Review: Jon Hamar Trio / Mark Taylor Quartet

October 17, 2007 / / No Comments

Review by Bill Barton

The second night of The Seattle Jazz Showcase had a relaxed, intimate feeling.

Bassist Jon Hamar led a wonderful trio with Dawn Clement at the piano and Matt Jorgensen on drums. Hamar’s composition “Oblivion” was a particular standout and featured a rhythmically ingenious and driving piano solo. Another brilliant performance was Dawn Clement’s lovely, melancholy arrangement of John Lennon’s “Julia.” Hamar’s solo had the resonant depth, melodic imagination and subtle power of Charlie Haden at his best: an impressive solo. The blend of this piece, original compositions by Hamar and one by Astor Piazzolla provided plenty of variety.

Mark Taylor’s quartet featuring Los Angeles-based pianist Gary Fukushima (making a one-night-only appearance in Seattle) plus bassist Jeff Johnson and drummer Byron Vannoy presented a multi-faceted set with Taylor on alto saxophone for a majority of the time and on soprano for one tune. His composition “After Hours” was particularly exciting. Each of the players had eloquent solo moments throughout the set.

All in all it was a delightful evening of music.

Wednesday Night Jazz

October 17, 2007 / / No Comments

A sampling of what is happening tonight. Got anything to add? Post it in the Comments section and we’ll add it to the post.

Tulas: Sonando
The Hendrix Lounge: Big Neighborhood
Jazz Alley: Janita
New Orleans: The Legend Band with Clarence Acox
Ballard Jam House: Vocal Jam with Carrie Wicks
Tutta Bella: Charlie Akeley
Thaiku: Ron Weinstein Trio

Tonight: Jon Hamar Trio / Mark Taylor Quartet

October 16, 2007 / / No Comments

Join us tonight at the Seattle Jazz Showcase for a double bill with bassist Jon Hamar’s trio, in support of his brand new CD, and saxophonist Mark Taylor with his quartet featuring former Seattle pianist Gary Fukushima.

Jon HamarTUESDAY – OCTOBER 16th beginning at 8:00pm

JON HAMAR TRIO
with Dawn Clement (piano) and Matt Jorgensen (drums)

Jon Hamar is a versatile artist who’s ability to find a tasteful, unique voice in any musical situation has made him a staple in the Northwest music scene. Hamar’s friendly nature, sense of humor and work ethic has kept him busy as a freelance bassist in multiple genres, composer and educator.

Mark TaylorMARK TAYLOR QUARTET
with Gary Fukushima (piano), Jeff Johnson (bass) and Byron Vannoy (drums)

Seattle based saxophonist, Mark Taylor, can be heard regularly around the area with the Jim Knapp Orchestra, Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, Mark Taylor Quartet, and various other groups led by Marc Seales, Jay Thomas, Steve Korn and others. Having performed locally with Carla Bley, Steve Swallow, Quincy Jones, Maria Schneider, Bill Holman, Lee Konitz, George Cables, Ernestine Anderson, Clark Terry, Jimmy Heath, John Fedchock, Ingrid Jensen, Chuck Israels, Eddie Daniels, Pete Christlieb, and others, Mark has established himself as an invaluable asset to the local music scene.

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

UP-COMING THIS WEEK:
Wednesday, Oct 17: Thomas Marriott’s Willie Nelson Project and More Zero
Thursday, Oct 18: Jay Thomas Quartet and Gail Pettis Quartet

Click here to view the complete schedule

Review: Hadley Caliman Quintet / Marc Seales Group

October 16, 2007 / / No Comments

Bill Barton has posted a review of the first night of The Seattle Jazz Showcase featuring the Hadley Caliman Quintet and the Marc Seales Group.

