What are you listening to?
Let’s get the Comments section going this weekend!
Give us your list of what’s in your CD player or iPod at the moment … what’s your Top 10 for 2007 … Desert Island Picks?
It’s Friday
Let’s get the weekend started … lots of live jazz tonight.
TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Greta Matassa Quartet
BAKE’S PLACE: Crossing Borders featuring Jennifer Scott and Kristen Strom
Crossing Borders is a new international jazz group led by the heralded Canadian jazz vocalist/pianist Jennifer Scott and S.F. Bay Area saxophonist Kristen Strom
JAZZ ALLEY: Marlena Shaw
LATONA PUB: Phil Sparks Trio with Ricky Kelly (vibes) and Matt Jorgensen (drums)
6423 Latona Ave NE, Seattle, 5:30 – 7:30pm, No Cover
EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Steve Alboucq Quartet, with Steve Alboucq (trumpet), Chris Morton (piano), Matt Page (drums), and Nate Parker (bass)
9pm – Narmada Ensemble, with Chris Icasiano (drums), Luke Bergman (bass), Brian Kinsella (piano), Cam Peace (guitars), Tor Dietrichson (tablas/congas/percussion), Pandit Debi Prasad Chatterjee (sitar), and Neil Welch (saxophones). From composed improvisation to classical Hindustani music, multi-meter composition, and free improvisation. ($8 cover)
11pm – Dan Sales Trio
TRIPLE DOOR MUSICQUARIUM: Kiko Freitas (brazilian guitar)
SERAFINA: Fred Hoadley Trio, latin jazz
LA SPIGA: Guy Alston & Ozmosis (10 p.m. – 1 a.m.)
GRAZIE: Michael Powers Group
HIROSHI’S JAZZ AND SUSHI: Greg Williamson Trio + 1
2501 Eastlake Avenue, Seattle
and for those of you up North …
THE REPP: Jason Parker/George Stone Duo
924 First Street, Snohomish, WA, 6:30 – 10:30pm
This Weekend at Bake’s Place
Bake’s Place Visiting Songbirds Series continues this weekend.
Friday January 25, 2008
Crossing Borders featuring Jennifer Scott and Kristen Strom
Dinner Time: 7:00 – 8:00pm
Performance Time: 8:00 – 10:30pm
Crossing Borders is a new international jazz group led by the heralded Canadian jazz vocalist/pianist Jennifer Scott and S.F. Bay Area saxophonist Kristen Strom who is well–known for her melodic, engaging style. The band also includes guitarist Scott Sorkin (Novo Tempo), bassist Rene Worst (Ernestine Anderson, Joe Pass, Jon Faddis), and drummer Mark Ivester (Freddie Hubbard, Mose Allison, Diane Schuur).
Saturday January 26, 2008
Madeline Eastman Quartet with Randy Porter, piano; Chuck Deardorf, bass; and John Bishop, drums
Dinner Time: 7:00 – 8:00pm
Performance Time: 8:00 – 10:30pm
Often referred to as a “singer’s singer”, Madeline Eastman has been lauded for her original, “hip” take on the music prompting CD Review to write, “She doesn’t tinker aimlessly, she reconstructs with purpose. She lays depth charges right from the beginning.” Don Heckman of the LA Times called Madeline “a consummate, inventive, endlessly entertaining artist at work.” Eastman was recognized twice as one of the “Top Female Vocalists” in DownBeat Readers Poll. She has recorded five CDs featuring such luminaries as Tony Williams, Cedar Walton, Phil Woods, and Kenny Barron. Barron also joined Madeline on a soon-to-be-released album they recorded with Amsterdam’s famed 50-piece Metropole Orchestra under the direction of Vince Mendoza. In addition, her new “live” recording will be released in the Spring.
BAKE’S PLACE
4135 Providence Point Dr. SE
Issaquah, WA 98029
phone: 425-391-3335
http://bakesplace.org
This Weekend on Jazz Northwest
Victor Noriega‘s explosive trio playing in the Brotman Forum of the Seattle Art Museum in the January Art of Jazz Concert. An hour of highlights from the concert will air on KPLU (88.5) and stream on www.kplu.org on Sunday, January 27 at 1 PM Pacific Time.
