Wednesday Jazz

January 23, 2008 / / No Comments

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

January 23, 2008 / / No Comments

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

January 22, 2008 / / No Comments

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

Concert Review: Jon Hamar CD Release at Tula’s

January 21, 2008 / / No Comments

By Cynthia Mullis
photos by Carolyn Caster

(A big congratulations to Jon Hamar for receiving the Earshot Golden Ear Award for Emerging Artist!)

On Wednesday, January 16th, I went to Tula’s to attend the release party for bass player Jon Hamar’s new CD Here After.  I have to say that it’s to its credit that Tula’s has eliminated blender drinks from their menu. And why, do you ask, is this suddenly an important revelation? Well, mainly because it would be an otherwise unfortunate place for an acoustic bass player to have a CD release party! As it was, there were no Margaritas and Pina Coladas to interfere with this quiet, intimate CD release party for bassist Hamar and his trio. Of course, the phone rang during an acapella bass solo, raising a slight chuckle in the audience, but I for one was grateful for the chance to hear Hamar’s music with little interference. As a result it was a very satisfying experience.

Wednesday’s audience was a modest but appreciative assembly of friends, family, students from Cornish and Central Washington University, not to mention a few bass players. On stage were pianist Dawn Clement and Byron Vannoy on drums. The three musicians were locked in and sounded like they’ve spent a lot of time playing together. Jon and Dawn had a special simpatico and Byron is a perfect complement to the two. Dawn and Byron are also featured on Jon’s new recording Here After, in addition to John Hansen, Jon Wikan, Hans Teuber and Dan Tyack.

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Golden Ear Award Winners

January 21, 2008 / / No Comments

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

January 21, 2008 / / No Comments

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

January 20, 2008 / / No Comments

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

Casey McGill’s Blue 4 Trio at Tutta Bella

January 19, 2008 / / No Comments

By Cynthia Mullis

Last Sunday, after being out in the rare brilliant sunshine of the day, I decided to go to Tutta Bella on Stone Way for dinner—I haven’t been in a restaurant with that many children since I ate at the Eckstein Middle School cafeteria on a break from teaching! It is a friendly, family oriented venue, perfect for dinner with the kids before heading into a busy week of school, work and activities. Of course, I have no kids but I dig the pizza and I was curious to check out the weekly gig of Casey MacGill’s Blue 4 Trio.

The Blue 4 Trio performs old-style swing jazz from the 1920s, ‘30s, ’40s and ’50s. I heard tunes by Nat “King” Cole, The Mills Brothers, Slim Galliard, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller and others who stradle the line between the jazz and pop standards of the day. The band consists of Casey McGill (piano, ukelele, cornet, lead vocals), Mike Daugherty (drums) and Matt Weiner (bass). All three musicians contribute to the three-part vocal harmony.

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Saturday Jazz

January 19, 2008 / / No Comments

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

January 18, 2008 / / No Comments

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

January 18, 2008 / / No Comments

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

January 18, 2008 / / No Comments

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

January 17, 2008 / / No Comments

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

January 17, 2008 / / No Comments

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

January 17, 2008 / / No Comments

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

EMP’s Jazz In January Starts Thursday

January 16, 2008 / / No Comments

EMP|SFM, in collaboration with Earshot Jazz, proudly present Jazz in January 2008, Jan. 17 through Jan. 20, 2008 at EMP|SFM. Performances will include some of the biggest names in local and national contemporary jazz including: Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band, Esperanza Spalding, Michael Shrieve, the Jovino Santos Neto Quarteto, Joe Santiago Afro-Cuban Jazz Ensemble, JazzReach, the Roosevelt and Garfield High School jazz bands, jazz film historian Mark Cantor and others.

The artists represented at Jazz in January 2008 are at the forefront of the jazz evolution, whether they’re just beginning their careers, seasoned performers educating the next generation of music lovers, or are music legends who have experienced a myriad of musical transformations over the decades.

Click here for more information.

It’s Wednesday!

January 16, 2008 / / No Comments

Tonight we have a CD release party and plenty of other live music.

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: JON HAMAR CD RELEASE PARTY
Bassist Jon Hamar is joined by Dawn Clement on piano and Byron Vannoy on drums for a night of music to celebrate the release of Jon’s new CD, Hereafter. The 2007 Golden Ear nominated bassist will perform original music from the new CD and a collection of his arrangements. The music starts at 8:00pm it is All Ages for the first set. {click here to buy the CD}

JON HAMAR CD RELEASE PARTY
TULA’S JAZZ CLUB
2214 2nd Ave, Seattle, 8:00pm, $10

JAZZ ALLEY: Joey DeFrancesco Trio

TRIPLE DOOR MUSICQUARIUM: Leif Totusek (5:30pm)

NEW ORLEANS: The Legend Band with Clarence Acox

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE:
6pm – Helen Chance
8pm – Vocal Jam with Carrie Wicks

THAIKU: Ron Weinstein Trio

VICTORY LOUNGE: Joe Doria Trio

WHISKEY BAR: Eric Verlinde & Friends

Tuesday Jazz

January 15, 2008 / / No Comments

Here’s what’s happening tonight:

TULA’S JAZZ CLUB: Roadside Attraction Big Band

JAZZ ALLEY: Joey DeFrancesco Trio

NEW ORLEANS: Holotradband

EGAN’S BALLARD JAM HOUSE: Nate Omdal Nonet, 7pm

OWL ‘N THISTLE: Bebop and Destruction Jam Session

Up-Coming: The Amber Tone at Seattle Drum School

January 14, 2008 / / No Comments

Thursday, January 17 – The Amber Tone
The Seattle Drum School
12510 15th Ave NE
Seattle, WA

8:00pm
$10 at the door; students and seniors, $5

Comprised of Cornish College of the Arts professor, Dawn Clement (piano), Jon Hamar (bass), Cornish College of the Arts students, Brad Gibson (drums), Clark Gibson (alto sax) and Eli Clark (trombone), The Amber Tone, celebrating a recently-released EP, is a contemporary-minded quintet that takes inspiration from the history and tradition of bebop, while placing focus on original composition.