Seattle Jazz Fellowship | Seattle Jazz Scene

Seattle Jazz Scene: Live Jazz Previews for Seattle

March 19, 2024 / Paul Rauch / No Comments

Seattle Jazz Beat: A Weekly Look at the Seattle Jazz Scene

Seattle Jazz Beat is a weekly column from Jazz Journalist Association writer, Paul Rauch. It is a narrative covering news and events, providing musician profiles, reviews and gathering community resources in support of jazz music in Seattle. To read and subscribe, follow this link-https://substack.com/@seattlejazzbeat

Monday Night Jam Session

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

Tuesday Nights 9:30 PM / Owl ‘n Thistle

The Tuesday night jam at the Owl has a colorful 30 year legacy, and is one of the few late-night gatherings left in town. The result is that musicians show up, and often, touring artists drop in as well. The jam has welcomed in Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, Emmet Cohen and a host of others. The jam began in the late 90s, hosted by the neo-bop ensemble, Bebop & Destruction. After a long-run by pianist Eric Verlinde, pianist /mallet artist Matt Williams has taken the reins of this important community event. For many years, it has been a gathering spot for the Seattle jazz community, and a space where musical ties are formed. I interviewed the founders in 2021 for an article outlining the jam’s wild and interesting history for All About Jazz. To read, follow this link https://www.allaboutjazz.com/tuesday-night-jams-at-the-owl-a-25-year-legacy-in-seattle

The Royal We

Fri Aug 21, 7:30 PM / The Royal Room

The Royal We began informally playing the late-night set at the Royal Room in Seattle every Wednesday night. The music is highly improvised, working from motifs and compositions by Wayne Horvitz, There is an open improvisational bent to the band, with a very 60s modal and Afro-groove feel. Pianist Horvitz is joined in this iteration of the band by guitarist Demarcus Baysmore, saxophonist Skerik, bassist Geoff Harper and drummer D’Vonne Lewis. If you know the personnel, you can imagine the number of different directions the ensemble could possibly engage. This should be a great night to hit Columbia City and the The Royal Room https://thestranger.boldtypetickets.com/events/184309981/the-royal-we

Brittany Davis-Black Thunder

Tue & Wed Aug 25-26, 7:30 PM / Jazz Alley

Pianist / vocalist Brittany Davis rides the crest of her latest release, Black Thunder (Loosegroove, 2026). She is often comped to artists that include Nina Simone, but in many ways she is a unique entity, and one that is definitely Seattle through and through. She is accompanied by bassist Trevor Ford and drummer D’Vonne Lewis, two of the best read and react players in town. It is always cause for celebration when Jazz Alley features local talent, especially when the music bears the soul of the city where the JA stage has made history, time after time.

Davis’ new music is like an ode to self-exploration and realization. Performing it on her hometown’s main stage for jazz has a dream-like quality to it. Ford and Lewis appear to be the perfect duo to help make it truly come alive in performance. https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=8815

Ann Reynolds Jazztet

Fri Sept 4, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.

Pianist Ann Reynolds returns to SJF with her jazztet, an ensemble of players with some history and group mind. Tenor saxophonist Tobi Stone is a Seattle jazz stalwart, sharing the front line with alto saxophonist and flutist, Jessica Lurie. The eclectic duo of bassist Geoff Harper and drummer Chris Icasiano bring an open quality to the rhythm section along with the bandleader. There is always a great vibe and sense of community when this band hits the Fellowship. http://seattlejazzfellowship.org

Dylan Hayes Octet

Tue Sept 8, 7:30 PM / The Royal Room

Dylan Hayes in a Seattle-based pianist and a wildly talented composer and arranger. I could easily tag him as being prolific, considering the volume of work he has produced in his young career. Aside from taking on the legacy of his mentor Jim Knapp’s music and ensemble, Hayes has appeared in trio, as a sideman on many projects and in this case, leading an all-star octet playing the music of a brand new release. Compositions and arrangements by drummer Xavier Lecouturier, multi-reedist Rex Gregory and guitarist Martin Budde will also be featured. Rounding out the band is trumpeter Michael Van Beber, saxophonist Mark Taylor, trombonist David Marriott, Jr., and bassist Michael Glynn.

To have this collection of young musicians and composers in Seattle is a major cog in the machinery projecting jazz music forward in the PNW. The music is superb, the players top shelf, and with the wisdom of bringing in first-call veteran players on the gig. The Royal Room provides a great space to witness this performance. https://thestranger.boldtypetickets.com/events/185321977/dylan-hayes-octet

Jacqueline Tabor

Thu Sept 10, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.

Vocal artist Jacqueline Tabor has created a presence on the live music scene as a jazz singer with a genuine dedication to the blues. She has been the prime vocalist with the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, as well as her own ensembles. Her style lends itself to be just as comfortable on stage at the Central Saloon, as it plays at Benaroya Hall. For this date, she takes a look back to her album The Jazz in You, with an impressive cast in tow. Pianist Bill Anschell is a Seattle jazz icon, and a national presence working with among others, the vocalist Nneena Freelon. Bassist Clipper Anderson and drummer Mark Ivester are the rhythm section behind a number of top players on the Seattle scene, including Anderson’s partner, Greta Matassa.

