It’s Friday … what are you going to see tonight?

November 9, 2007 / / No Comments

Here are some shows tonight:

Tula’s Jazz Club: Greta Matassa Quartet
Jazz Alley: Bob James Quartet
Hiroshi’s: Karen Shivers & guests
Gallery 1412: Gust Burns/Jeffrey Allport Duo
Vino Bella (Issaquah): Fred Hoadley Trio
Egan’s Ballard Jam House: John Worley and Worlview 5.0 (from San Francisco – 9pm)
Serafina: The Djangomatics
Latona Pub: Leif Todasek and Phil Sparks (5:30 – 7:30pm)
Triple Door Musiquarium Lounge: The Cosmonauts Brazilian Jazz Band

Triple Door Mainstage: CéU: Samba Futures
From Earshot Jazz Calendar Listing: CéU is the most-heralded Brazilian songstress in some time, with good reason. With a voice as from some celestial reaches, a deep sense of the vaunted traditions from which she draws, and also a healthy disregard for just doing things in the same, old same-old way, she treads a pathway to samba’s future. She deploys electronics and stylistic innovations to great effect, which may offend the “purists,” if there could be any sense in claiming a “pure” samba, anyway. Not to miss.

Thursday Jazz

November 8, 2007 / / No Comments

Some gigs happening tonight:

Jazz Alley: Bob James Quartet
Tula’s: Kelley Johnson Vocal Showcase
New Orleans: Ham Carson Quintet
Asteroid Cafe: Tim Kennedy Jam Session (9:30pm)

What else is happening? Post what you are going to see tonight in the Comments section.

Wednesday Jazz

November 7, 2007 / / No Comments

Go out and hear live music tonight!

The Hendrix Lounge: Origin Records’ regular Wednesday night gig in Columbia City tonight will feature John Bishop on drums, Jeff Johnson on bass and Rick Mandyck on guitar. The music starts at 9:00pm and it only costs $5.

Tutta Bella: Before heading over to the Hendrix Lounge, how about grabbing a bite to eat at Tutta Bella and listen to Katy Bourne and Randy Halberstat? The music starts at 6:30 and there is no cover!

Egan’s Ballard Jam House: Vocal Jam hosted by Carrie Wicks (8:00pm)

Tula’s Jazz Club: Greta Matassa Jazz Workshop

Jazz Alley: Steve Smith and Vital Information

The New Orleans: The Legend Band with Clarence Acox

Thaiku: Ron Weinstein Trio

And starting tonight!

Hammond B3 organist Joe Doria is starting a new weekly Wednesday night gig at The Victory Lounge (the old Lobo Lounge) with his longtime trio featuring Chris Spencer on guitar and Byron Vannoy on drums.

Every Wednesday
THE VICTORY LOUNGE
433 Eastlake Ave East {map it}
206.382.4467

Music starts at 9:30pm; $5 cover

Tuesday Jazz

November 6, 2007 / / No Comments

Here are some events happening tonight … most venues are linked on the right …

Egan’s Ballard Jam House: Susan Pascal and Dave Peterson (7:00pm)
Jazz Alley: Steve Smith and Vital Information
Triple Door Musicquarium: Rachel Bade-McMurphy
New Orleans: Holotradband
Tula’s: Jay Thomas Big Band

And for those who are looking for a jam session … Tuesday nights is when Seattle’s jazz musicians gather at the Owl ‘n Thistle for the weekly jam session with Bebop and Destruction.

The Owl ‘n Thistle
808 Post Ave
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 621-7777

Saturday Night at Earshot

November 3, 2007 / / No Comments

The Earshot Jazz Festival goes out with a bang this weekend. Here is tonight’s sampling:

Tula’s Restaurant, 8:30pm
Aaron Goldberg Trio
The Brooklyn-based pianist, a Thelonious Monk Competition winner who toured with Joshua Redman and Wynton Marsalis, leads a sophisticated trio that boasts a stellar, rhythm section: bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland.
$18 general / $16 discount CALL 206-443-4221 FOR RESERVATIONS