The Seattle Jazz Showcase series got off to an auspicious start Monday night, October 15, at the Seattle Drum School’s LAB Performance Space …

Hadley Caliman’s quintet opened with “Morning Cycle,” a Thomas Marriott original that has a funky hard bop edge reminiscent of the heyday of Horace Silver and his classic Blue Note groups. Darius Willrich’s witty and swinging piano solo had some oblique allusions to what sounded like Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King.”

…

It’s common for musicians to hit the stage running by beginning with an up tempo piece to get both themselves and the audience warmed up. Not so with this stunningly nuanced set from the Seales group. There was a long, introspective, deeply spiritual solo piano introduction that wended its way through a panoply of elegant and subtle variations on two traditional spirituals – “Bye and Bye” and “Nobody Knows the Troubles I’ve Seen” – before morphing seamlessly into Seales’ composition “Soft.”

Click here to read the entire review.

The Seattle Jazz Showcase Starts Monday

October 15, 2007 / / No Comments

Join us Monday at the LAB at the Seattle Drum School as we kick off the Seattle Jazz Showcase. Three weeks of the best of Seattle jazz starts with two Seattle legends, Marc Seales and Hadley Caliman.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 15th

Hadley.jpgHADLEY CALIMAN QUINTET
Hadley Caliman was described by Earshot magazine as “a living legend… the real deal… a gentleman of spirit, tenacity and dedication… with a powerful philosophy towards his life and his music.” Hadley recently retired from Cornish College of the Arts after teaching jazz there for 20 years. He performs in the Pacific Northwest and San Francisco and was inducted into Seattle’s Jazz Hall of Fame for 2004.

featuring:
Hadley Caliman – saxophones
Thomas Marriott – trumpet
Darius Willrich – piano
Phil Sparks – bass
Matt Jorgensen – drums

THE MARC SEALES GROUP
A noted pianist and composer, Marc Seales has shared the stage with many of the great players in the last two decades. For 18 years heís been a mainstay in the bands of bop legend Don Lanphere, with whom he has toured Europe and recorded half a dozen albums, most featuring Sealesí compositions. In concerts, festivals & clubs, his band mates in recent years have included Benny Carter, Joe Henderson, Larry Coryell, Bobby Hutcherson, Slide Hampton, Eddie ‘Cleanhead’ Vinson, Art Farmer, Jackie McLean, Clark Terry, Art Pepper and Frank Morgan.

Marc Seales – piano
Thomas Marriott – trumpet
Evan Florey Barnes – bass
D’Vonne Lewis – drums

The LAB at Seattle Drum School
12510 15th Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98125 {map it}
Tel: (206)364-8815
Tickets: $10

Review: Dave Peck at Jazz Alley

October 15, 2007 / / No Comments

Dave Marriott has a nice post about Dave Peck’s recent appearance at Jazz Alley with Jeff Johnson and Joe La Barbera.

Dave Peck and his trio with Jeff Johnson and Joe La Barbera came to Jazz Alley last week to work on their next live recording, and it was a real treat to be in the audience on Wednesday night. I’ve enjoyed Dave’s playing and compositions for almost twenty years, and this outing at Jazz Alley was no exception.

Read the entire post, click here.

Seattle Jazz Scene Featured In The Seattle Times

October 14, 2007 / / No Comments

Our website was recently featured in the Seattle Times talking about the launch and the Seattle Jazz Showcase which starts on Monday:

Gig-abyte: New Web site leads to jazz showcase
By Raina Wagner
Seattle Times jazz critic

Maybe we should just call October Jazz Month and be done with it.

The 2007 Earshot Jazz Festival is on the horizon (Oct. 19-Nov. 4), and as if that weren’t enough, a host of local jazz musicians have come together to present the Seattle Jazz Showcase, three weeks of concerts starting Monday and continuing through Nov. 1.

The concert series actually grew out of a new Web site, www.seattlejazzscene.com, said drummer Matt Jorgensen, one of the musicians behind the new endeavor.

“The jazz scene can get kind of fractured” in this city, said Jorgensen, who also co-produces the annual Ballard Jazz Walk. Through the new Web site, the local scene has a single venue that publicizes everything going on around town.

