A Mirror and Focus for the Jazz Community January 2019 Vol. 35, No. 01 EARSHOT JAZZSeattle, Washington Kate Olson Photo by Daniel Sheehan LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR EARSHOT JAZZ A Mirror and Focus for the Jazz Community New Year’s Revolutions Executive Director John Gilbreath Managing Director Karen Caropepe Programs Manager Tara Peters Marketing & Development Associate Lucienne Jazz has always flowed Aggarwal comfortably in the dynamic Earshot Jazz Editors Lucienne Aggarwal & pocket between evolution Tara Peters and revolution; changing too fast for some, and too Contributing Writers Paul de Barros, Marianne Gonterman, Ian Gwin, Peter slowly for others. People Monaghan, Steve Peters, Paul Rauch, Josh will always love what they Rawlings, Jovino Santos Neto love—and that’s a good Calendar Editors Casey Adams, Jane thing. Jazz is expansive Emerson, & Caitlin Peterkin enough to accommodate Photography Daniel Sheehan hardliners in any one of Layout Tara Peters its many expressive styles, Distribution Karen Caropepe, Dan Dubie & whether in swing, bebop, Earshot Jazz volunteers free jazz, fusion, smooth, Send Calendar Information to: big band, funk or elec- [email protected] tronic—deconstructed or Board of Directors Danielle Leigh reconstructed. But, wheth- (President), John W. Comerford (Vice President), Jon Perrino (Secretary), Sheila er through evolution or Hughes, Chris Icasiano, Maurice James, revolution, it has become Chris Nutter, Gail Pettis, Ruby Smith Love, unusual to hear someone Diane Wah staunchly maintain that jazz can only be one thing—and that’s a good Emeritus Board Members Clarence Acox, Sue thing, too. Coliton, Taina Honkalehto, Viren Kamdar, The Earshot organization has a strong reputation of giving voice to the Hideo Makihara, Peter Monaghan, Kenneth revolutionary masters of jazz, believing that the art form best moves for- W. Masters, Lola Pedrini, Paul Toliver, ward by engaging its own perimeters. After all, Louis Armstrong didn’t Cuong Vu like Charlie Parker; and Ornette Coleman and Albert Ayler, even John Founded in 1984 by Paul de Barros, Gary Coltrane, actually made jazz people angry in their time, by opening exist- Bannister, and Allen Youngblood. Earshot ing structures to express deeper truths. Jazz is published monthly and is available One of Earshot’s first concert presentations, in 1986, was the pianist online at earshot.org. Cecil Taylor, an avant-gardist if ever there was one, and the organization Subscription (with membership): $35 has gone on to present many of the revolutionary thinkers of the music. 3429 Fremont Place #309 But Earshot has also steadfastly honored jazz history and its ongoing evo- Seattle, WA 98103 lution, especially by documenting and supporting the day-to-day, year-to- phone / (206) 547-6763 year building of Seattle’s incredible jazz scene. Earshot Jazz ISSN 1077-0984 I propose a New Year’s resolution as a solution to the revolution/evolution Printed by Pacific Publishing Company question. Let’s all resolve to get out to hear more live jazz in 2019. We can © 2019 Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle engage our own perimeters and get out to stretch our ears with live Seattle jazz in all its forms. MISSION STATEMENT Please accept the best possible wishes, from all of us at Earshot Jazz, for To ensure the legacy and progression a new year of good health, peace, prosperity, progress, compassion, and an of the art form, Earshot Jazz cultivates open sense of unity that celebrates our individuality and creative spirits. a vibrant jazz community by engaging Oh, and jazz! Lots of jazz. audiences, celebrating artists, and –John Gilbreath, Executive Director supporting arts education. 2 • EARSHOT JAZZ • January 2019 NOTES Seattle JazzED Girls Ellington Erskine (bass) for a night of grooves on Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival Project Headed to Swing Central January 10 at Tula’s at 7:30pm. February 22-23 Jazz University of Idaho, Moscow, ID Digitization Intern Wanted The Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival The all-girls, all-city jazz band has Earshot Jazz is seeking an intern to features over 400 student performanc- been named one of 12 finalists for assist with a magazine digitization es, a dozen world-class jazz artists, and the 2019 Swing Central Jazz com- project. Internships are unpaid and nearly 100 workshops, clinics, and petition, happening April 3–5 as part-time, but can be for course credit special exhibits. Lineup details to be part of the Savannah Music Festi- where necessary. announced soon. Visit uidaho.edu for val, running March 28–April 13 in Tasks include sorting magazines, information. Savannah, Georgia. data entry, and data verification. This marks the first time the ensem- Earshot Jazz 2019 Series Strong attention to detail and or- ble—comprised of female-identified ganization required and experience Earshot Jazz presents a series of students grades 9-12 under the di- with excel spreadsheets helpful. Please world-renowned artists beginning in rection of