A Mirror and Focus for the Jazz Community August 2018 Vol. 34, No. 08 EARSHOT JAZZSeattle, Washington Johnaye Kendrick Photo by Daniel Sheehan LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR One foot in Summer … …the other foot in the coming The upcoming festival builds on fall. First of all, thank you for your that legacy, focusing on the multi- support of this summer’s expanded faceted creative momentum of to- concert activity. We’ve had remark- day’s jazz world. There is so much able opportunities to pull alongside great music being made right now. some of today’s most expansive jazz With all honor to the Black cultural thinking, from New York and Chi- core of jazz, the Earshot festival, as cago, and from Seattle’s own creative DownBeat magazine once said, “dis- artists. rupts assumptions, gets in your face Now, as we approach the waning and finds fresh synergies.” days of summer, plans are being fi- Some of the fresh synergies we’re nalized and excitement is building proud to unveil this year include a for this fall’s Earshot Jazz Festival, special four-day residency with 2019 kicking off October 7, and running NEA Jazz Master Maria Schneider, in venues all around the city through and a featured artist residency with November 4. We’re cooking up one our own Jovino Santos Neto. Also, of the most exciting Earshot festivals the new Jazz at Langston series, ever, and you’re invited! within this festival, will honor Se- Tickets for most shows will be avail- attle legends like Dave Lewis, and don, Billy Kilson, Andy Ezrin, and able this month, with Earshot Jazz introduce bright new artists like Ben Williams. members getting exclusive advanced vocalists Jazzmeia Horn and Madi- You’ll also have a chance to become opportunities for early seat selection son McFerrin, harpist Brandee better acquainted with pianists Hel- for some venues a full 15 days before Younger, and powerful expressions en Sung, Myra Melford, and David the general public. Check earshot. of the Black avant-garde with James Virelles; vocalists Fay Victor, Jay org for details. Brandon Lewis Trio, and the Harriet Clayton, and Jen Shyu; trumpeters This will be our 30th year as Se- Tubman band with Brandon Ross, Tom Harrell, Marquis Hill, Adam attle’s major annual jazz festival. J.T. Lewis, and Melvin Gibbs. O’Farrill, and Keyon Harrold; and It’s hard to imagine that the seven There will be familiar names in many more. And, you can be dazzled events of the first Earshot Jazz Fes- the lineup, including Regina Carter; by Seattle artists like our cover star, tival in the summer of 1989 would Circuit Rider, with Ron Miles, Bill Johnaye Kendrick, Marina Albero, lead to the legacy of nearly one thou- Frisell, and Brian Blade; Kamasi Samantha Boshnack, Naomi Moon sand, one-of-a-kind concert events Washington at the Showbox; an Siegel, and D’Vonne Lewis. over the years, engaging some of the evening with Pat Metheny at the There will be much more. Look world’s most accomplished musi- Admiral Theatre in Bremerton; and for our festival brochure in coming cal legends and important emerging a night at the Triple Door with alto weeks, and check details on earshot. artists, in creative connection with saxophonist David Sanborn’s Jazz org soon. We’ll see you out there! Seattle’s own incredible jazz com- Quintet, including Wycliffe Gor- –John Gilbreath, Executive Director munity. The Earshot Jazz Festival is made possible thanks to our generous sponsors and donors. Support Earshot Jazz today by becoming a member and gain exclusive access to presale tickets to special concerts, discounts on tickets, and the Earshot Jazz Festival program and magazine delivered to your door year-round. Visit www.earshot.org for more information. 2 • EARSHOT JAZZ • August 2018 EARSHOT JAZZ NOTES A Mirror and Focus for the Jazz Community On the Horizon underserved areas to give back to the Executive Director John Gilbreath city that raised them. Special guests Managing Director Karen Caropepe Bellhaven Jazz Festival Programs Assistant Tara Peters Saturday, September 8, 1-7pm to include vocalist Theo Bleckmann, Administrative Assistant Lucienne Aggarwal Fairhaven Village Green, Bellingham singer/songwriter Kate Davis, contem- Earshot Jazz Editor Caitlin Peterkin Bellingham-based non-profit The porary ensemble TORCH, and poet Troy Osaki. Presented at Seattle Pa- Contributing Writers Lucienne Aggarwal, Jazz Project, led by Jud Sherwood, presents its annual Bellhaven Jazz cific University with Common Tone Samia Faour, Ian Gwin, Andrew Luthringer, Arts. More information, including Tara Peters, Paul Rauch Festival on September 8 at Fairhaven Village Green, from 1-7pm. Artists full schedule and tickets, available at Calendar Editors Casey Adams, Jane include Gail Pettis Quartet, Blues westerliesfest.org. Emerson & Caitlin Peterkin