Tuesday Jazz

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Kelley Johnson Jazz Workshop

JAZZ ALLEY: Kenny Barron Trio

DEXTER AND HAYES: Tim Kennedy

THE NEW ORLEANS: Holotradband

TRIPLE DOOR MUSICQUARIUM: Trio Concept

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
6pm – Gregg Robinson student groups
7pm – Jump Ensemble
9pm – Michael Monhart (saxes), Dan O’Brien (bass) and Gregg Keplinger (drums)

Seattle Times: Spanish Harlem Orchestra gets people dancing at new Bellevue Jazz Fest

From The Seattle Times:

Things looked dicey Saturday evening for the Bellevue Downtown Association’s ambitious revival of the Bellevue Jazz Festival.

But at the eleventh hour, a wildly enthusiastic salsa dance crowd suddenly materialized for the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, the second-night main-stage show, in the downstairs hall of the Meydenbauer Center. The festival took place Friday and Saturday.

Couples dressed to the nines packed a temporary dance floor at the center of the room, stepping stately through cha-chas, mambos and danzones, or slow-dancing to a romantic bolero. A shout out from pianist and music director Oscar Hernández revealed a crowd from all over the Latin America and beyond — Colombia, Venezuela, Panama and Brooklyn.

Continue reading at The Seattle Times

Saturday Jazz

EDMONDS JAZZ CONNECTION: Kevin Mohogany with the Phil Kelly Big Band
410 Fourth Avenue North, Edmonds, WA
for more info, http://www.jazzconnection.org


BELLEVUE JAZZ FESTIVAL: Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Meydenbauer Center, 11100 NE 6th St, Bellevue, 8:00pm
for a complete schedule, visit: http://www.bellevuejazz.com/

10:45am – Langley Middle School Jazz Band (Bellevue Arts Museum)
Noon – Murl Allen Sanders (Lincoln Square Steinway)
Noon – Mt. Si High School Jazz Band (Bellevue Arts Museum)
1:15pm – Newport High School Jazz Band (Bellevue Arts Museum)
1:30pm – Karin Kajita (Lincoln Square Steinway)
2:30pm – Mycle Wastman (The Parlor Billiards & Spirits)
3:00pm – Overton Berry (Lincoln Square Steinway)
4:30pm – Victor Janusz (Lincoln Square Steinway)
5:00pm – Gail Pettis (Vertigo Lounge & Grill)
5:00pm – Jose Gonzales Trio (Cypress Lounge at The Westin Bellevue)
6:00pm – Seattle Repertory Jazz Quartet (Hyatt Regency Bellevue Wintergarden)
7:00pm – Greta Matassa (Vertigo Lounge & Grill)
10:00pm – R. Curtis & Soul Stay Shun (Twisted Cork Wine Bar)
9:30pm – Origin Records Jam Session (Rock Bottom Brewery)


TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Kelley Johnson Quartet

JAZZ ALLEY: Bobby Caldwell

GRAZIE: Blues Union

TRIPLE DOOR MUSICQUARIUM: Das Vibenbass

BAKE’S PLACE: Butch Harrison Quartet

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Karin Blaine with Karin’s band GROOVE DUDES: Kenyon Curtiss (guitar), Ken Strong (bass), and Don Berman (drums)
9pm – Owcharuk Trio, with Michael Owcharuk (piano), Nate Omdal (bass), Mike Hams (drums) and special guest Beth Fleenor (clarinets)
11pm – Alyse Black & “societe eclairee”, with AC Benden (acoustic guitar), Thomas McGregor (violin) and Juke Wyatt (upright bass)

HENDRIX LOUNGE: Chris Fagen Group

Hello Bellevue!

Today kicks off the big weekend for the Bellevue Jazz Festival.

From today’s Seattle Times:

SHO, Marsalis light up Bellevue
by Paul de Barros, Seattle Times jazz critic

Dominating tenor saxophonist Branford Marsalis and the infectious Spanish Harlem Orchestra — both Grammy winners — headline the much-anticipated revival of the Bellevue Jazz Festival this weekend.

The celebration officially started April 9 with a weekly series of regional acts and features more of the same this weekend — including Randy Halberstadt, Dave Peterson, the Seattle Repertory Jazz Quartet and Greta Matassa — in various venues. {click here to read the entire article}

Visit the Bellevue Jazz Festival website:
http://www.bellevuejazz.com/

Seattle Jazz Scene published a preview of the festival earlier this week, click here to read the story. View a complete schedule.