Pianist Victor Noriega is a fast rising star on the Seattle jazz scene and beyond. After graduation from the University of Washington School of Music, his CD debut was “Stone’s Throw” in 2004. The following year he was voted NW Emerging Artist of the Year by Earshot readers. In 2006 he produced his second CD “Alay” which received an Earshot Golden Ear Award for Northwest Recording of the year and a second award for Northwest Instrumentalist of the Year.
Victor Noriega’s cross-cultural style is distinctly his own, blending elements of Filipino traditional music and classical music with jazz. He was recently featured in the 2007 Philippine International Jazz and Arts Festival playing in Seattle and Hollywood, and has performed in Asia as well, notably in Shanghai. He’s currently preparing a third CD and we’ll hear some new music on this concert that will be included on the new CD.
Joining him in this concert at the Seattle Art Museum are an exciting young bassist, Evan Flory-Barnes, and drummer Greg Campbell . The Art of Jazz concerts are presented by Earshot Jazz on the second Thursday of each month at The Seattle Art Museum.
Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced by Jim Wilke exclusively for 88.5 KPLU. It is also available as a podcast after broadcast from www.kplu.org
Thursday Jazz
TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Earshot Jazz Presents Atomic
The Guardian calls Atomic “one of the most exhilarating groups on the European circuit.” A brilliant Scandinavian quintet, Atomic plays original music that mixes grooves and modes with a distinctive approach to free improvisation.
TRIPLE DOOR: Toumani Diabate’s Symmetric Orchestra
More than any other artist, Toumani Diabaté is responsible for introducing the kora—a 21-string harp unique to West Africa—to audiences around the world. But aside from being a player of exceptional virtuosity and creativity, Diabaté plays a vital role as bandleader, teacher, musical conservationist and composer in the capital city of Bamako, Mali, where he was born and has lived all his life.
JAZZ ALLEY: Marlena Shaw
GALLERY 1412: Skiff Feldspar, Greg Sinibaldi, Greg Campbell, Bob Rees
NEW ORLEANS: The Ham Carson Quintet
EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Greta Matassa
9pm – Swati – New York-based vocalist/guitarist – Her only Seattle performance on this West Coast tour
THAIKU: Tad Britton
LA SPIGA: Mark Bullis
ASTEROID CAFE: Tim Kennedy Jam Session
Cuong Vu CD Reviews
Trumpeter Cuong Vu, who is now teaching at the University of Washington in addition to his touring and recording, has two new reviews for his most recent CD, Vu-Tet.
Vu-Tet—an innovative, modernistic, compelling recording, from start to finish—answers the “Why plug in a trumpet?” question convincingly. Outstanding!
Read the full review at All About Jazz.com
With the possible exception of Norway’s Nils Petter Molvaer and Arve Henriksen, there’s simply no other trumpeter on the radar today as innovative in blending extended technique and electronic processing to expand the possibilities of his instrument. Utilizing both to dramatic effect, Vu turns the opening “Intro” into a sonic tour de force that begins atmospherically but gradually intensifies, with Takeishi creating his own layers of sound and Poor playing orchestrally rather than rhythmically.
Read the full review at All About Jazz.com
Listen to samples of Cuong Vu’s new CD on his website:
http://cuongvu.com
Wednesday Jazz
Here is what is on tap tonight:
TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Jack Bergevin Group
JAZZ ALLEY: Janiva Magness
THE NEW ORLEANS: The Legend Band w/ Clarence Acox
EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
6pm – Figure Five – Roosevelt High jazz combo with Matt McCloskey (piano), Xavier McHugh (drums), Nolan Woodle (bass), Spencer Leroux (sax) and Wyatt Palmer (sax)
8pm – Vocal Jam with Carrie Wicks
THAIKU: Ron Weinstein Trio
VICTORY LOUNGE: Joe Doria Trio
TUTTA BELLA: Steve Mason
WHISKEY BAR: Eric Verlinde & Friends
JEWEL BOX THEATER: Ev Stern’s Winter Jazz Workshop Preview Concert
2232 2nd Avenue, 7-9:30 PM, No cover, All Ages till 9
J & J Music and Broken Time Records Showcase
THURSDAY, JANUARY 31
JAZZ ALLEY
2033 6th Avenue
phone 206.441.9729
http://www.jazzalley.com
The Pacific Jazz Institute at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley presents the J&J Music and Broken Time Records Showcase for one night only. The first set will be a solo set from pianist Eric Vaughn. The second set will feature the Michael Owcharuk Sextet. Band members are Michael Owcharuk (piano), Nate Omdal (bass), Mike Hamms (drums), Jim Knodle (trumpet), Beth Fleenor (clarinets) and Jacob Brietbach (violin). Set time on Thursday January 31st is 7:30pm and doors will open at 6pm.
