A Mirror and Focus for the Jazz Community April 2016 Vol. 32, No. 4 EARSHOT JAZZSeattle, Washington 2015 Golden Ear Award Recipients Photo by Daniel Sheehan Front Row: Gregg Belisle- Chi, Ruby Bishop, D’Vonne Lewis, Josh Rawlings Second Row: Jovino Santos Neto, Randy Halberstadt, Emmanuel Leonard, Michael Brockman Back Row: Eugenie Jones, Raymond Larsen passIngs International Jazz/ Giant / Ernestine/ / Anderson / November 11, 1928 – March 10, 2016 Born in Houston, Texas, interna- World: Portraits of Black Women Who tional jazz great Ernestine Anderson Changed America, alongside Rosa passed away peacefully on March 10, Parks, Coretta Scott King, Sarah surrounded by her family in Seattle Vaughn, Oprah Winfrey, and others. where she had resided since the age of 16. “Ernestine was mother of Seattle’s Anderson’s career began in the early soul music,” said Congressman Jim 1940s, though she had begun to sing McDermott. “Mississippi had BB along with Bessie Smith records at King and Seattle had Ernestine An- age 3. Equally gifted at singing up- derson. Ernestine’s legacy remains beat, spirited blues, big band/swing, unmatched in Seattle’s music scene. and jazzy pop, her early career led She was a dear friend and will be her to sing alongside Russell Jacquet, greatly missed.” PHOTO BY KIP LOTT Eddie Heywood, Shifty Henry, and Anderson created many memora- Hospital and the Rise n’ Shine Foun- Johnny Otis. By the 50s, Anderson ble moments around the world and dation. had become a prominent jazz stylist in Seattle. She performed a tribute Performing with and mentoring performing with Lionel Hampton on to Ella Fitzgerald at Carnegie Hall, young musicians was a true passion the New York Club scene. performed with Billy Taylor at the for Anderson. She was an early men- Ernestine performed at the first and Kennedy Center, and added her voice tor for young musicians in the Seattle many subsequent Monterey Jazz Fes- to The White House first inaugura- Theatre Group’s More Music at the tivals. Prior to recording her breakout tion event for President Dwight D. Moore, and delighted in performing hit album Hot Cargo in 1956, Ander- Eisenhower. During the 1988 Kool with a mixture of young and seasoned son had also performed with a Seattle Jazz Festival, a crowd of over 10,000 musicians on the Paramount stage contemporary and fellow Garfield joined her at Marymoor Park for the again in 2008 for a Lifetime Achieve- High School graduate, Quincy Jones, last strains of “Never Make Your ment Award Tribute to Quincy Jones. who described Anderson’s voice as Move Too Soon,” and New Year’s Eve “Ernestine was a giant of the jazz “honey at dusk.” at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley became a community and a Seattle ambassador Anderson first recorded in 1955 much-anticipated event for the many to the world,” said Mayor Ed Murray. with bandleader Gigi Gryce. Record- years that she was the evening’s fea- “She represented the best of our city. ing two albums by 1959, she won the tured guest. Her work was a vibrant part of our New Star Award from DownBeat crit- Anderson lived a fulfilling life. Her community’s culture. I will never forget ics. In 1969, Anderson’s “He Says He devotion to family kept her in Seattle her performances and I feel fortunate to Loves Me,” recorded for the Sidney where she could be close to her be- have witnessed her artistry and genius.” Poitier film The Lost Man, garnered loved twin sister Josephine, who pre- Though her physical voice has been great international attention, mak- ceded Ernestine in death. stilled, the sound of her beautiful and ing her a highly in-demand singer. Her eldest daughter Shelley de- diverse vocal styling will continue to By the mid-1980s Anderson was cut- scribes her mother as “one of the most bring a unique kind of musical experi- ting sessions with her own quartet, generous individuals you could ever ence to listeners for decades to come. and her 1981 album Never Make Your meet, and extremely committed to Ernestine is survived by 3 children, Move Too Soon earned her first of four her city.” 8 grandchildren, and 4 great grand- Grammy nominations. Anderson routinely accepted invita- children, and a host of friends around In 1999, Pulitzer Prize-winning tions to perform at benefits for local the world. photographer Brian Lanker selected charities and causes. Her 70th Birth- Ernestine as one of 75 women to day Bash at the Paramount Theatre – Ed., courtesy of Vivian Phillips, on be featured in his book, I Dream a was a benefit for Seattle Children’s behalf of the Anderson family 2 • Earshot Jazz • April 2016 EarshOT JAZZ LETTer FROM The DIrecTOR A Mirror and Focus for the Jazz Community Executive Director John Gilbreath Managing Director Karen Caropepe Jazz Appreciation Month, Program Manager Caitlin Peterkin Earshot Jazz Editors Schraepfer Harvey, Seattle style Caitlin Peterkin Contributing Writers Halynn Blanchard, Sara