June 2015 Vol
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
A Mirror and Focus for the Jazz Community June 2015 Vol. 31, No. 06 EARSHOT JAZZSeattle, Washington Morgan Gilkeson & Adriana Giordano: New Faces of Seattle Jams Photo by Daniel Sheehan 2 • Earshot Jazz • June 2015 EaRSHOT JAZZ LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR A Mirror and Focus for the Jazz Community Executive Director John Gilbreath Money Makes the World Go ‘Round Managing Director Karen Caropepe Programs Assistant Caitlin Peterkin Artists make the art go ‘round. And Earshot Jazz Editors Schraepfer Harvey, art, for most of us, makes life worth Caitlin Peterkin living. Contributing Writers Halynn Blanchard, The issue of artist compensation Levi Gillis, Jeff Janeczko, Bryan Lineberry, has come to the forefront again here Andrew Luthringer, Peter Monaghan in Seattle, and much of the dialogue Calendar Editor Schraepfer Harvey seems to be centered around working Calendar Volunteer Tim Swetonic jazz musicians. Lists are being made, Photography Daniel Sheehan discussions held, and names being Layout Caitlin Peterkin called. Politicians and city offices are Distribution Dan Wight and volunteers showing public support for our art- their pocket, and that the musician’s send Calendar Information to: ists, no doubt while also supporting talented hand is just one more. email [email protected] or the revenue-producing infrastructure But battle lines are sometimes too go to www.earshot.org/Calendar/data/ of our growing city of music. gigsubmit.asp to submit online easily drawn into bi-polar, “us vs. Though the population and econ- them” camps. I would like to propose Board of Directors Ruby Smith Love omy here are in obvious “boom” (president), Diane Wah (vice president), Sally that we all take responsibility, and Nichols (secretary), Sue Coliton, John W. mode, the sad truth is that already- become personally active in this is- Comerford, Chris Icasiano, Hideo Makihara, pathetic artist compensation has ac- sue. If art really does make life worth Viren Kamdar, Danielle Leigh tually gotten worse, rather than bet- living, then it seems like a no-brainer Emeritus Board Members Clarence Acox, ter. Sure, there are a few musicians that each of us would have a personal Kenneth W. Masters, Lola Pedrini, Paul making decent, and even good, liv- stake in supporting that part of cul- Toliver, Cuong Vu ing wages, and undoubtedly venues ture that enriches our lives, especially Founded in 1984 by Paul de Barros, and industry professionals are ben- Gary Bannister, and Allen Youngblood. efitting from those successes. But for given the money that too easily goes Earshot Jazz is published monthly by the other 99% of us, the economic to those things that seem to suck the Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle and is model is counterintuitive at best. life-enhancing spirit out of us. available online at www.earshot.org. On the jazz side, the point can be On an organizational level, Ear- subscription (with membership): $35 made that a nationally declining au- shot Jazz has, in close to 2,500 con- 3429 Fremont Place N, #309 dience base has nicked the cash flow cert productions, always paid artists Seattle, WA 98103 on both sides, with an increased sup- at prevailing wage or higher. We, of phone / (206) 547-6763 ply of artists outweighing a decreased course, pledge to continue that. On Earshot Jazz ISSN 1077-0984 demand by audiences. Granted, Seat- a personal level, I ask you to join me Printed by Pacific Publishing Company tle’s jazz scene is healthier than most. in helping to get money – our own © 2015 Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle On the other hand, live-music rock personal money – into the hands of clubs seem to be proliferating and musicians, whether by paying for MI ss IO N S T A TE M E N T bar-going populations clearly have no Earshot Jazz is a non-profit arts and service recorded music, making individual organization formed in 1984 to cultivate a problem going to the bars. Booze is donations to the musicians in live support system for jazz in the community flowing, and stages are stocked with music venues, or just making sure we and to increase awareness of jazz. Earshot two and three bands a night. But we get out to support our local jazz scene Jazz pursues its mission through publishing a also have to assume that between monthly newsletter, presenting creative music, more. building costs, taxes on seemingly providing educational programs, identifying and The jazz calendar in this issue is full filling career needs for jazz artists, increasing everything, increased staffing needs, listenership, augmenting and complementing product inventory, licenses, liability, of opportunities. We’ll see you out existing services and programs, and networking there!! with the national and international jazz etc., etc., etc., it must seem to club community. operators that everyone has a hand in –John Gilbreath, Executive Director June 2015 • Earshot Jazz • 3 NOTES Office of Arts & Culture Project 