Another big show this week, with a preview of the Bellevue Jazz Festival, old friends, and new friends.
And we also pay tribute to the community at Cafe Racer, the Seattle music community and the city at large as we try to make sense of and recover from the tragic shootings that have occurred this week. Hopefully the music can act as a cathartic, healing force and bring us even closer together in this difficult time.
If you like any of the music you hear, please support the artists and purchase their album by clicking on the CD cover.
- Wellstone Conspiracy – “Bye Bye Blackwell”
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From the CD Motives (Origin Records)
One of our favorite bands, Wellstone Conspiracy, has not one but two shows this week! You can catch them Saturday night at Tula’s and/or Sunday evening at the Jazz Vespers gig. These guys have developed a great group sound and repertoire, with Brent Jensen on sax, Bill Anschell on piano, Jeff Johnson on bass and John Bishop on drums. Here’s a tune Brent wrote for the great drummer Ed Blackwell.
Upcoming shows: Sat., June 2nd @ Tula’s & Sun., June 3rd at Jazz Vespers - Jovino Santos Neto – “Corrente”
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From the CD Current (Adventure Music)
Jovino brings his Quarteto to the newly reopened Bake’s Place this weekend. The new Bake’s looks and sounds amazing and will be a wonderful place to enjoy the work of these masters. Their new album is stellar, as evidenced by this track with Jovino on piano, Harvey Weinapel on sax, Chuck Deardorf on bass, Mark Ivester on drums and Jeff Busch on percussion.
Upcoming show: Fri., June 1st @ - Dawn Clement – “Alone Together”
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From the CD Hush (Conduit Records)
Dawn plays in a duo with Jon Hamar at the festival this year. She and Jon have been playing together in many different configurations for years and share a special rapport. This is a great opportunity to see them for free! This is a great reading of an old standard from Dawn’s first record, with Geoff Cooke on bass and Jose Martinez on drums.
Upcoming show: Fri., June 1st @ Bellevue Jazz Festival - Karin Kajita Quintet – “Ms. B.C.”
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Exclusive Unreleased Track
Pianist Karin Kajita performs in a duo setting this year at Lincoln Square. Her quintet with Tony Grasso on trumpet, Brian Kent on tenor, Clipper Anderson on bass and Ray Davis on drums has been together for over 10 years and have been honing their hard-bop sound as you’ll hear on this exclusive track.
Upcoming show: Fri., June 1st @ Bellevue Jazz Festival - Jeff Johnson – “Dream”
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From the CD Near Earth (Origin Records)
Bassist extraordinaire Jeff Johnson also leads a duo at the festival this year. He’s played with a veritable who’s-who of the jazz world over the years and we’re fortunate to call him one of our own in the Seattle jazz scene. This track is from one of his great Origin releases with Hans Teuber on sax and Tad Britton on drums.
Upcoming show: Sun., June 3rd @ Bellevue Jazz Festival - Human Spirit – “In Unity”
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From the CD Dialogue (Origin Records)
The core of the band Human Spirit is Thomas Marriott on trumpet, Mark Taylor on alto and Matt Jorgensen on drums. On their latest release they are joined by Orrin Evans on piano and Essiet Essiet on bass. The album was recorded at the Earshot Jazz Festival in 2010 shows the fire and spirit with which the band plays. You can catch that spirit at the BJF this year…don’t miss it!
Upcoming show: Sun., June 3rd @ Bellevue Jazz Festival - Andy Clausen Reference Frequency – “Versus”
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From the CD Racer Sessions Curator Compliation, Volume 2 (Table and Chairs)
We were saddened by the terrible shootings in Seattle this week and wanted to pay tribute to the victims, 3 of which were actively involved in the scene at Cafe Racer, home of the Racer Sessions for the last two years. This track from Andy Clausen’s Reference Frequency includes many of the regulars from that series including Andy and Willem De Koch on trombone, Neil Welch on soprano sax, Ivan Arteaga on alto sax, Andrew Morrill on bari sax , Corey Dansereau on trumpet, Dan Remme on french horn and Chris Icasiano and Evan Woodle on drums. There will be a jam session and memorial at the Cafe this Sunday. Please come and show your support.
Upcoming show: Sun., June 3rd Jam Session at Cafe Racer - Zony Mash – “Brand Spankin’ New”
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From the CD Farewell Shows – Seattle, WA (Kufala Records)
Zony Mash, featuring Wayne Horvitz on keyboards, Tim Young on guitar, Keith Lowe on bass and Andy Roth on drums, are spending three days recording a live album at The Royal Room this week with a killer horn section of Dave Carter on trumpet, Skerik and Briggen Krauss on saxes and Steve Moore on trombone. Should be a total blast to be in the audience as history is made! Here’s a live recording from the band from a number of years ago.
Upcoming shows: Thurs. – Sat., June 7th-9th @ The Royal Room - Tom Varner – “What Is This Thing Called First Strike Capability?”
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From the CD Jazz French Horn (Soul Note)
The jazz world’s preeminent french hornist just happens to live right here in Seattle. If you haven’t heard Tom Varner play then get ready to be blown away! This track is from an early record, released in 1986, and even then Tom’s chops were scary good! His quartet show at Egan’s this week will feature Eric Barber on sax, Phil Sparks on bass and Byron Vannoy on drums. This track includes greats Kenny Barron on piano, Victor Lewis on drums, Mike Richmond on bass and Jim Snidero on sax.
Upcoming show: Thurs., June 7th @ Egan’s - Julian Priester – “In Deep”
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From the CD In Deep End Dance (Conduit Records)
Trombonist Julian Priester is another real jewel of the Seattle jazz Scene. He’s played with the heavies, he’s taught numerous generations at Cornish College of the Arts, and he’s been playing more regularly of late. This week you can catch him with is working group of Dawn Clement on piano, Geoff Harper on bass and Byron Vannoy on drums with saxophonist Rob Schepps at The Royal Room.
Upcoming show: Tues., June 5th @ The Royal Room
The next four songs are by artists performing at this week’s Bellevue Jazz Festival:
See you in the clubs!
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