We’ve got a BIG show for you this week including news of a great triple bill, a couple killer large ensembles, some straight-ahead swingin’ and a special surprise at the end of the show…you’re going to want to make it all the way through this week, trust us. 
If you like any of the music you hear, please support the artists and purchase their album by clicking on the CD cover.
- Byron Vannoy’s Thread – “Loom”
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From the CD Thread (self-produced)
There’s a great triple-bill coming to a new-ish venue this week that’ll be a blast. Byron Vannoy’s Thread will be playing with our old pals Gravity and drummer Brad Gibson’s new band Poontet at the Rogue and Peasant, a new room in Fremont. This promises to be an awesome night of music, and it’d be great to have a big turnout to show the venue that there’s an audience for jazz in Seattle. To whet your appetite, here’s our favorite track from Thread’s release from last year, with Byron on drums, Jacques Willis on vibes, Dean Schmidt on bass and Thione Diop on percussion.
Upcoming show: Thurs., May 3rd @ Rogue and Peasant - Poontet – “Twilight”
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Exclusive unreleased track
Brad Gibson’s new band Poontet blurs the lines between genres, but only in the best ways! A vehicle for Gibson’s compositions, the band presents great sonic opportunities with a front line of Bryan Smith on alto and Scott Morning on trumpet, the dual guitars of Ari Zucker and Gregg Belisle-chi, and bassist Jason Gray. This exclusive track is a world broadcast premier from their recent Sonarchy taping.
Upcoming show: Thurs., May 3rd @ Rogue and Peasant - Tom Varner – “The Trilling Clouds”
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From the CD Heaven and Hell (Omni-Tone Records)
The Tom Varner Nonet returns to the Royal Room this week. If you haven’t yet seen this band, do yourself a favor and go! It’s filled with many of the Seattle jazz scene’s best players (including our esteemed co-host David Marriott, Jr.) and the book is filled with really cool compositions like this one. Players on this recording are Russ Johnson on trumpet, Chris Stover on trombone, Jessie Canterbury on clarinet, Mark Taylor on alto saxophone, Saul Cline on soprano saxophone, Eric Barber on tenor saxophone, Jim DeJoie on baritone saxophone, Phil Sparks on bass and Byron Vannoy on drums.
Upcoming show: Sun., Apr. 29th @ The Royal Room - Seattle Jazz Composers Ensemble – “Tunnel Mountain”
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From the CD Volume 1 (self-produced)
The SJCE teams up with the Karin Stevens Dance Company to present “Confluence/Influence”, an evening of composer/choreographer pairings. The four pieces that make up the program were created collaboratively with the composers and choreographers, resulting in cohesive pieces that have one vision. A crack band (again including our own David Marriott, Jr.!) will play pieces by Michael Owcharuk, Beth Fleenor, Catherine Grealish and Stephen Fandrich, danced by Karin Stephens, UMAMI, Amy Weaver and Khambatta Dance Co.
Upcoming shows: Fri. & Sat., Apr. 27th & 28th @ The Chapel - Ask the Ages – “Journey to Satchidinanda”
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Exclusive Unreleased Track
Ask the Ages is Greg Campbell on drums and percussion, Steven Bell on vibraphone, Brian Heaney on guitar, Kate Olson on sax/woodwinds and John Seman on bass. The are playing the WTF Festival this weekend. The festival is a multi-date, multi-city affair and aims to “offer up a venue and support for the creative class to gather, to conspire, to scream and shout, to speak out, speak to and possibly inspire.” Sounds pretty cool! Here’s an earlier version of the group with Heaney, Seman, Campbell and Matt Reid on trumpet playing a great Alice Coltrane tune.
Upcoming show: Sat., Apr. 28th @ Comet Tavern - Special OPS – “Demons Dancing Around His Pipe”
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From the CD Arm Me (Monktail)
Special OPS is another one of the wonderful bands under the Monktail umbrella. Their performances draw influence from contemporary chamber composition, small group jazz improvisation, electronic experimentalism, dark metal, and more. They love noise and are not afraid to use it! Featuring Mark Ostrowski on drums, Stephen Parris on guitar and John Seman on bass, and you can catch them at The Rat and Raven in the U District this week.
Upcoming show: Wed., May 2nd @ The Rat and Raven - Bernie Jacobs – “A Night In Tunisia”
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From the CD One By One (Pony Boy Records)
Bernie Jacobs is a terrific vocalist and reedman and a consummate performer. His shows are joyous occasions that’ll bring a smile to your face. You can see for your self at Boxley’s this week when he brings his quartet for a spin. His latest album features Randy Halberstadt on piano, Chuck Kistler on bass and Greg Williamson on drums.
Upcoming show: Sat., Apr. 28th @ Boxley’s - Jose Gonzales – “Wiliow Weep for Me”
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From the CD Jose Gonzales Trio (self-produced)
Jose “Juicy” Gonzales is another fantastic performer. He’s a pianist, vocalist, songwriter and entertainer and he’s bringing his trio to Tula’s this week. Another cat who brings some serious fun to his performances, Jose plays standards, originals and well-chosen pop tunes with his bandmates Dave Pascal on bass and Lionel Kramer on drums.
Upcoming show: Thurs., May 3rd @ Tula’s - Jeff Lorber Fusion – “Seventh Mountain”
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From the CD Galaxian (Arista Records)
OK, we promised you a surprise this week, and here it is! We’re playing this tune from Jeff Lorber because it features the one and only Kenny Gorelick on tenor sax. That’s right baby, Kenny G on Jazz Now! Seattle! Love him or hate him, Kenny is part of the Seattle jazz scene and we felt his shows at Jazz Alley were noteworthy enough for inclusion. We can’t remember the last time he played in town, let alone in an intimate venue. If you go, please send us a report! This tune also features Dennis Bradford on drums, Danny Wilson on electric bass and Paulinho Da Costa on percussion.
Upcoming show: Fri. – Sun., Apr. 27-29 @ Jazz Alley
See you in the clubs!
Dave P.: You recorded me at Greta’s April Workshop at Tula’s. Anxious to get and pay you for the edited disk. After that would like to see if you would be able to edit and combine my three performance disks. Thanks. Jim Weston