Ahamefule J. Oluo Photo by Daniel Sheehan
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A Mirror and Focus for the Jazz Community December 2012 Vol. 28, No. 12 EARSHOT JAZZSeattle, Washington Ahamefule J. Oluo Photo by Daniel Sheehan. LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR EARSHOT JAZZ A Mirror and Focus for the Jazz Community Happy Holidays and thanks to all for another fascinating year at Ear- Executive Director John Gilbreath shot Jazz. Managing Director Karen Caropepe Man, time flies! This can’t be the end of another year already! Some Earshot Jazz Editor Schraepfer Harvey cosmic drummer must be rushing Contributing Writers Gregory Brusstar, Steve the tempo. We still have so much Griggs, Fred Kellogg, Sam Landsman, Peter work to do, and so much great mu- Monaghan, Brady Somers, Sarah Thomas sic to check out. Calendar Editor Schraepfer Harvey December always seems like an JOHN GILBREATH BY BILL UZNAY Calendar Volunteer Tim Swetonic anniversary month for this organi- Photography Daniel Sheehan zation. The first issue of the Earshot munity. We’ve mourned the loss Layout Karen Caropepe newsletter was published in De- of jazz activists and celebrated the Distribution Karen Caropepe and volunteers arrival of new players. We are enor- cember 1984, and my tenure as ex- Send Calendar Information to: mously grateful to everyone who ecutive director started in Decem- 3429 Fremont Place N, #309 ber of 1991. Of course, December has had a part. Seattle, WA 98103 also marks the annual concert of I offer my profound gratitude to fax / (206) 547-6286 the Sacred Music of Duke Elling- Karen Caropepe, Managing Direc- email / [email protected] ton, featuring the Seattle Repertory tor here at Earshot Jazz and newest Board of Directors Richard Thurston Jazz Orchestra and special guests, a candidate for Jazz Saint. Thanks, (president), Femi Lakeru (vice-president), Seattle holiday tradition now in its too, to Schraepfer Harvey, Editor of Renee Staton (treasurer), Hideo Makihara (secretary), Clarence Acox, Bill Broesamle, 24th year. this magazine (though I’ve forbid- den him to edit out this part), Pro- George Heidorn, Kenneth W. Masters, Lola This December issue of Earshot Pedrini, Paul Toliver, Cuong Vu Jazz gives us an opportunity to look duction Manager for the festival, and general beast of burden for the back at the recent festival through Earshot Jazz is published monthly by the creative lens of eyeshotjazz. Earshot organization. The phenom- Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle and is com’s Daniel Sheehan, who also enal amount of hard work and great available online at www.earshot.org. captured photos to accompany the spirit these two have given is way above and beyond the call of duty. Subscription (with membership): $35 preview of interesting new work by 3429 Fremont Place #309 It was also a pleasure to have Fred Seattle artist Ahamefule J. Oluo. Seattle, WA 98103 We’ll also preview some upcoming Gilbert back in the fold for this phone / (206) 547-6763 Earshot events, check in with a cou- year’s festival. fax / (206) 547-6286 Thanks to all of the artists and ple of our community collaborators, Earshot Jazz ISSN 1077-0984 audience members, schools and review some recent recordings, and Printed by Pacific Publishing Company catch up with a few of our talented students, volunteers and sponsors, © 2012 Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle former residents, now living in New clubs and concert halls, individuals York. and organizations, doers and think- In this past year, we’ve present- ers who have supported jazz in any MISSION STATEMENT ed nearly 100 concerts under the way in this community. Don’t be Earshot Jazz is a non-profit arts and service bashful about offering your sug- organization formed in 1984 to cultivate a Earshot Jazz banner, created and support system for jazz in the community distributed 72,000 copies of this gestions about how this organiza- tion can better serve the Seattle and to increase awareness of jazz. Earshot newsletter, collaborated with many Jazz pursues its mission through publishing a Seattle cultural and educational jazz community. We look forward monthly newsletter, presenting creative music, to abundant New Jazz in the New providing educational programs, identifying and institutions in support of jazz, and filling career needs for jazz artists, increasing given witness to hundreds of bril- Year. – John Gilbreath listenership, augmenting and complementing liant artists, from around the world existing services and programs, and networking and around our own vibrant com- Executive Director with the national and international jazz community. 