“And what better way to get the word out [about launch of the site] than to have a bunch of gigs around it?” Jorgensen asked.

Read the complete article at The Seattle Times

Live Jazz Saturday Night

October 13, 2007 / / No Comments

Here are a few things happening tonight in Seattle. Is there something we are missing? Go into the comments section and post your own announcements or send us an email at [email protected].

Tula’s – Greta Matassa Quartet

Bake’s Place – Dina Blade

Jazz Alley – Euge Groove

Ballard Jam House – Manghis Khan

Tutta Bella – Miles & Karina

Signal to Noise

October 13, 2007 / / No Comments

This news just in from Houston. Pete Gershon, Editor of Signal to Noise – The Journal of Improvised and Experimental Music, has announced that the current issue of the magazine will be available online as a free download for a limited time only.

Issue #47, split into two PDF files, is available until Friday, October 19th at:

http://www.zshare.net/download/41730039af6835/

http://www.zshare.net/download/41733586224c80/

#47 includes Howard Mandel’s feature article on Andrew Hill. In addition to jazz, STN covers non-idiomatic improvisation, EAI, electronica and a wide variety of improvised and experimental music.

Bright Moments,
Bill Barton

Full Weekend of Music at Bake’s Place

October 12, 2007 / / No Comments

Bake’s Place is featuring two shows this weekend. If you live in Issaquah or the East Side, or if you want to make the drive out there for wonderful music and food you will not be disappointed.

Friday, October 12th, The Butch Harrison Quartet
Dinner at 7:00pm; Show at 8:00pm

Butch has performed with well-known greats as Blue Magic, Billy Paul, Rufus Thomas and The Ethics as well as opened shows for Al Green, Aretha Franklin, the Jackson’s, Peaches & Herb, Hugh Masekela, Esther Phillips and Mongo Santa Maria. He also had the pleasure of singing “Lady Marmalade” with Patti LaBelle during her Seattle appearance in 2001. Butch has played with an elite group of Seattle artists such as Woody Woodhouse, Darren Motamedy, Korla Wygal, Michael Powers, Force Major, Shades and Society’s Child.

Saturday, October 13th, Dina Blade “To Marvelous for Words”
Dinner at 7:00pm; Show at 8:00pm

Dina Blade is a refreshingly natural singer with a great sense of time and swing who specializes in singing American popular songs from the 1930’s and 40’s.

For more information, visit http://www.bakesplace.org

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.

This Week on Jazz Northwest

October 12, 2007 / / No Comments

JAZZ NORTHWEST FOR OCTOBER 14, 2007 – 1PM
– Fall Fund Drive Edition –

Jim features his unique location recordings of the Lynne Arriale Trio, the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, Vic Juris & Corey Christiansen, and the Marc Seales Quintet playing festivals, concerts and club dates at various locations. Guests on this show include Clarence Acox, John Bishop, Matt Jorgensen, Gregg Miller and John Gilbreath, who tell us about upcoming jazz events and urge listeners to support Jazz Northwest and KPLU by calling in their pledges.

Pledge Online: http://www.kplu.org/

Kobe Jazz Queen Miwa Wakabayashi Comes To Seattle

October 12, 2007 / / No Comments

Miwa Wakabayashi, winner of the 2007 Kobe Jazz Vocal Competition, comes to Seattle this weekend for two performances.

Born in Yamanashi prefecture in 1977, Miwa grew up with great influences from American movies such as West Side Story, Sound of Music and Walt Disney films. Inspired by Whitney Huston and Janis Joplin, she started singing when she was a junior high student. She joined various kind of music groups and sang rock, pops, and gospel. In 2003, Miwa was deeply impressed by the magic of jazz. She studied jazz vocal with Takako Ueno and started performing at KOLN jazz club in her hometown, Fuji-city, Shizuoka. Currently she is showcased at venues in Shizuoka and Tokyo enchanting more audiences with her deep and soulful renditions.