3rd Annual Jazz Contest for Funding Women Composers Seattle’s Office of Arts & Culture is The Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra now accepting applications for its Civ- is now accepting submissions for its ic Partners funding, with a deadline of third annual jazz ensemble composi- June 30. This program awards fund- tion contest for women composers. ing to arts and culture and heritage This year, submissions must feature a organizations, in all disciplines, with guitar, as the winning and honorable a minimum three-year history of serv- mention compositions will be per- ing Seattle residents and visitors. formed and recorded live by SWOJO The OAC also is accepting applica- with award-winning guitarist Mimi tions for its CityArtist Projects pro- Fox as part of the 2015 Earshot Jazz gram, with a deadline of July 22. The Festival. Deadline for submission is program provides funding for Seattle- June 30. For complete rules and de- based individual artists to develop and tails, visit swojo.org. present their work. More information available at seattle.gov/arts. CONTINUED ON PAGE 22 In ONE EAR DownBeat Magazine’s Student given in 15 categories in five different Music Awards divisions. DownBeat magazine named King’s Seattle Transmedia High School senior Laura Rosok the winner of the Vocal Jazz Soloist cat- Independent Film Festival egory in its 38th annual Student Mu- Saxophonist Michael Brockman, sic Awards. Rosok previously won drummer Clarence Acox, and bassist the high school division Seattle-Kobe Phil Sparks recently took part in the Female Jazz Vocalist competition in short film documentary ImprovJam, 2014, and plans to attend the Frost which was selected to premiere at School of Music at the University of the Seattle Transmedia Independent Miami this fall. Film Festival (STIFF). The short film The DownBeat Student Music is a combination of performance and Awards, founded in 1976, are con- documentary that looks at the influ- sidered among the most prestigious ence jazz has had on contemporary awards in jazz education. As part of music. Brockman, Acox, and Sparks the competition, college, high school, performed improvised jam sessions and middle school students record with rock guitarist Ayron Jones and their music and submit it for judging freestyle rapper Turtle T. Short. Im- by professional musicians and educa- provJam is part of the SoundandSEA. tors from across the country. Judging TV film series, and the current trailer criteria is based on musicianship, cre- is available for viewing at soundand- ativity, improvisation, and technique, sea.tv/improvjam. among other qualities. Awards are CONTINUED ON PAGE 23 4 • Earshot Jazz • June 2015 FEATURE The New Faces of Seattle Jazz Jams There are few activities in the world more effective at fostering community, collective purpose, and emotional positivity than music. Playing or listening to music together can make a friend out of a stranger in only a few minutes time. Need a jolt of creatively induced human connection and warmth? Head over to Fremont’s Nectar Lounge or Capitol Hill’s Capitol Cider on any Monday night. Mo’ Jam Mondays at Nectar Lounge EntreMundos Jam at Capitol Cider By Halynn Blanchard By Andrew Luthringer Seattle drummer Morgan (Mo’) Gilkeson EntreMundos (“between worlds”) is not like wanted to create a genre-fusion jam like one a typical jam session populated solely by a line that might occur in your basement. Mo’ Jam of musicians waiting for their turn to blow. It’s Mondays, as it’s now known, has become the more like a lively international block party, largest indoor/outdoor, funk/jazz session in all ages, genders, and backgrounds mixing Seattle, appropriately settled in the Artists’ together, enjoying each other’s company and Republic of Fremont, at the Nectar Lounge. music in a supportive and welcoming atmo- Monday, May 25, Mo’ Jam’s 75th session, sphere, both as participants and as audience was marked with festivities common to this members. One week you’re a newcomer, the artistic jam. Mo’ Jam’s crowd and style are as next week you’re greeted as an old friend. assorted as the art forms in the room. Often, The sessions are hosted by Brazilian-born comedy opens the show to a featured jazz mu- Adriana Giordano, a consummate host as sician, who may share the spotlight with the well as a superb vocalist, with the character- occasional tap dancer or poet. Meanwhile, vi- istically clear, unadorned purity of vocal tone sual artists are inspired to create in parallel to emblematic of many of Brazil’s finest singers. the improv music jam. The last week of May, Giordano fronts a top-shelf house band com- the visual art created at Mo’ Jam Mondays was prised of some of Seattle’s finest musicians: Jeff displayed at the Pocket Theater, in Greenwood. Busch on drums, Dean Schmidt on bass, Eric The show doubled as a birthday celebration Verlinde on piano, with Ernesto Pediangco for resident Mo’ Jam painter Charles Xavier- and Tor Dietrichson alternating on percus- Moss, known for his weekly canvas pieces that sion.