2 • EARSHOT JAZZ • December 2012 NOTES Nominations Wanted: 2012 Golden small ensemble music. Earshot Jazz cember 13. For more information and Ear Awards and Seattle artists participated in the application materials, call Irene Go- The Golden Ear Awards recognize survey. The report is available online at mez at (206) 684-7310 or visit seattle. and celebrate the outstanding achieve- www.chamber-music.org/jazz-report/ gov/arts/funding/youth_arts.asp. ments of the previous year in Se- index.html. Seattle Chamber of Commerce City attle jazz. Nominations for the 2012 Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs of Music App awards are currently being accepted. Youth Funding Available The Seattle Chamber’s City of Music Please email nominations to nomina- Youth Arts is an annual funding pro- partnership premieres a City of Mu- [email protected] by January 11, gram by Seattle’s public office of arts sic mobile app that brings together 2013. The ballot for the 2012 awards and culture. The aim of Youth Arts streaming local music channels, con- will be available in the February issue funding is to provide arts education in cert calendars and other content that of this publication and at www.ear- city neighborhoods beyond the regular serves as a window into Seattle’s music shot.org. school day, with priority to youth or scene. The app is an initiative from the CMA Report on Jazz communities with limited or no access City of Music partners in broadening Chamber Music America recently to the arts. awareness of the economic impact of published National Conversations Funds and technical assistance from music and enhancing the climate for with the Jazz Field, a report compiled the program help experienced teach- the local music industry. Check it out from surveys of local and national per- ing artists lead training programs and at cityofmusic.com/mobile-app. spectives of cultural environments and projects in all arts disciplines. The economic conditions affecting jazz and grant application is available on De- CONTINUED ON PAGE 22 IN ONE EAR Composers Spotlight November Jazz Radio Late Sundays and prime-time Mon- Jack Straw Productions and Wash- In addition to its weekday NPR and days on 91.3 KBCS feature Floatation ington Composers Forum presented late-night and prime-time jazz pro- Device with John Seman and Jona- pianist Bill Anschell, November 14, grams, 88.5 KPLU hosts Saturday Jazz than Lawson; Straight, No Chaser with new works by the pianist for Matinee, Jazz Sunday Side Up, Marian with David Utevsky; Giant Steps with electronics. Anschell talked about his McPartland’s Piano Jazz, Ken Wiley’s John Pai. More about jazz on KBCS experimenting with the possibilities the Art of Jazz and Jim Wilke’s Jazz at kbcs.fm. of electronic and computer-generated After Hours and Jazz Northwest. Jazz Saturday’s at 7pm, Amanda Wilde’s music and about his explorations of its Northwest, Sundays, 1pm, features the The Swing Years and Beyond features rhythms and textures. artists and events of the regional jazz popular music from the 1920s to the 1950s. More at kuow.org/swing_years. Pony Boy Records Jazz & Sushi scene. For JazzNW program informa- tion, see jazznw.org. For KPLU’s full php. Hiroshi’s restaurant, on Eastlake Ave jazz schedule, see kplu.org/schedule. Jam Session News E, is moving as an expanded catering Late-night Sundays on 90.3 KEXP The next Prohibition Grill session, kitchen. November 30 was a salute to features Jazz Theater with John Gil- hosted by Bob Strickland, is Decem- Hiroshi with Jay Thomas, Carolyn breath and Sonarchy, a live-perfor- ber 16. Recent sessions have been can- Graye, Tim Kennedy, Michael Bar- mance broadcast from the Jack Straw celled due to a kitchen fire at the res- nett, Greg Williamson, plus guests. Productions studio, produced by taurant. Stay tuned for future Jazz & Sushi Doug Haire. Full schedule informa- Send session news and anecdotes to nights. tion is available at kexp.org and jack- [email protected]. straw.org. December 2012 • EARSHOT JAZZ • 3 PROFILE Ahamefule Oluo: Stitching a Story Now I’m Fine Friday, December 9, 7:30pm Town Hall Seattle 1119 Eighth Ave By Steve Griggs “This place feels haunted at two in the morning,” composer, mu- sician and comedian Ahamefule Oluo says. He sits center stage at a Steinway grand piano, under Town Hall’s stained-glass cu- pola, surrounded by concentric semicircles of original, century- old wooden benches that slope up and away from the stage like an ancient Greek or Roman am- phitheater. He plays and medi- tates on musical themes, getting to know how the space reacts to his pieces and thinking about the stage setup. AHAMEFULE J. OLUO PHOTO BY DANIEL SHEEHAN. “Here, I have the time to in- tegrate the performance space. The brass ensemble includes trumpet- was diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson Usually you just have to rush through ers Samantha Boshnack, Scott Morn- syndrome (progressive toxic epider- a sound check. I even know where the ing, Bill Jones, French horn player mal necrolysis) and lost skin around light switches are,” Oluo says. “I can do Josiah Boothby, trombonists Nathan my mouth, hands, feet, fingernails, something that is only possible here. I Vetter, Naomi Siegel and tuba player toenails and inside my eyelids.