Kelly Clingan—has been send a letter of interest and résumé to early 2019. named a finalist. [email protected]. Upcoming concerts include: Kahil The prestigious three-day workshop El’Zabar: Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, and competition is led by pianist and On the Horizon Itamar Borochov, Omar Sosa & Seck- educator Marcus Roberts and features The 34th Annual Seattle Improvised Music ou Keita: Transparent Water, Sullivan an eclectic range of jazz educators. Festival Fortner Trio, Maxine Gordon, Maria Along with receiving instruction from February 6-10 Grand: Persephone, Tim Berne’s Sun the nation’s top educators, the ensem- Various venues, Seattle of Goldfinger, Satoko Fujii Trio, Rob- ble will have a chance to win the Jean First organized by the late Paul ert Dick & Thomas Buckner, Miles Elizabeth Faircloth award and $5,000 Hoskin (see In Memoriam, p. 5), the Okazaki’s Trickster, Paal Nilssen- to support their program. Seattle Improvised Music Festival Love’s Large Unit, and many more. SWOJO 2019 Girls Jazz Band (SIMF) brings together the most in- Tickets and more information will be Program novative improvisers from the diverse available soon at earshot.org. th scene. Now in its 34 year, SIMF is Write Earshot Jazz Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra the longest-running festival in the (SWOJO) presents its 2019 Girls Jazz United States dedicated solely to music The Earshot Jazz magazine reflects Band program, from January 23– that is completely improvised. and shares the many ways that jazz March 27. The program is open to girls Curious audiences can get a preview intersects with lives in the North- in middle school and above and offers of the festival this month on Thursday, west. Earshot Jazz is seeking submis- eight after-school workshop sessions January 17, 7pm at Neumos where sions from writers. Please email story with a special concert to cap off the SIMF presents Bad Luck + Crystal pitches, news, and announcements to course. All instruments are welcome. Beth & the Boom Boom Band. [email protected]. Members of SWOJO will provide Help the Jazz Around the Sound mentoring to help develop skills in jazz Biamp PDX Jazz Festival Calendar interpretation and improvisation. On- February 20-March 3 Various venues, Portland, OR line registration begins January 2 at Please email news and an- Christian Scott, the Aaron Diehl swojo.org. For more information con- nouncements about jazz gigs, con- Trio, Pharoah Sanders, Freddy Cole, tact [email protected]. certs, and community events to Patrice Rushen with special guest Er- jazzcalendar@ earshot.org. Featured Community Event nie Watts, Jovino Santos Neto Quin- News’n’Notes One of Seattle’s favorite drummers, teto, The Bad Plus, Kendra Shank, Tarik Abouzied, brings together North- Veronica Swift ft. the Benny Green Email news about Seattle-area jazz west jazz heavyweights Andy Coe (gui- Trio, and more. More information at artists and events for Earshot Jazz tar), Tim Kennedy (keys), and Damian pdxjazz.com. Notes to [email protected]. January 2019 • EARSHOT JAZZ • 3 IN MEMORIAM NOMINATIONS / / / / / S Samia Panni: A Tribute Nominations Wanted: 2018 By Jovino Santos Neto Golden Ear Awards The Golden Ear Awards cel- With the passing of the beloved radio ebrate the outstanding achieve- DJ, singer, percussionist, and Brazilian ments of Seattle jazz artists over music scholar Samia Panni on Decem- the previous year. Nominations ber 2, the Seattle music community for the 2018 awards are cur- lost one of its most important mem- rently being accepted. Please bers. email your nominations to Born in Bangladesh to a diplomatic [email protected] by family, Panni lived on different con- January 15. tinents, gathering cultural perspec- In order to preserve the integ- tives from Africa, South America, and rity of the democratic process, many other places before settling in please, no ballot-stuffing. The- of Seattle. She founded and was one of ficial voting ballots for the 2018 the hosts of the Brazilian music show awards will be printed in the Raízes on Saturday afternoons at KBCS radio for over 30 years. There, February issue of Earshot Jazz SAMIA PANNI BY JEANNIE BUMGARNER-BLACK and available at earshot.org. she introduced many artists to North- west audiences, championing new tal- settled and gave me some of my first Send us your suggestions for: ents while also paying tribute to the gigs in town with Beija-Flor. Panni great masters. was a support system for many other NW Recording of the Year: In addition, Panni was a founding musicians who moved to Seattle. With member, singer, and percussionist of her weekly radio show, she created and Beija-Flor (Hummingbird), a Brazilian maintained a worldwide community NW Acoustic Jazz Ensemble of the band that performed in many venues of musicians and music lovers centered Year: around our region over many years. in Seattle. We all mourn her passing, She spoke and sang in Portuguese with celebrate her life, and will remember a perfect accent, even though she had her contributions to art and culture.