Friday Jazz

BELLEVUE JAZZ FESTIVAL
for a complete schedule, visit: http://www.bellevuejazz.com/

MEYDENBAUER CENTER: Branford Marsalis Quartet
11100 NE 6th St, Bellevue, 8:00pm

4:30pm – Randy Halberstadt Trio (Hyatt Regency Bellevue Wintergarden)
4:30pm – Janette West Group (Lucky Strike Lanes)
5:00pm – Dave Peterson Trio (Cypress Lounge at The Westin Bellevue)
6:00pm – Darren Motamedy (Vertigo Lounge & Grill)
8:00pm – Branford Marsalis Quartet – Headline Concert (Meydenbauer Center)
9:30pm – Origin Records Jam Session (Twisted Cork Wine Bar)


TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Susan Pascal Quartet

JAZZ ALLEY: Bobby Caldwell

TRIPLE DOOR MUSICQUARIUM:
5:00pm: James Baumgart Duo
9:00pm: Kiko Freitas

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Mark Taylor and Ryan Burns
9pm – Katy Bourne (vocals) with Randy Halberstadt (piano), Clipper Anderson (bass) and Steve Korn (drums)
11pm – CD release performance with David Haney (piano), Juan Pablo Carletti (drums), Dan Blunck (sax), Doug Haning (keys/winds) and Marc Smason (trombone)

BAKE’S PLACE: Bake’s Place Monthly Wine Tasting Event

GRAZIE: Blues Union

CHAPEL PERFORMANCE SPACE: Sun Ra Tribute Arkestra

SERAFINA: Fred Hoadley Trio

Seattle’s Roosevelt, Garfield top two at Essentially Ellington festival

by Paul de Barros, The Seattle Times

NEW YORK CITY — Roosevelt High School placed first and Garfield got second place at this weekend’s Essentially Ellington high-school competition, widely regarded as the Cadillac of jazz competitions.

Shorewood (from Shoreline) won an honorable mention.

Some had wondered if the Puget Sound area would sweep the contest this year; out of 15 finalists chosen nationally, five were local. No region has ever sent five bands to Ellington before.

Roosevelt won the competition for an unprecedented third time; by winning the competition twice in a row, it matched Garfield’s first-place repeat in 2003-04.

The rivalry between the two schools has played out on this national stage for the past decade — Roosevelt and Garfield also finished 1-2 in 2002 — and this year’s judges said the contest was extremely close.

Continue reading at The Seattle Times.

Thursday Jazz

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Pocket Change

JAZZ ALLEY: Bobby Caldwell

TRIPLE DOOR MUSICQUARIUM: The Floogies

NEW ORLEANS: The Ham Carson Quintet

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Johnny Butler Trio, with Johnny Butler (sax), Evan Flory-Barnes (bass) and D’Vonne Lewis (drums) – Roosevelt grad home from NYC
9pm – Ed Johnson and Novo Tempo – Original contemporary Brazilian-inspired jazz

THAIKU: Jon Alberts, Jeff Johnson and Tad Britton

LO-FI: The Teaching

ASTEROID CAFE: Tim Kennedy Jam Session

Wednesday Jazz

JAZZ ALLEY: Herb Alpert and Lani Hall

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Gale DuBrow CD Release Party for “Once and For All”

NEW ORLEANS: The Legend Band w/ Clarence Acox

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
6pm – Vocalists Fathia Atallah and Kim Rushing, with Darin Clendenin (piano), Chuck Kistler (bass) and Robert Rushing (drums) ($8 cover)
8pm – Vocal jazz jam session hosted by Carrie Wicks, with Nelda Swiggett (piano) and Joe Casalini (bass)

THAIKU: Ron Weinstein Trio

Matt Jorgensen +451 featured in new photography book

Philadelphia photographer Tom Priemon has published a new book of photographs entitled, “Inner Circle,” documenting a performance by Matt Jorgensen +451 at the Grand Illusion Theater in 2003.

“Inner Circle” with Matt Jorgensen + 451 is a visual music composition using the medium of Photonality. In Photonality the camera acts as an additional instument within the performance, moving in, out and around an axis.

You can read more about the book here.

Priemon has published a number of photography books featuring jazz musicians including “White Noise” featuring trumpter Cuong Vu.

Victor Noriega in Shanghai, May 20 – June 27

Pianist Victor Noriega is headed back to Shanghai for a series of gigs and to record a new CD entitled, “Shanghai Riot.” Noriega has started a blog to document his journeys which you can read by clicking here.

Also, Noriega will release a new CD for Pony Boy Records in mid-August entitled, “Fenceless.” This record features his long-standing trio with Eric Eagle (drums) and Willie Blair (bass) plus guest artists Jay Thomas (trumpet) and Mark Taylor (alto sax).

