Episode 3 is the first installment of our four-week preview of the Earshot Jazz Festival. Now in its 22nd year, the Earshot Fest is one of the most diverse and well respected jazz festivals in the nation. There are over 50 concerts and events during its three-week run that touch on just about every corner of the jazz world.
This year there seems to be even more Seattle artists included than in previous years, which is great for us and great for the Seattle jazz scene in general. So we decided to play as many of them as we can during the run of the festival. Each Friday’s show will feature the Seattle artists that are playing during the coming week. We hope you’ll hear some artists you like and then go check out their shows!
As always, if you like any of the music you hear, you can also support the artists by purchasing their album by clicking on the CD cover.
- Richard Cole – “J & J”
From the CD Inner Mission on Origin Records
Richard Cole has put out a number of great CD’s on Origin over the last few years. He has a big, crisp tenor sound and tears through a few fleet choruses on this original tune. The rhythm section of John Hansen on piano, Jon Hamar on bass and Matt Jorgensen on drums keeps the tune cooking along, and the inclusion of Cole’s longtime friend Randy Brecker on trumpet is a welcome addition. Brecker is in fine form and his laser-sharp trumpet tone fits perfectly with the tune.
Upcoming show: Oct. 20th @ Tula’s (CD Release Party) - Jay Thomas – “Summer Serenade”
Click to Buy
From the CD Continued in the Underground on C.U.G. Jazz
The Continued in the Underground Jazz Orchestra was formed in 1989 by tenor player Yasuhiro Kohama and features some of Japan’s finest players. Also present are a few Seattle standouts, including trumpeter Jay Thomas and your Jazz Now! Seattle co-host David Marriott on trombone. The band performed to rave reviews at the 2001 Earshot Fest. Here they perform a great arrangement of one of Benny Carter’s tunes that was done by Milt Kleeb, which is a feature for Jay on flugelhorn.
Upcoming show: Oct. 16th Jay Thomas: Tribute to Milt Kleeb @ Tula’s - David Haney & Julian Priester – “Pt. 2 – Variation on a Theme for Ota”
Click to Buy
From the CD Ota Benga of the Batwa on CIMP Records
Haney and Priester have been making music as a duo for many years and have 5 CD’s to their name so far. This one was name one of the Top 10 CD’s of 2007 by Coda Magazine. The session was led by Haney, who would give Priester a few words about each piece before the record button was pushed, and away they would go! You can hear them listening and reacting to each other throughout.
Upcoming show: Oct. 21 @ Chapel Performance Space - Nelda Swiggett – “No Tattoo”
Click to Buy
From the CD This Time on OA2 Records
Nelda does it all – she’s a composer, arranger and player of big band, Latin and small-group jazz. This Time is her third CD as a leader and her first in the trio format. The setting really allows her compositions and playing to shine, along with the playing of her bandmates, Chris Symer on bass and Byron Vannoy on drums. The trio manages to sound fluid while remaining tightly glued to each other. That’s what happens when you put three masters in a room together!
Upcoming show: Oct. 21 @ Tula’s - Chad McCullough/Michal Vanoucek – “When The Sky Cries”
Click to Buy
From the CD The Sky Cries on Origin Records
Seattle trumpeter Chad McCullough joins with Slovakian pianist Michal Vanoucek on this disc that ranges from hard swingers (like this tune) to more free and impressionistic fare. Throughout is it clear that these two and their band (Mark Taylor on alto, Dave Captein on bass and Matt Jorgensen on drums) are intent exploring and uncovering new ground. They played this material live in The Hague and the Pacific Northwest before hitting the studio and it shows!
Upcoming show: Oct. 14 The Kora Band (w/Chad) @ Tula’s
Click to Buy
That’s it for our preview of Earshot’s week one Seattle contingent. We hope you enjoyed the music and will get out to see these and all the other bands performing at the festival. You’ll find the full schedule here.
We’ll be back on Oct. 22 to give you a preview of week two’s Seattle artists, which includes Wellstone Conspiracy, Jay Clayton, Dawn Clement, Matt Jorgensen, Dave Peck and more!
J&J theme song written by Richard Cole?