Friday, October 12 – Hiroshi’s Sushi Restaurant
2501 Eastlake Ave E.
Seattle, WA 98102
6:30 – 9:00pm

Miwa Wakabayashi – vocals
Bill Anschell – piano
Chris Symer – bass
Greg Williamson – drums
Jay Thomas – trumpet, sax

Monday, October 15 – Jazz Alley
2033 6th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121
Phone: 206.441.9729

with: Bill Anschell – piano
Jeff Johnson – bass
Mark Ivester – drums

Bill Frisell Joins The Caravan On Friday

October 12, 2007 / / No Comments

Tune in Friday, October 12, from 9:00am – Noon, as guitarist Bill Frisell and poet Paul Harding join host John Gilbreath on the special pledge-drive edition of the Caravan on KBCS 91.3fm.

As Gilbreath said in an email:

It should be interesting. Bill doesn’t talk all that much, and Paul doesn’t keep still.

Call in and Pledge Your Support to KBCS if you can. KBCS plays a tremendous amount of regional artists on their jazz shows.

KBCS
425-564-5000
http://kbcs.fm

Daniel Barry CD Review

October 11, 2007 / / No Comments

Daniel Barry’s new CD, Walk All Ways (OA2 Records), was recently reviewed at AllAboutJazz.com

“The music this globally borderless chamber-like group makes can sound old world, folk song European one moment—with its sweet, expansive accordion washes dancing with the more succinct violin notes on “Nini’s Dream”—or darkly South American the next, on “La Folia Lando,” that opens with a despondent bass clarinet cry in front of an accordion drone, later joined by the rich cello tone and the low resonance, knock-on-the door sound of the Peruvian cajon behind Barry’s tangy-yet melancholic cornet rumination.”

Read the complete review at:
AllAboutJazz.com

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

Wednesday Night In Columbia City

October 10, 2007 / / No Comments

Tonight the Hendrix Lounge is featuring the guitar stylings of David White and his trio featuring Doug Miller on bass and Steve Korn on drums. If you haven’t made it down to the Hendrix Lounge yet you are in for a treat. It is an intimate room located in the lobby of the Columbia City Theater and features jazz every wednesday from Origin Records.

THE HENDRIX LOUNGE AT THE COLUMBIA CITY THEATER
4916 Rainier Avenue South, Seattle, WA {map it}
(206) 723-0088
Music starts at 8:00pm
Admission: $5.00

Located next door is Tutta Bella, which doesn’t list tonights group on their website, but they usually have jazz during dinner … so grab a bite at Tutta Bella and then head over to the Hendrix Lounge.

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.

Great Day In Seattle Photos Go On Sale

October 9, 2007 / / No Comments

GreatDay.jpgOn May 6th, 2007 nearly 300 local jazz musicians met on the steps of Seattle’s City Hall for a photograph in the spirit of Art Kane’s 1958 “A Great Day in Harlem.”

Pulitzer-Prize winning photographer Daniel Sheehan captured the event as the musicians who cross jazz music’s many generational and stylistic boundaries were photographed together for the first time in Seattle’s legendary jazz music history.

A very limited number of signed prints (by all involved in the photo) can be purchased through special arrangement.

All proceeds of sales will be donated to The MusicCares Foundation, which provides a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need. The MusiCares Foundation is an affiliated charitable entity of The Recording Academy.

To purchase a poster, please visit the Great Day In Seattle Website.

KBCS Pledge Drive

October 9, 2007 / / No Comments

It is Fall Pledge Drive time at KBCS 91.3fm. Show your support for one of Seattle’s jazz radio station and call today with a pledge at any amount.

KBCS’ Drive Time Jazz schedule is heavy on Northwest jazz artists and their new CDs so make sure to tune in every weekday from 7-9am.

For more information, visit http://kbcs.fm