Tabor’s presence on stage has a certain radiance that is strong and highly original. Seeing her in the intimate basement club at 103 S. Main brings with it a special quality. It harkens back to times when Pioneer Square was the center of music culture in Seattle, a quality that seems to be returning. This would be a good night to experience that charm in the city’s original neighborhood.

Dan Balmer Quartet

Fri Sept 11, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.

Portland area guitarist Dan Balmer is an exceptionally talented musician and one that we don’t get to see all that often in Seattle, despite the PNW proximity. He arrives with a powerhouse band, featuring bassist Jeff Leonard, keyboardist Clay Giberson and drummer Jason Palmer, all of whom have direct or indirect ties to the Puget Sound area. They will be performing music from Balmer’s latest recording, When the Night, an exceptional outing that received national acclaim. Balmer is a monster player, with an imaginative, exploratory bent that leads listeners to special places. He surrounds himself here with not only players of his exceptional ability, but musical partners with which he has notable experience on the bandstand. The band sits in the middle of an amazing week of jazz at SJF- considering the rare occasion of the guitarist appearing in Seattle, a performance you should not miss. New Orleans saxophonist Rex Gregory follows on Saturday night- why not just make a weekend out of it? http://seattlejazzfellowship.org

Rex Gregory Quartet

Sat Sept 12, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.

Houston born, and a longtime New Orleans resident, multi-reedist Rex Gregory lived in Seattle for a spell, until the pandemic intruded. In his short time here, he made quite an impression, and developed a kinship with Seattle musicians. For this date, he reunites with three of them in pianist Dylan Hayes, bassist Michael Glynn and drummer Chris Icasiano. Don’t jump to conclusions about the fact that Gregory lives in New Orleans–he is a true post-bop player who is comfortable performing on tenor and alto saxophones, clarinet, flute and alto flute, His tenor voice is full bodied and eclectic in nature. http://seattlejazzfellowship.org

Photo Credit: Brian Harkin for The New York Times

Joshua Redman Quartet

Thu-Sun Sept 10-13, 7:30 & 9:30 PM / Jazz Alley

Saxophonist Joshua Redman is the son of the great saxman Dewey Reman and dancer Renee Shedroff, so the fact that his playing has so much edge and movement is no surprise. He has been one of the biggest names in jazz for a few decades now, yet seems to reinvent himself almost constantly in new and fresh ways. That said, his trademark tenor sound is a constant in the sea of change that has taken place in Redman’s career. Bassist Philip Norris and drummer Nazir Ebo are already on the gig, with a pianist TBA. Whether playing trio or quartet, or with the all-star collective James Farm, Redman is no stranger to the stage at Jazz Alley. The house is always full when he is in town, with six shows to choose from over four days. https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=8810

Pat Bianchi Organ Trio

Thu Sept 17, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.

Pat Bianchi is one of the finest jazz organists on the planet, and that’s just the plain truth. Whether performing his highly original compositions, or intrepreting tunes, he is a visionary of his instrument. For this Seattle date, he teams with Portland guitar ace Dan Balmer and Philadelphia drummer Byron Landham. Balmer is legendary in the PNW, while Landham comes from fertile territory in Philly, and has appeared with Thomas Marriott at SJF this year. He is one-third of the trio Trash Gadget alongside Orrin Evans and Mathew Parrish.

Bianchi was last in Seattle in 2018 with Pat Martino. Steely Dan and Lou Donaldson are two others on his resume live and in the studio–a soulful combination for sure. He is the author of nine albums as a leader. His playing bears the traits of mentors Dr. Lonnie Smith and Joey DeFrancesco. One not to miss. http://seattlejazzfellowship.org

Marc Seales Band

Fri Sept 18, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.

Pianist / keyboardist Marc Seales is a Seattle jazz treasure, and a regular presence on the scene here for close to forty years. His amazing virtuosity and all-out passion for the music is still highly visible, his live performances as formidable as ever. For this evening in Pioneer Square, he is joined by another iconic Seattle player in drummer John Bishop, a musical partner since the 90s as members of the super-trio, New Stories. Saxophonist Rich Cole is still another veteran of the scene here, and like his bandmates, an author of a number of albums on the Origin Records label. Bassist John-Carlos Perea rounds out the quartet. A multi-instrumentalist by nature, Perea focuses on electric bass for this gig. http://seattlejazzfellowship.org

Duende Libre Trio

Sat Sept 19, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.