Triple Door, 7:30pm
Elspeth Savani and Orchestra Zarabanda
Orchestra Zarabanda, a 12-piece Seattle-based dance band whose irresistible repertoire is inspired by the great Cuban orquestas and son groups of the last century, classic New York salsa/charanga and Cuban folkloric music.
$15 general

Chapel Performance Space, 8pm
October Trio w/ Brad Turner
Evan Arntzen (sax), Josh Cole (bass), and Dan Gaucher (drums) took the CBC’s Galaxie Rising Stars Award at Vancouver International Jazz Fest 2006. With standout trumpeter Brad Turner, they occupy the cutting edge of our neighbor to the north.
$15 general / $13 discount

Nordstrom Recital Hall, 7:30pm
Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra:
Great american songbook iv
UW sax professor Michael Brockman and ace drummer/educator Clarence Acox direct this local big band of all-star instrumentalists for “Great American Songbook IV,” featuring vocalists Greta Matassa, Bernie Jacobs, James Caddell, and others.

Friday Night Jazz

November 2, 2007 / / No Comments

The Earshot Festival is wrapping up this weekend with some great show and tons of more stuff happening in Seattle.

Triple Door, 7pm & 9:30pm
Billy Childs Sextet
Two-time Grammy-winning pianist Billy Childs is a West Coast musical treasure, a “sleeper” whose six-piece jazz chamber group best demonstrates his vast talents as a composer.

Chapel Performance Space, 7:30pm
Ita Bittova
The versatile vocalist/violinist’s “personal folk music” blooms in a fertile delta of Eastern European, classical, and rock traditions.
$15 general / $13 discount

Kirkland Performance Center, 8:00pm ** SJS Recommended
Gene Bertoncini
Gene Bertoncini is one of the most eloquent and versatile masters of the unaccompanied acoustic jazz guitar. His command of the instrument is intimate and powerful. He weaves soft, seductive jazz arrangements that cherish the melodies and harmonies of great songs.
$29 adult, $15 youth BUY ONLINE AT KPCENTER.ORG

Tula’s Restaurant, 8:30pm
Aaron Goldberg Trio **SJS Recommended
The Brooklyn-based pianist, a Thelonious Monk Competition winner who toured with Joshua Redman and Wynton Marsalis, leads a sophisticated trio that boasts a stellar, rhythm section: bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland.
$18 general / $16 discount CALL 206-443-4221 FOR RESERVATIONS

Other Friday Night Events:

Bake’s Place: Katy Bourne Trio
Egan’s Ballard Jam House: Jason Parker Quartet (7:00pm)
Serafina: Javier Anderson (bossa nova guitar)
Triple Door Musicquarium: James Baumgart Trio (free)
Jazz Alley: The David Grisman Quintet

And make your calendars for Saturday Night at Bake’s Place: Gary Hobbs Trio

Thursday Night Jazz

November 1, 2007 / / No Comments

Tonight is the last night of the Seattle Jazz Showcase … it has been a wonderful three week run so make sure and join us tonight as we end with two terrific groups.

8:00pm – Victor Noriega Quintet
9:30pm – Vern Sielert Dektet

Admission: $10

The LAB at Seattle Drum School
12510 15th Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98125 {map it}
Tel: (206)364-8815


EARSHOT JAZZ FESTIVAL

Tula’s Restaurant, 8:30pm
Eric Person & Meta-Four
The acclaimed New York saxophonist, at the helm of the ambitious quartet Meta-Four, shows why he has been called on by trumpeter Dave Douglas, World Saxophone Quartet, and rockers Vernon Reid and Ben Harper.
$15 general / $13 discount CALL 206-443-4221 FOR RESERVATIONS
MORE INFO…

Triple Door, 7pm & 9:30pm
John Abercrombie Quartet
In a rare appearance behind his new ECM release, the guitarist appears with his acclaimed, all-star “Third Quartet” — drummer Joey Baron (Masada), bassist Marc Johnson (Bill Evans), and violinist Mark Feldman.

Seattle City Hall, noon-1pm
Michael Brockman Trio
The co-leader of the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, on alto sax, leads his sparkling trio.