For more on Victor Noriega, visit his website at http://noriegamusic.com

Tuesday Jazz

JAZZ ALLEY: Herb Alpert and Lani Hall

TRIPLE DOOR MUSICQUARIUM: Rachel Bade McMurphy

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Roadside Attraction Big Band

NEW ORLEANS: Holotradband

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE: M.J. Bishop, Eva Tree and Anna Coogan – “One Show – Three Seattle Songstresses Swooning Starlight in The Round”

OWL ‘N THISTLE: Jam Session

Bellevue Jazz Festival returns this weekend

Driving through downtown Bellevue, it is easy to tell that it is a city in transition. “Out With The Old, In With The New,” seems to be the city’s new motto with new hotels, restaurants and towers sprouting up throughout the downtown core. But when rumors of the return the Bellevue Jazz Festival, which has been on a 15-year hiatus, began to circulate, it was obvious that the city of Bellevue is looking to preserve its past while moving forward.

“Bellevue is growing and maturing as a destination and we are asking ourselves how to make Bellevue memorable, [how] to be a cultural leader for the Eastside.” said Leslie Lloyd, president of the Bellevue Downtown Association and organizer of Bellevue Jazz Festival. “We have to do events like a jazz festival to broaden the horizons of our city.”

The new Bellevue Jazz Festival debuts this weekend with two spectacular headliners. Saxophonist Branford Marsalis performs with his quartet at The Meydenbauer Center on Friday, May 23rd. The following night, (Saturday, May 24th), Meydenbauer will be transformed into a dance hall for a performance by The Spanish Harlem Orchestra. Free dance lessons will be given prior to the performance so there is no excuse to not get yourself out on the dance floor.

In addition, there are plenty of free shows throughout the weekend featuring many familiar northwest artists. “We’ve got a real festival already. There are 22 free shows in 9 venues, all within walking distance of each other,” says Lloyd.

Music on Friday starts right after work at 4:30pm and runs up to the Marsalis show. On Saturday, the music kicks off at Noon and runs all day at various venues.

Both Friday and Saturday conclude with the Origin Records Jam Session, which will feature the trio of Bill Anschell, Jeff Johnson and John Bishop backing up various musicians and giving jazz fans a late-night hang to cap off their evenings.

This will be a great weekend of music for both the city of Bellevue and the entire Northwest jazz scene.

More information:
Belluevue Jazz Festival website
Buy Tickets
Complete Schedule
Directions

Complete Bellevue Jazz Festival Schedule

FRIDAY, MAY 23
4:30pm – Randy Halberstadt Trio (Hyatt Regency Bellevue Wintergarden)
4:30pm – Janette West Group (Lucky Strike Lanes)
5:00pm – Dave Peterson Trio (Cypress Lounge at The Westin Bellevue)
6:00pm – Darren Motamedy (Vertigo Lounge & Grill)
8:00pm – Branford Marsalis Quartet – Headline Concert (Meydenbauer Center)
9:30pm – Origin Records Jam Session (Twisted Cork Wine Bar)

SATURDAY, MAY 24
10:45am – Langley Middle School Jazz Band (Bellevue Arts Museum)
Noon – Murl Allen Sanders (Lincoln Square Steinway)
Noon – Mt. Si High School Jazz Band (Bellevue Arts Museum)
1:15pm – Newport High School Jazz Band (Bellevue Arts Museum)
1:30pm – Karin Kajita (Lincoln Square Steinway)
2:30pm – Mycle Wastman (The Parlor Billiards & Spirits)
3:00pm – Overton Berry (Lincoln Square Steinway)
4:30pm – Victor Janusz (Lincoln Square Steinway)
5:00pm – Gail Pettis (Vertigo Lounge & Grill)
5:00pm – Jose Gonzales Trio (Cypress Lounge at The Westin Bellevue)
6:00pm – Seattle Repertory Jazz Quartet (Hyatt Regency Bellevue Wintergarden)
7:00pm – Greta Matassa (Vertigo Lounge & Grill)
9:00pm – Spanish Harlem Orchestra – Headline Concert (Meydenbauer Center)
10:00pm – R. Curtis & Soul Stay Shun (Twisted Cork Wine Bar)
9:30pm – Origin Records Jam Session (Rock Bottom Brewery)

Jazz on a Steamboat!

A Summer Solstice Cruise on the steamship Virginia V with live jazz at sunset and a moonlit return is set for June 21.

We’re cruisin’ on the steamship Virginia V again, an early evening Summer Solstice cruise on Lake Union and Lake Washington at sunset and returning under a full moon. Live jazz by the Clarence Acox Quintet, light hors d’oeuvres and deserts included, cash bar, Saturday night June 21, 8-11 pm.