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Tuesday Jazz
The sun is out this morning, there is a chill in the air, and lots of great music to check out …
JAZZ ALLEY: Janiva Magness
TULA’S JAZZ ALLEY: Clark Gibson Quartet
NEW ORLEANS: Holotradband
EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE: Speak, with Andrew Swanson, Chris Icasiano, Luke Bergman and Aaron Otheim
SORRENTO HOTEL: The Omdal/Owcharuk Duo
IKEA RENTON: Ricky Kelly Trio
Golden Ear Award Pictures
The Jovino Santos-Neto Quarteto performs.
Paul Rucker accepts the award for Outside Jazz Group.
Read More
Golden Ear Award Winners
Trumpeter Thomas Marriott winning two awards for Best Northwest Jazz Recording and Northwest Jazz Instrumentalist and jazz drumming legend Dean Hodges‘ induction into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame were among the highlights at the 2007 Earshot Golden Ear Awards held Sunday night, January 20th at the EMP.
Brazilian pianist Jovino Santos Neto and his group opening the night with a set of music featuring Chuck Deardorf on bass, Mark Ivester on drums and Jeff Bush on percussion.
Latin jazz group Sonando was presented with the award for Acoustic Jazz Group and the Paul Rucker Quintet won the award for Outside Jazz Group.
The award for Emerging Artist went to bassist Jon Hamar who thanked all of his fellow nominees who he has had the pleasure of performing with.
Gail Pettis, who was also nominated for Best Northwest Jazz Recording, snatched up the award for Best Northwest Vocalist.
New York vibraphonist Joe Locke‘s performance at Jazz Port Townsend won the 2007 Northwest Concert of the Year award. This was the second Golden Ear Award for Joe Locke who won in 2005 for his performance at the Ballard Jazz Festival.
Two drummers inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame.
Dean Hodges, who began his career after graduating from Oscar Peterson’s Advanced School of Contemporary Music, is the elder statesman of Seattle drumming and has performed with nearly every artist imaginable.
Origin Records founder and drummer John Bishop was also inducted into the Hall of Fame for his years of performing and promoting the Seattle jazz scene.
Monday Jazz
Recovering from the Earshot Golden Ear Awards last night … here is a list of what’s happening tonight.
TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Vocal Jam with Kelley Johnson
Kelley Johnson and John Hansen are leaving for South America this week for a Jazz Ambassadors Tour. Be sure and catch their last appearance in Seattle for a few weeks tonight at Tula’s
TRIPLE DOOR MAINSTAGE: Cyrus Chestnut ** cancelled **
If you had tickets to this show, please call 206-838-4333 for a refund.
NEW ORLEANS: The New Orleans Quintet
Anything else happening tonight? Leave a post in the Comments and we’ll add it to the calendar.
Sunday Jazz
Tonight is the annual Golden Ear Awards at EMP … be there or be square!
2007 Golden Ear Awards
Awards Ceremony: Sunday, January 20, 2008
Featuring performance by Jovino Santos Neto Quarteto
and emcee Jim WilkeEMP/SFM at Seattle Center, 7 pm
325 5th Avenue North, Seattle
Click here for more info.
JAZZ ALLEY: Stanley Clarke
TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Garfield HS Jazz (3-4); Jay Thomas Big Band (4-7); Jim Cutler Jazz Orchestra (8pm)
TRIPLE DOOR MUSICQUARIUM: Sunday Night Salsa: Supersones
SERAFINA: Jazz Brunch with the Conlin Roser/Cynthia Mullis Duo (11am to 1:30pm); Jerry Frank, solo jazz piano (6:30pm to 9pm)
GRAZIE: Jam Session (6:00 – 9:00pm)
TWISTED CORK WINE BAR: Katy Bourne Quartet
located in the Hyatt Regency Bellevue at 900 Bellevue Way, Bellevue
Saturday Jazz
Saxophonist Pete Christlieb is in town, Portland vocalist Nancy King is kicking off a vocal series and you still have a chance to see Stanley Clarke tonight!