OTHER EVENTS TONIGHT:

Asteroid Cafe: Jam Session with Tim Kennedy
Jazz Alley: Tony DeSare
Ballard Jam House: Gayle Cloud 7pm; Passarim 9pm
Lo-Fi: The Hang with Evan Flory-Barnes
May: Hans Teuber
Thaiku: Tad Britton Trio

Halloween at Earshot

October 31, 2007 / / No Comments

Town Hall, 8pm
Festival in the Desert:
Tinariwen / Vieux Farka Toure
Seattle’s African show of the year. The Tuareg rebel band, Tinariwen, lately a huge hit in Europe (and Rolling Stones opener), rides in with riffing, electrified Saharan fervor that resounds with the roots of American blues. Also unearthing blues roots with his high-powered band is Malian singer/guitarist Vieux Farka Touré, son of guitar legend Ali.
$28 general / $26 discount

Tractor Tavern, 8pm
McTuff
Halloween in the embrace of 60s soul jazz: Seattle-based tear-it-ups Skerik (saxes), Joe Doria (Hammond organ), Andy Coe (guitar), and D’Vonne Lewis (drums).
$12 general / $10 discount

Tula’s Restaurant, 8:30pm
Eric Person & Meta-Four
The acclaimed New York saxophonist, at the helm of the ambitious quartet Meta-Four, shows why he has been called on by trumpeter Dave Douglas, World Saxophone Quartet, and rockers Vernon Reid and Ben Harper.
$15 general / $13 discount CALL 206-443-4221 FOR RESERVATIONS

Visit the Earshot Festival Website

Saturday at The Earshot Jazz Festival

October 27, 2007 / / No Comments

For a complete schedule of events, click here.

Tula’s Restaurant, 8:30pm
Jean-Michel Pilc Trio featuring Ari Hoenig
Pilc, a former French rocket scientist, constructs dazzling piano work of dense harmonics, speed-of-sound technical facility, and otherworldly propulsion. On afterburners: bassist Thomas Bramerie and stunning drummer Ari Hoenig.

Triple Door, 7pm & 9:30pm
Garfield High School Jazz Band w/ Houston Person
The Garfield band, local-favorite past Essentially Ellington winner, renews its summer Centrum-workshop collaboration with revered tenor saxophonist Houston Person, once an Etta Jones mainstay and long treasured in his own right.

Town Hall, 8pm
Musafir
Musafir (Hindi and Urdu for “traveler”) plays the music of the Rajasthan desert of North India, the “gypsy homeland” of the Roma. They create a transcendent blend of music, dance, and performance art.
Advance $22 ($19 discount), door $25 ($22 discount).
Discount available for Earshot and Town Hall Members, Seniors and Students

Saturday, October 27 Harvest Moon Jazz Cruise aboard the Steamship Virginia V, 4 -7pm
Sunday, October 28 Ballard Elks, 12:30pm
Sunday, October 28 Tula’s Restaurant, 8:30pm
Butch Thompson Trio
Jazz-historian pianist Thompson has enjoyed four decades of renown in a panoply of settings, including as a regular on A Prairie Home Companion. He joins the Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society and Seattle trad specialists Holo Trad Jazz in varied combos at Ballard Elks, and brings his trio to Tula’s.
>> Note correction to brochure: Ballard Elks show is on Sunday Oct 28.
BALLARD ELKS: TICKETS AVAILABLE AT DOOR MORNING OF EVENT $13 general / $11 discount
TULA’S: CALL 206-443-4221 FOR RESERVATIONS & $15 general / $13 discount
S.S. VIRGINIA V: CALL 206-624-9119 FOR RESERVATIONS, $50 per person / $90 per couple

Friday Night Jazz Lineup

October 26, 2007 / / No Comments

EARSHOT JAZZ FESTIVAL

Triple Door, 7pm & 9:30pm
Jacky Terrasson, solo
Sachal Vasandani
French pianist Jacky Terrasson has charmed audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. His new album, a musical self-portrait called Mirror, furthers the growing legend. Appearing with his group, Chicago native Vasandani is an emerging jazz vocalist whose remarkable presence and extreme elasticity of phrasing hold great promise.
$22 general / $20 discount

PONCHO Concert Hall, 8pm
John Hollenbeck’s Refuge
Solo or in large-ensemble soundscapes, Hollenbeck wields percussion like a shrewd lyrical poet. Ace organist Gary Versace and vocalist Theo Bleckman join the can’t-miss, boundary-bashing Guggenheim Fellow.
$18 general / $16 discount