Duende Libre is a piano-based trio that explores jazz music through the lens of world rhythms. Pianist Alex Chadsey‘s role is very much jazz piano trio focused, while contributing and reacting in real time to the rhythmic waves created by drummer / percussionist Jeff Busch. Electric bassist Farko Dosumov is guided by the lead bass tendencies that comp to Pastorius, Miller and Lesh- an amazing realization considering that many would consider a band utilizing “world rhythms” as tending to be groove driven. While the trio lands in groove spaces, it often relies on more abstract persuasions rhythmically. Still working off the energy provided by their recent highly-regarded album, Invocation, the trio settles in at SJF, in a jazz listening space where the intricate compositional skills and instrumental virtuosity of this trio can be appreciated in full. http://seattlejazzfellowship.org

Devin Gray Quartet

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

Drummer / compsoser Devin Gray is an adventurer in jazz and improvised music. His music hangs on the edge a bit, with the possibilities that come with that. He is enough post-bop jazz to appeal to straight-ahead listeners, and plays outside the lines enough to captivate those who gravitate towards other improvised forms. This is his second appearance at SJF, the first in the non-profit’s basement club. Gray is joined by a Seattle crew, featuring pianist Tim Kennedy, trumpeter Ray Larsen, and longtime Pat Matheny bassist and 15 time Grammy winner, Steve Rodby on bass. The personnel is certainly there to add life to Gray’s compositions and embark on a explorative evening of jazz music. http://seattlejazzfellowship.org

JULIAN PRIESTER DAY

Fri Sept 25, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.

It’s Julian Priester Day in Seattle, and yes, the maestro will be performing, band TBA. Come spend an evening celebrating the amazing career of the great trombonist, and his now forty seven year residency here in the Emerald City. Priester has a plethora of albums as a leader, and has appeared on some of the most important recordings in jazz history, including Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln’s seminal 1961 release, We Insist! He has toured and recorded with John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Sun Ra, Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, Johnny Griffin, McCoy Tyner and a host of others. Now 91 years of age, his day in Seattle is a day for us to give thanks and love to this true jazz master. seattlejazzfellowship.org

Jerry Steinhilber Trio

Sat Sept 26, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.

It’s always nice to welcome into town our eclectic neighbors from the north, as in drummer Jerry Steinhilber and crew from Bellingham, USA. Along with bassist King Dahl and tenor saxophonist Josh Cook, the piano-less trio led by Steinhilber has gained stalwart status in the northwest corner of the state as well as Vancouver and Seattle. This will be the trio’s second appearance at SJF, the first being a great night of adventurous interpretations of original and standard compositions and a social component in terms of audience that was exceptional. The dedication and all-in nature of the trio and the crowd in attracts is simply a fun time built around music that is somewhat abstract with deep ties in the blues that is eclectic and receiveable.

Isaiah Collier: Collier Plays Coltrane

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

Another Coltrane 100 gig, a week after Trane’s actual century mark. Yet, if there is a saxophonist in America worthy of creating a Coltrane homage within the spirit of the music, it is Isaiah Collier. A native of the south side of Chicago, Collier has shown himself to be one of the true bright lights on the scene, and certainly one of the most notable of new generation modern jazz players. Collier is a sonic explorer much like his hero in Trane, and will undoubtedly take the music and find new ground in it to traverse. He has finally been given a chance to play Jazz Alley, after appearing last time around at the Black and Tan Hall. One show hit, so make your reservation. Aside from Joe Lovano’s Coltrane 100 show at the Moore, this should be the gig most worthy of your Coltrane focus. Collier will be joined by pianist Davis Whitfiled, bassist Conway Campbell, and drummer Tim Regis. https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=8818

Stefon Harris & Blackout

Tue & Wed Oct 13-14, 7:30 PM / Jazz Alley

Vibraphonist Stefon Harris has been a major force in the world of jazz performance and education. He is comfortable in the myriad of fusion forms in jazz today, as well as his historic place in straight ahead modern jazz. This iteration of his band includes the formidable bassist Luques Curtis, master alto saxophonist Jaleel Shaw, in-demand pianist Kenny Banks, Jr., sensational drummer Terreon Gully and vocalist Alexis Morrast. With a formidable band as such, the sparks should fly! https://www.jazzalley.com/www-home/artist.jsp?shownum=8827

Jeremy Pelt Sextet

Thu Oct 29, 7:30 PM / Seattle Jazz Fellowship- 103 S. Main St.

Internationally acclaimed trumpeter Jeremy Pelt hits SJF, with a top flight quintet. Pelt has authored more than twenty albums as a leader, and has toured and recorded extensively on a global scale. His quintet features outstanding young drummer Jared Spears, vibraphonist Jalen Baker, guitarist Misha Mendelenko, bassist Leighton Harrell and pianist Lasse Corson. Seattle jazz fans are accustomed to seeing Pelt perform at Jazz Alley, making this appearance at the basement club in Pioneer Square an opportunity to see the trumpeter in a more intimate environment. First come, first served situation, so adjust your arrival time accordingly. http://seattlejazzfellowship.org

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/