SHORECREST PERFORMING ARTS CENTER: Jazz It Up! with Pete Christlieb
15343 25th Ave NE, Shoreline, Show at 7:30pm
Tickets available at the door the day of the performance starting at 7pm.
For more information, click here.
BAKE’S PLACE: Nancy King with Steve Christofferson
Portland vocalist Nancy King kicks off Bake’s Place Visiting Songbirds Series. For more information, click here.
TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Jay Thomas Quartet
TRIPLE DOOR MUSICQUARIUM: Das Vibenbass
JAZZ ALLEY: Stanley Clarke
SERAFINA: Leo Raymundo Quartet with Sue Nixon
GALLERY 1412: apostrophe 13
GRAZIE: Lee Pence
EGAN’S BALLARD JAZ HOUSE:
7pm – Sunship, with Brian Heaney (guitar), Michael Monhart (saxophone), David Revelli (drums), Andrew Luthringer (bass), and Stuart Dempster (trombone, etc)
9pm – Hot’s Too, with French guitarist Cyrille Gosselin, Seattle singer Billy Brandt, Felix Sernius (sax), Bob Merrihew (drums) and Joe Casallini (bass) – From jazz to gypsy with stops in a Vegas lounge.
TUTTA BELLA: The Djangomatics
EMP’s JAZ IN JANUARY: JazzReach presents Stolen Moments and Subway Songs featuring METTA QUINTET and special guests
Click here for more info.
Diabate vs. Atomic
More from Paul de Barros’ Seattle Times column:
Promoters don’t usually present two competing shows on the same night, but Earshot Jazz executive director John Gilbreath was so excited by Malian kora (harp) player Toumani Diabate’s Symmetric Orchestra and the zany Scandinavian jazz group Atomic, he decided what the hell. Earshot presents both bands Thursday: Diabate plays at 7 and 9:30 p.m. at the Triple Door ($25-$30; 206-838-4333 or www.thetripledoor.net); Atomic at 8 p.m. at Tula’s ($14; 206-443-4221 or www.tulas.com).
This makes for a tough decision. In 2006, Diabate released “Boulevard De L’Independence” (World Circuit/Nonesuch), one of the most amazing albums ever to come out of West Africa. Produced by Nick Gold, who brought us the Buena Vista Social Club, it mixes delicate, showering webs of kora with warbling and wailing vocals, horns and strings playing funk, jazz, Latin and other African traditions.
Though West African groups like the Super Rail band have made great albums in the past, “Boulevard” isn’t just “Afro-pop.” It’s a brilliant new world fusion, like nothing you’ve heard.
Atomic is one of the best groups to emerge out of the Nordic jazz explosion. At the 2005 Vancouver Festival, the band played a quick-witted set featuring haunting textures and sinewy improvised solos.
Not part of Scandinavia’s often overrated club-beat “NuJazz” movement, Atomic is a fluid, post-mainstream band whose asymmetric yet rolling rhythmic feel recalls Ornette Coleman. The band features trumpeter Magnus Broo and saxophonist Fredrik Ljungkvist, both from Stockholm, with an Oslo rhythm section of Haavark Wiik (piano), Ingebrigt Haker Flaten (bass) and Paal Nilssen-Love (drums).
Friday Jazz
A lot of music happening tonight …
TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Hadley Caliman Quartet
EMP’S JAZZ IN JANUARY: Esperanza Spalding & Michael Shrieve’s Spellbinder
From The Seattle Times: Spalding — whose first name, significantly, means “hope” — grew up in Portland. She’s a feisty original who does, indeed, offer hope for the future of jazz.