Tula’s Restaurant, 8:30pm
Jean-Michel Pilc Trio featuring Ari Hoenig
Pilc, a former French rocket scientist, constructs dazzling piano work of dense harmonics, speed-of-sound technical facility, and otherworldly propulsion. On afterburners: bassist Thomas Bramerie and stunning drummer Ari Hoenig.
$18 general / $16 discount CALL 206-443-4221 FOR RESERVATIONS

OTHER HAPPENINGS:

Bake’s Place: Belinda Underwood and Benny Green
Ballard Jam House: Kiera Clarke and the New Blue Quartet; Free World Jazz
Serafina: Fred Hoadley Latin Jazz
Jazz Alley: Arturo Sandoval Quintet

Thursday Jazz

October 24, 2007 / / No Comments


SEATTLE JAZZ SHOWCASE

8:00pm: Richard Cole Group
9:00pm: Greg Sinibaldi’s “Goat”

Music begins at 8:00pm
Admission: $10

The LAB at Seattle Drum School
12510 15th Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98125 {map it}
Tel: (206)364-8815

EARSHOT JAZZ FESTIVAL

Triple Door, 7pm & 9:30pm
David Sanchez Quartet
With palpable charisma, Sánchez’s huge tenor-sax tone flares with the musical passion of his native Puerto Rico, often in jazz interpretations of mountainous works by Latin American composers. $24 general / $22 discount

Tula’s Restaurant, 8:30pm
Roberta Piket/Billy Mintz Trio
Hailed as a revelation at last year’s festival, pianist Piket and drummer Mintz return with acclaimed bassist Ratzo Harris.
$15 general / $13 discount CALL 206-443-4221 FOR RESERVATIONS

PONCHO Concert Hall, 8pm
Anat Cohen Quartet
Dawn Clement Trio
With two discs this year, this New York-based Israeli saxophonist/clarinetist is winning high praise for explorations of South American, Afro-Cuban, classical, and jazz music. Opening, Cornish-based pianist Dawn Clement packs huge imaginative punch with her trio.
$18 general / $16 discount

OTHER EVENTS:

Jazz Alley: Arturo Sandoval Quintet
Egan’s Ballard Jam House: Reptet (7pm); Tobi Stone Quartet (9pm)
Asteroid Cafe: Jam Session (9:30pm)
Thaiku: Jon Alberts, Jeff Johnson, Tad Britton
Lo-Fi: “The Hang” with Evan Flory-Barnes

Wednesday Jazz

October 24, 2007 / / No Comments

Lots of things happening today … go out and hear live music!

SEATTLE JAZZ SHOWCASE

The Seattle Jazz Showcase continues tonight with performances by vibraphonist Susan Pascal and her quartet and vocalist Greta Matassa with her longtime bandmates.

Music begins at 8:00pm
Admission: $10

The LAB at Seattle Drum School
12510 15th Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98125 {map it}
Tel: (206)364-8815

THE EARSHOT JAZZ FESTIVAL

Tula’s Restaurant, 8:30pm
Marc Cary Trio
This energizing pianist’s star is hotly on the rise. He leads a snarky trio through a flurry of elastic jazz by way of a studied love of hip-hop and deep digressions into adventurous territory. $15 general / $13 discount CALL 206-443-4221 FOR RESERVATIONS

Triple Door, 7pm & 9:30pm
Scott Amendola Band
Nels Cline Singers
Fresh from the Bonnaroo Festival, drummer Amendola and scorching Wilco guitarist Cline deliver a double hit. The singerless Nels Cline Singers is a critically acclaimed rock/jazz must-hear. Amendola’s band, as on his recent, electro-acoustic Believe, includes Cline, guitarist Jeff Parker (Tortoise), and violinist Jenny Scheinman (Bill Frisell’s groups).
$22 general / $20 discount

EVERYTHING ELSE:
(use the links to the right under “Seattle Jazz Clubs” for more info)

The New Orleans: The Legacy Band w/ Clarence Acox
Jazz Alley: Taylor Eigsti Quartet (with Phil Sparks on bass)
Hendrix Lounge: Ben Thomas Trio (w/ Brian Kent & Jeff Norwood)
Tutta Bella (Columbia City): Gail Pettis and Darin Clendenin
Egan’s Ballard Jam House: Rochelle House (10:00pm); Country Joe McDonald, performing his tribute to Woody Guthrie (7:00pm)

Sun, Oct 21: Earshot Jazz Festival

October 21, 2007 / / No Comments

Normally you would think Sunday would be a slower day for music … not so with this year’s Earshot Jazz Festival.

