellowship.org

Adam Chmaj Quartet

Sat Jan 24, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.

On the rise tenor saxophonist Adam Chmaj leads a quartet performing original tunes. Pianist Chris Schindele, bassist Trevor Pelletier and drummer Will Lone join the tenorist for a two set hoedown at the classic basement digs of SJF. Chmaj has a tenor sound reminiscent of traditional greats Harold Land and Johnny Griffin, with a modern, forward seeking attitude. The talent is definitely present, but his performance resume on local mainstages while impressive, is thin. The city hasn’t had a chance to get to know him- this is your opportunity. Chmaj delivers a beautiful tenor sound and is swingin’ in all the right ways. http://seattlejazzfellowship.org

David Binney Action Trio ft. Louis Cole & Pera Krstajic

Sat Jan 24, 7PM & 9PM / The Mountain Room: Bar at the R 3100 Airport Wy S Building 3

Presented by the Goodbye Look, adventurous altoist David Binney plays a two set date in the maze of brewery buildings on Airport Way. To be honest, I haven’t ventured into this area for performances, so google maps will have to be your guide- but I am keenly aware of Binney’s playing, including the music from his 2023 release that bears the Action title. The versatile Binney has no fear to explore new space and experiment with new sounds, but he always has a connection to jazz in both a traditional and modernist sense. There is even some interesting contrapuntal aspects to this music that draws from European influences. In any case, I have never attended a Binney performance, or for that matter, chanced upon a Binney recording that didn’t hold my interest and my admittedly forward reaching mind. Kudos to the folks at The Goodbye Look for creating pop-up performances like this that otherwise would likely pass Seattle by. As the musical timeline moves forward beyond the long insufferable reach of the Covid-19 pandemic, we begin to see a well-rounded, highly diverse jazz scene erupting in our city, of which Peter Graham’s production efforts are a vital part. https://www.goodbyelook.com/events

Paul Gabrielson Quintet

featuring Thomas Marriott, Matt Williams, Jay Thomas & Xavier Lecouturier

Fri Jan 30, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.

Veteran bassist Paul Gabrielson has long embellished the music of others on the scene in Seattle and abroad, both on the bandstand and in the studio. In recent times, it is good to see him getting acclaim as a leader as is evidenced by the gathering of musicians on his next date at SJF. Every member of this quintet is an esteemed leader themselves, with Marriott and Thomas residing in the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame. Pianist Williams is an in-demand presence on the scene, as is drummer Lecouturier. How Gabrielson enables this top shelf gathering is the essence of the evening. By all accounts, it should be killin’, and a highlight on the January jazz calendar in Seattle. http://seattlejazzfellowship.org

Ryan Burns & Brian Monroney

Sat Jan 31, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship

What happens when you put two of the city’s most eclectic musicians on the stage together in a small room? Serious fireworks, that’s what happens. Burns is a master jazz pianist with a penchant for electric keyboards, while Monroney is the pro’s pro, utilizing a large variety of sounds on electric guitar. What has always struck me about both is the ability to play straight when the occasion calls for it, and stretching boundaries to their extreme edge when circumstances mandate that.

This meeting of minds will include “not so standard standards,” and a host of co-written original tunes. Bassist Michael Glynn and drummer Max Holmberg join, two very versatile jazz players who have a keen sense of post-bop swing. Alto saxophonist Mark Taylor is one of the city’s all-time best, and the perfect compliment to the madness that is sure to ensue. http://seattlejazzfellowship.org

Aaron Parks Trio

Sun Feb 1, 7PM & 9PM / Recreational Psychoacoustics Lab- 601 NW 80th St Unit B

Seattle’s own Aaron Parks has been based in New York since he was a teenager, but his return to Seattle is always a bit of a homecoming. This time around, The Goodbye Look presents the eclectic pianist for two trio sets at the old Avast Studios complex in the north end. He will be performing with a familiar face on bass in Ben Street, this time adding drummer Eric McPherson to the mix. In the acoustic piano trio format, Parks is at his best, able to communicate the complexity and beauty of his musical ideas in finer focus, detail and nuance. Advance tickets are recommended- it appears there are seated and standing options, so grab them early. Parks frequently appears at Jazz Alley, so this Sunday diversion is a welcome and interesting sight. https://www.goodbyelook.com/events

The Cookers – Eddie Henderson, David Weiss, Donald Harrison, Azar Lawrence, George Cables, Cecil McBee and Billy Hart

Tue & Wed Feb 2-3, 7:30 PM / Jazz Alley

The names presented in the title is all you need to know here- it’s an invitation to greatness, an opportunity to see some of the most iconic musicians in the history of jazz in one place, on one historic stage. Don’t go for reasons that lean towards the nostalgic- all of these cats can still play at a high level. That genius, that drive for excellence should be the attraction. Cables continues to be one of the most important voices in jazz, while Hart’s current quartet released an album of acclaim in 2025. Close your eyes, and you’ll discover the unrelenting youth of Henderson’s trumpet sound, and the mastery of McBee’s bass lines. It’s all there waiting for you to take in, and find residence in your musical soul. One not to miss! https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=8742

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

November 24, 2023 / Paul Rauch / 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.’”

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.

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

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

June 30, 2022 / Paul Rauch / 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 / Paul Rauch / No Comments

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

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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

December 2, 2021 / Paul Rauch / 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

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.

l to r: Brian KIrk, Phil Sparks, Nathan Breedlove 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/