HIROSHI’S JAZZ AND SUSHI: Reuel Lubag Trio
2501 Eastlake Ave East, Seattle
JAZZ ALLEY: Stanley Clarke
EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Far Corner, with Dick Valentine
9pm – Tony Grasso Saxophone? Quartet!, with Tony Grasso (trumpet), Dan Blunck (alto and soprano sax), Brian Kent (tenor sax), and David Johnson (bari sax , alto flute, didgeridoo) – CD release party!
SERAFINA: Kiko de Freitas, Brazilian duo
LA SPIGA: Gail Pettis, Randy Halberstadt, Michael Barnett
1429 12th Ave, 206-323-8881, 10:00pm
THE ROCKFISH (Anacortes, WA): Greta Matassa
LATONA PUB: Phil Sparks Trio with Matt Jorgensen and Arun Luthra (NY saxophonist)
6423 Latona Ave Ne, Seattle
Fantastic “Songbirds” migrate to Bake’s Place
From Paul de Barros’ Friday column in the Seattle Times:
Bake’s Place, the cozy Issaquah supper club recently picked by Down Beat magazine as one of the nation’s top 100 jazz spots, kicks off 2008 with a dandy new concept — “Visiting Songbirds.”
The series starts Saturday with Northwest favorite Nancy King and continues with a string of first-rate vocalists, mostly from outside the club’s usual Northwest reach.
Portland-based King is a legend among other singers and a familiar face on the West Coast. Recently, her international profile has begun to rise, with a live album at New York’s Jazz Standard and career nudges from the late Ray Brown and Karrin Allyson.
Click here to read the entire article.
Stanley Clarke at Jazz Alley
Stanley Clarke – January 17-20, 2008
Jazz Alley
2033 6th Avenue
phone 206.441.9729
The Pacific Jazz Institute at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley presents for four nights bassist Stanley Clarke, touring in support of his latest release Toys of Men. Band members joining Mr. Clarke are Ruslan Sirota (keyboards), Mads Tolling (violin) and Dennis Chambers (drums). Set times on Thursday through Saturday are at 7:30pm and 9:30pm. Set time on Sunday is at 7:30pm.
Bassist/composer Stanley Clarke was around at fusion’s inception, playing with Chick Corea, George Duke, and many others. While other performers might have muddied fusion’s waters with overindulgence and blandness, Clarke’s latest release on Telarc Records Toys of Men (2007) proves that it’s still very much a viable musical route. Throughout, there’s a balance of acoustic and electric instrumentation (Clarke even plays an acoustic bass guitar on some tracks), as well as moods both contemplative (“Back In The Woods”) and darkly funky (“Game”). The six-part Toys Of Men even reflects some 1970’s prog-rock influence. If you’re an older fan of fusion you will likely be as pleased as those jam/fusion band newbies.
Visiting Songbirds Series Starts This Weekend
Bake’s Place Visiting Songbird Series kicks off this weekend with a performance by Portland vocalist Nancy King.
Says owner Craig Baker about the series, “Well, Bake’s Place has always specialized in vocalists, but, with a few exceptions, like Freddy Cole and Rebecca Parris, we’ve had singers from the Northwest. But now with our increased seating capacity, we’re able to bring in national artists. We’re bringing vocalists from New York, San Francisco, and Montana, just to name a few places.”
Visit the Bakes Place website for a complete schedule of up-coming shows and the Visiting Songbird series.
Saturday January 19, 2008
Nancy King with Steve Christofferson
Bake’s Place
4135 Providence Point Dr. SE
Issaquah, WA 98029
phone: 425-391-3335
Thursday Jazz
Jazz in January is starting tonight … plus other great live music!
EMP: Tomorrow’s Pride: Roosevelt Jazz Band and Garfield Jazz Ensemble
7:00 pm, Sky Church at EMP|SFM, Call 206.770.2702
JAZZ ALLEY: Stanley Clarke
TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Sonando
TRIPLE DOOR MUSICQUARIUM: New Architects
EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Flora McGill and the Human Revolutions – “music from the inside out”
9pm – Snake Suspenderz
THAIKU: Tad Britton Trio
NEW ORLEANS: The Ham Carson Quintet
RESOLUTION AUDIO: Geoff Wilke, Steve Nowak, Bob Rothstein
5459 Leary Ave NW, Seattle, 7.30
ASTEROID CAFE: Tim Kennedy & Friends