Here is what is on tap for today:

Sunday, October 21 Triple Door, 7pm & 9:30pm
Dee Dee Bridgewater’s Red Earth
The Grammy and Tony Award winning jazz vocalist brings ten of Mali’s most exciting musicians to Seattle to present the music of her stunning album, Red Earth, A Malian Journey.
$35 general / $33 discount

Sunday, October 21 Seattle Art Museum, 8pm
Rudresh Mahanthappa: Codebook
On his own albums and those of pianist Vijay Iyer, this alto saxophonist forges his own voice from Ornette’s ambiguity and Bird’s exuberance. Codebook, its pieces informed by cryptography and number theory, includes Iyer, bassist François Moutin, and drum titan Damion Reid.
$20 general / $18 discount

Sunday, October 21 Tractor Tavern, 8pm
The Tiptons
Now Seattle and New York-based, the all-female sax quartet (Jessica Lurie, Amy Denio, Tina Richerson, Sue Orfield, plus drummer Faith Stankevich) employs searing, on-stage chemistry to create an international stew of Eastern European melody and American experimentation. $15 general / $13 discount

The T.S. Monk Sextet performs a fundraiser for the
Central Area Senior Center on Sunday October 21,
4pm–6pm, open to the public: call 206-726-4926.

Sunday, October 21 & Monday, October 22 Tula’s Restaurant, 8:30pm
Luis Perdomo Trio
Upon moving to New York, the Venezuelan pianist quickly earned a chair in Ravi Coltrane’s quartet, and has impressed mightily with his “exploratory urgency” and “energetically limber” playing (NYT). $15 general / $13 discount CALL 206-443-4221 FOR RESERVATIONS

Great Weekend at Tula’s Coming Up

October 12, 2007 / / No Comments

Two Seattle legends will be appearing at Tula’s this weekend.

Hadley.jpgFriday, October 12th, saxophonist Hadley Caliman, who just finished recording a new CD for Origin Records, will front his popular quartet.

Saturday night, October 13th, features the always popular and amazing Greta Matassa. Greta is performing in support of her new CD, The Smiling Hour (Origin Records).

Tula’s Jazz Club
2214 2nd Ave
Seattle, WA

In addition to Tula’s, make sure and check out Hadley and Greta at the Seattle Jazz Showcase.

Tom Varner Quartet at Tula’s

October 11, 2007 / / No Comments

French hornist Tom Varner will be leading a quartet at Tula’s on Thursday, October 11th. The music begins at 8:00pm.

Don’t miss this rare appearance by Varner as a leader in Seattle.

October 11th – The Tom Varner Quartet

Tom Varner – french horn
Bill Anschell – piano
Phil Sparks – bass
Byron Vannoy – drums

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB
2214 2nd Ave
Seattle, WA 98121

Call for reservations: 206-443-4221

If it is Tuesday, there must be a jam session

October 9, 2007 / / No Comments

Tuesday nights is when Seattle’s jazz musicians gather at the Owl ‘n Thistle for the weekly jam session with Bebop and Destruction. Here is a quote from the Seattle Weekly a few years ago:

But in the beer-stained, faintly scuzzy setting of the Owl ‘N Thistle pub, off Post Alley near Pioneer Square, Bebop & Destruction have been keeping blue-collar bop alive with a free Tuesday night jam session that has run, with occasional interruptions and breakdowns, for over six years now. (The band’s most recent CD, recorded last year for Freetone Records, is Live at the Owl ‘N Thistle, Volume 1.)

The Owl ‘n Thistle
808 Post Ave
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 621-7777

Also, if you are in the mood for big band, check out the Emerald City Jazz Orchestra at Tula’s Jazz Club.