Co-presented by Earshot Jazz, Jazz After Hours and the Virginia V Foundation. Don’t miss this great night of jazz on the water aboard an historic steamship! For more information, see www.virginiav.org or call 206-624-9119.
$49 singles, $90 couples – Reservations are required.

Monday Jazz

JAZZ ALLEY: KELLY HARLAND CD RELEASE PARTY
with Bill Mays on piano and Chuck Deardorf on bass

JAZZ ALLEY
2033 6th Avenue, Seattle WA 98121
Reservations: 206.441.9729
http://jazzalley.com

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Vocal Jam with Kelley Johnson

NEW ORLEANS: The New Orleans Quintet

LA SPIGA: Darliene & Ryan

Sunday Jazz

THE NEW ORLEANS: ESB Trio CD Release Party

JAZZ ALLEY: Bobby Hutcherson Quartet with Special Guest Nicholas Payton

TRIPLE DOOR MUSICQUARIUM: Sunday Night Salsa: UCA

JAZZ ALLEY:
3:00pm: Garfield HS
4:00pm: Jay Thomas Big Band
8:00pm: Jim Cutler Jazz Orchestra

TUTTA BELLA COLUMBIA CITY: Steve Mason

TUTTA BELLA WALLINGFORD: Casey MacGill’s Blue 4 Trio

SERAFINA:
11am – 1:30pm: Jazz Brunch with the Conlin Roser Duo
6:30 – 9:00pm: Ann Reynolds and Tobi Stone, piano-sax duo

UNIVERSITY STREET FAIR:
Noon: Pocket Change

SURESHOT COFFEEHOUSE: Jack Gold-Molina Electric Trio
4505 University Way NE, 2:00pm

Saturday Jazz

BAKE’S PLACE: Ben Thomas and Tangabrazo

JAZZ ALLEY: Bobby Hutcherson Quartet with Special Guest Nicholas Payton

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Greta Matassa Quartet

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Wright/Grasso Quartet CD release party, featuring Rik Wright (guitar), Tony Grasso (trumpet), Ev Stern (bass) and Jeremy Jones (drums)
9pm – Paul Harding and the JuJu Detective Agency. with Bill Monto (tenor/alto sax, bass clarinet, Scott Linford (electric bass/vocals), Mark Walford (drums/percussion/vocals), Paul Harding (spoken music/small percussion)
11pm – Special O.P.S. – “Death-jazz” from the Monktail Creative Music Concern

FREMONT ABBEY: Charlie Peacock
Pianist and songwriter from Nashville, TN, 43rd & Fremont, 8:00pm

SERAFINA: Leo Raymundo Quartet with Sue Nixon

HENDRIX LOUNGE: Chris Fagen Group

GRAZIE: Lee Pence

This Week on Jazz Northwest

The Kendra Shank Quartet was in Seattle to play the Art of Jazz Series at The Seattle Art Museum this month. Highlights from the concert will air on Jazz Northwest Sunday May 18 at 1 PM PDT, 4 PM EDT on KPLU 88.5 in Western Washington. The program also streams to an international audience via kplu.org .

Kendra was born in California, played guitar and sang folk music in Paris and Seattle and migrated to jazz in Seattle where she attended the UW and became part of the Seattle jazz scene. A New York resident for the past ten years, she’s a regular presence on the NY club scene with her regular band including pianist Frank Kimbrough, bassist Dean Johnson (another former Seattleite) and drummer Tony Moreno. More than a singer with a back-up group, the Kendra Shank Quartet is an ensemble whose members share solo and supporting roles, and share the risk when the music takes them to the edge of free improvisation.

Jazz Northwest is produced by Jim Wilke exclusively for KPLU each Sunday afternoon at 1. It is also available as a podcast at kplu.org after the airdate.

(Click the soundclip below to preview this episode)

Friday Jazz

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Doug Miller CD Release Party
2214 2nd Ave, Seattle, 8:30pm
Reservations: 206-443-4221

JAZZ ALLEY: Bobby Hutcherson Quartet with Special Guest Nicholas Payton

JAZZ AND SUSHI: Kistler-Ranney Quartet
Hiroshi’s, 2501 Eastlake Avenue East, Seattle, (206)726-4966

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
7pm – Meklit Hadero, Helen Chance and Christina Orbe – Three great singers with indie blues roots! ($7 cover)
9pm – Trio Concept, with Neil Welch (saxophones), Luke Berman (bass) and Chris Icasiano (drums)
11pm – Marlee Walker’s Blues Jam, with Alice Stuart

SERAFINA: Kiko de Freitas, Brazilian duo

GRAZIE: Trish, Hans and Phil