Here at Earshot Jazz, we’ve been Jones, Andrew Luthringer, Jean Mishler, giving nods to the official Inter- Peter Monaghan national Jazz Appreciation Month Calendar Editor Caitlin Peterkin every April for some years: looking Calendar Volunteer Soohye Jang with one eye for new activities to Photography Daniel Sheehan mark the celebration, and with the Layout Caitlin Peterkin Distribution Karen Caropepe & Earshot Jazz other eye for a sign that anything volunteers has made much of a difference. If send Calendar Information to: the initiatives have raised the pro- 3429 Fremont Place N, #309 file of our favorite art form with the Seattle, WA 98103 general public here, the effect has email / [email protected] been subtle. Board of Directors Ruby Smith Love Still, with this April edition, our (president), Sue Coliton (vice president), publication marks major events in Sally Nichols (secretary), John W. our own community, both happy Comerford, Chris Icasiano, Danielle Leigh, and sad, that resonate deeply with hospitality, and thanks to everyone Hideo Makihara, Diane Wah, Viren Kamdar who helped make the event one of Emeritus Board Members Clarence Acox, our appreciation of the heart and Kenneth W. Masters, Lola Pedrini, Paul heartbeat of jazz. And our jazz com- the warmest community celebra- Toliver, Cuong Vu munity is absolutely tied to interna- tions we’ve held in a long time. Man, Founded in 1984 by Paul de Barros, tional jazz appreciation. that felt good! Gary Bannister, and Allen Youngblood. As you know, we sadly mark the And, speaking of awards, we offer Earshot Jazz is published monthly by passing of jazz great, Ernestine An- hearty congratulations to Laurie Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle and is de Koch, executive director of the available online at www.earshot.org. derson, a longtime Seattle cultural treasure, and a pillar in the pan- highly functioning non-profit, Se- subscription (with membership): $35 theon of our jazz legacy. Ernestine attle JazzED. Laurie is Seattle’s new- 3429 Fremont Place #309 est winner of the Jazz Journalist of Seattle, WA 98103 embodied the depth, excellence, and phone / (206) 547-6763 soul that define great jazz anywhere America’s “Jazz Hero” award. It is in the world. Through work that well deserved. Earshot Jazz ISSN 1077-0984 Things feel good out there this Printed by Pacific Publishing Company was entirely human and completely © 2016 Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle engaging, Ernestine was among the April. Sure, there could always be first artists to bring national atten- more gigs, more audience, more MI ss IO N S T A T emen T tion to Seattle as a serious jazz town. money, more recognition, and Earshot Jazz is a non-profit arts and service We’ll miss her, and we’ll see you at more time; but one glance around organization formed in 1984 to cultivate a the memorial celebration at the Par- Seattle’s vibrant and multi-faceted support system for jazz in the community jazz scene shows a lot to appreciate. and to increase awareness of jazz. Earshot amount Theater on April 9. Jazz pursues its mission through publishing a This month we are happy to wel- We’ll see you out at the festivals and monthly newsletter, presenting creative music, come the brilliant new crop of win- concerts this month, in celebration providing educational programs, identifying and ners of Golden Ear and Seattle Jazz of Seattle’s place in “America’s great- filling career needs for jazz artists, increasing est contribution to world culture” – listenership, augmenting and complementing Hall of Fame Awards from our re- existing services and programs, and networking cent awards celebration. Thanks to JAZZ! with the national and international jazz The Royal Room for some classy – John Gilbreath, Executive Director community. April 2016 • Earshot Jazz • 3 NOTes U Save KPLU Benefit Concert 6:30-10pm in Shoreline. Artists should CALL FOR ARTISTs KPLU 88.5 and the Pacific Jazz In- send their bio, as well as a CD or links stitute at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley have to online work samples, to director@ partnered to present a benefit con- northcityjazz.org by April 30. Jazz: The cert to Save KPLU on April 25. The 4th Annual Jazz Contest for event includes performances by seven Women Composers Second Century Northwest jazz artists and KPLU fa- vorites, including Gail Pettis, Anton Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra Deadline June 1 Schwartz, Lance Buller, and Greta (SWOJO) is now seeking submissions for its fourth annual composition con- Earshot Jazz seeks submissions Matassa. The evening will be emceed test. The winner of the contest will from Seattle-area individual art- by KPLU Evening Jazz host Abe Bee- receive a $400 honorarium, a live au- ists and ensembles for the 2016 son, with opening remarks by KPLU’s dio recording of her composition, and Jazz: The Second Century series.