Earshot Jazz is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization January 2021 A Mirror and Focus for the Jazz Community Volume 37, No. 01 Seattle, Washington Elnah Jordan Where She Needs to Be Elnah Jordan photo by Steve Parent Letter from the Director Now Serving Number 21! EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Happy New Year from everyone here at John Gilbreath Earshot Jazz! It almost seems like any MANAGING DIRECTOR glimpses of optimism for the coming year Karen Caropepe should be accompanied by a medal of valor MARKETING & DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE for making it as far as we have through the Lucienne Aggarwal EARSHOT JAZZ EDITOR battleground of 2020. We hope that you and Lucienne Aggarwal yours are safe and healthy, and are able to EARSHOT JAZZ COPY EDITOR discern at least a glimmer of light at the end Caitlin Carter of this tunnel. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS I believe that we’ve all stepped significantly Ian Gwin, Willem de Koch, Paul Rauch CALENDAR EDITORS outside of our “normal” lives in this past John Gilbreath photo by Bill Uznay Carol Levin and Jane Emerson year, and that may ultimately be a use- PHOTOGRAPHY ful process for many of us. While the global pandemic essentially forced us Daniel Sheehan to pull back into ourselves, the isolation and focus on the essentials of life L AYO U T provided the time and the platform for serious introspection. The killing of Karen Caropepe George Floyd and others at the hands of the police, and the justifiable, even DISTRIBUTION overdue, outrage those killings brought about, was exacerbated by a political Karen Caropepe, Dan Dubie & Earshot Jazz volunteers system that was modeling behaviors that seemed hopelessly self-serving and SEND CALENDAR INFORMATION TO: fundamentally out of touch with the world around us. Beyond mere food for [email protected] thought, it’s time for radical self-examination. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Like everyone, the Earshot organization took some deep hits this year. This Chris Icasiano (President), Sheila Hughes (Vice President), Chris Nutter (Secretary), Augusto past summer, we spent time as an organization taking apart everything we do, Cardoso, John W. Comerford, Maurice James, evaluating our component parts, and reassembling those program areas deemed Danielle Leigh, Gail Pettis, Ruby Smith Love, Diane Wah as essential. In the face of all of the things we couldn’t do, we focused on what EMERITUS BOARD MEMBERS we can do; for the art form, for our home community, and for the survival of Clarence Acox, Sue Coliton, Taina Honkalehto, the organization. We also examined our internal beliefs and processes—the Hideo Makihara, Peter Monaghan, Kenneth W. Masters, Lola Pedrini, Richard Thurston, Paul work we typically present, our vendor relationships, our board and staff, our Toliver, Cuong Vu collaborators—all through the lens of inclusion and equity. We set to making Founded in 1984 by Paul de Barros, Gary adjustments to our operations while holding closely to those things which Bannister, and Allen Youngblood. Earshot Jazz reflect and connect most organically to this community. is published monthly and is available online at earshot.org. Even with new national leadership and welcome shipments of vaccine, the Subscription (with membership): $35 shift from “pandemic” to “post-pandemic” is likely to play out through the 3417 Fremont Ave N, #221 entirety of this year. The past year has already been devastating to the artists, Seattle, WA 98103 venues, and related support systems for live music. Even those venues that (206) 547-6763 may be able to gradually reopen will be reeling financially. Meanwhile, the Earshot Jazz ISSN 1077-0984 Printed by Yakima Herald-Republic concert-going public is sure to be slow in regaining confidence. ©2021 Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle Our organizational vision for the post-pandemic process involves a necessary redoubling of our commitment to our home community. Our role has got to MISSION STATEMENT be that of a leader in kick-starting safe, public jazz performance, and stepping To ensure the legacy and progression up to provide more opportunities for Seattle artists. of the art form, Earshot Jazz cultivates As always, we appreciate any advice and support you may offer. We wish you a vibrant jazz community by engaging a safe and spectacular new year—a new year made better by the lessons we’ve learned, the work we’ve done, and the joy of reconnecting with community. audiences, celebrating artists, and supporting arts education. – JOHN GILBREATH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 2 EARSHOTJAZZ January 2021 NOTES COVID-19 best practices, including test- Changes For Jackson Street ing for both staff and artists, but also to Registration Now Open for Jazz Walk JazzED’s Virtual Protest The annual Jackson Street Jazz Walk provide socially distant fan pods—private, weatherproof, sanitized, viewing pods that Songs Project (JSJW), which was planned for 2020, has This rescheduled program is open for can accommodate small groups. Currently been postponed until 2021. Coinciding registration with classes running for a ten- the proposal is under consideration for with Black History Month, the JSJW week program between February 6–April permit approval by King County. will be aired as a streamed concert in 10. Open to grades 5–12, the program February 2021. The JSJW commemorates caters to students of all instruments, the musical legacy of Jackson Street and 4Culture Building For Equity: including voice, strings, and ukulele. is produced by singer, songwriter, and Cultural Facilities Grants Building for Equity: Cultural Facilities The protest songs taught include works producer Eugenie Jones. Details about grants provide funding for building, re- by Nina Simone, Marvin Gaye, Charles dates and artists are forthcoming. View modeling, and buying specialized space Mingus, Sam Cooke, and Bob Marley. jacksonstreetjazz.org for details. that houses and facilitates cultural work Students choose their level based on years in King County. A total of $1,100,000 is of experience. Tuition is on a pay-what- Randy Engstrom Steps Down Randy Engstrom, the director of the available in the funding pool. Grants are Office of Arts & Culture, announced early funded through a competitive process December he will be stepping down from that considers the project’s feasibility, his position at the end of January. Eng- impact on the community, and equity in strom led the department for eight years. development and construction practice, During his tenure, Engstrom worked to among other criteria. Cultural Facilities establish the Cultural Space Agency, ARTS grants are available to King County-based at King Street Station, and The Creative nonprofit arts and cultural organizations Advantage, a partnership with Seattle and public agencies with at least a two- Public Schools, among other programs. year operating history. The application Mayor Durkan announced the appoint- deadline is February 5, 2021, at 5pm PST. ment of Interim Acting Director Calandra For details visit, 4culture. org/grants/ Childers until a successor has been ap- building-for-equity-culturalfacilities. pointed. Engstrom plans to spend his time teaching, advocating for national arts and Chamber Music America racial justice policies, and spending time New Jazz Works Application Funded by the Doris Duke Charitable with his family. For more information, Foundation, Chamber Music America’s visit artbeat.seattle.gov. New Jazz Works program provides grants to U.S. jazz ensembles to create, perform, Safe & Sound Seattle SPC Safe & Sound Seattle, SPC, is a Social and record new works. Ensembles con- Purpose Corporation that was recently sisting of 2–10 members are eligible to incorporated by Jonathan Evergreen and apply; the new work may be composed three other artists/community organiz- by the ensemble leader or a member of ers in the Seattle area. Their goal is to the ensemble. Grantees will receive funds effectively use COVID safety guidelines to support them through the creation from the CDC to implement a plan to and presentation stages of the program. host safe shows that employ furloughed The grant period will run from July 1, event workers, pay musicians, fundraise 2021–June 30, 2024. Diversity, inclusion, for venues, and allow people a community and equity are a primary focus of the space to reconnect with the Seattle scene CMA. The deadline to apply is February in a safe, well-researched, and realistic 12, 2021, at 9pm EST. For details, go to way. They plan to use public parks to chamber-music. org/programs. host outdoor events, not only adhering to local and state guidelines regarding January 2021 EARSHOTJAZZ 3 you-can-afford sliding scale; free tuition is also available. Visit seattlejazzed.org/ protest-songs for details. GOLDEN EAR AWARDS Seattle Jazz Artist Relief Fund Update Nominations Wanted: 2020 Golden Ear Awards Last month, Earshot Jazz announced The Golden Ear Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of Seattle a new program that will provide direct jazz artists over the previous year. Please email your nominations by January financial relief to individual jazz artists 15 to [email protected]. most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the perennial favorites, this year we are asking for your help Thanks to the generosity of the Raynier with Special Awards. Please nominate those people or groups that you feel Institute & Foundation, Earshot Jazz will have made extraordinary contributions in this difficult year, perhaps through be able to make 50 $1,000 gifts directly a remarkable pivot in presentation, support to fellow artists, or new initiatives to individual artists in need. in education or collaboration. Earshot extends its heartfelt gratitude The official ballot will be available in February. to our community for your thoughtful responses to the Seattle Jazz Artist Relief Send us your suggestions for: Fund. It has been our honor to activate this fund and to support Seattle jazz NW Recording of the Year: artists in need this past month.