Photography Daniel Sheehan Union, Eric Verlinde Trio with Cliff Write Earshot Jazz Layout Tara Peters Colon, and Josh Cook/Kevin Woods The Earshot Jazz magazine reflects Distribution Karen Caropepe, Dan Dubie & Quartet in a Miles Davis Tribute and shares the many ways that jazz Earshot Jazz volunteers concert. More information available intersects with lives in the Northwest. Send Calendar Information to: at jazzproject.org. Earshot Jazz is seeking submissions 3429 Fremont Place N, #309 Westerlies Fest from writers: Please email story pitch- Seattle, WA 98103 September 20–23 es, comments, news and announce- email / [email protected] Various venues, Seattle ments to [email protected]. Board of Directors Danielle Leigh Seattle-bred, New York-based brass (President), John W. Comerford (Vice quartet The Westerlies return home Help the Jazz Around the Sound President), Jon Perrino (Secretary), Viren to present the first annual Westerlies Calendar Kamdar (Treasurer), Sue Coliton, Sheila Fest, a four-day music festival in Se- Please email news and announce- Hughes, Chris Icasiano, Ruby Smith Love, attle from September 20–23. Com- Diane Wah ments about jazz gigs, concerts and bining evening performances with community events to jazzcalendar@ Emeritus Board Members Clarence Acox, daytime in-school concerts and a earshot.org. To ensure publication in Hideo Makihara, Kenneth W. Masters, Lola weekend creative music workshop, The the printed calendar, please submit no Pedrini, Paul Toliver, Cuong Vu Westerlies will reach over 1,000 local later than the 15th of the month prior Founded in 1984 by Paul de Barros, students in Seattle and surrounding to the event. Gary Bannister, and Allen Youngblood. Earshot Jazz is published monthly by Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle and is ON THE RADIO available online at www.earshot.org. 88.5 KNKX hosts Saturday Jazz events of the regional jazz scene. For Subscription (with membership): $35 3429 Fremont Place #309 Matinee, Jazz Sunday Side Up, Ken JazzNW podcasts of archived pro- Seattle, WA 98103 Wiley’s the Art of Jazz, and Jazz grams, see jazznw.org. phone / (206) 547-6763 Northwest, in addition to its weekday 90.3 KEXP, late-night Sundays, NPR and late-night and prime-time features Jazz Theater with John Gil- Earshot Jazz ISSN 1077-0984 Printed by Pacific Publishing Company jazz programs. Full schedule and info breath, 1am. Full schedule informa- © 2018 Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle at knkx.org. tion is available at kexp.org. Abe Beeson hosts The New Cool, 91.3 KBCS, features creative and Saturdays, 3pm, featuring 21st cen- improvised music on Flotation Device MISSION STATEMENT tury jazz inspired and informed by the with John Seman and Jonathan Law- To ensure the legacy and progression sounds of today, hip-hop, funk, elec- son, Sundays at 10pm. The Monday of the art form, Earshot Jazz cultivates tronic & punk rock, followed by Rob- night lineup includes The Caravan a vibrant jazz community by engaging in Lloyd’s Jazz Caliente, 5pm, where with John Gilbreath at 7pm, Straight audiences, celebrating artists, and jazz meets Latin rhythms. No Chaser with David Utevsky at supporting arts education. Jim Wilke’s Jazz Northwest, Sun- days, 2pm, features the artists and CONTINUED ON PAGE 23 August 2018 • EARSHOT JAZZ • 3 PROFILE Johnaye Kendrick: Time to Fly By Andrew Luthringer Mention the name of vocalist and composer Johnaye Kendrick to a jazz fan or musician in Seattle, and you will no doubt see their eyes brighten and a smile spread across their face. Heavy hitters and jazz royalty such as Nicholas Payton, Terence Blanchard, and Ellis Marsalis have all champi- oned her, and in the Pacific Northwest she’s nothing short of a local treasure. Fellow Cornish professor and col- laborator Dawn Clement lays it out: “Johnaye is one of the most extraor- dinary musicians I have ever had the pleasure of working with. She is a true improviser, with amazing ears, an ex- ceptional instrument, and the ability to raise the bar on any bandstand she graces.” Kendrick’s initial gateway into music was through classical—she excelled in high school as a talented and dedicated violinist, building a strong foundation JOHNAYE KENDRICK PHOTO BY DANIEL SHEEHAN of musicianship. But her ear drew her into the jazz vocal choir, and her sing- bloomer, but I worked on things in my cused on her original compositions. ing skills took off. Kendrick explains: own weird way.” This month, Kendrick releases a new “One of my friends gave me a cassette Kendrick has breathtaking techni- album, Flying, which is an apt display tape of Sarah Vaughan, and I loved it cal skills, but what sets her apart is of her range as both a composer and an and I transcribed everything and I was her ability to pull the listener into her interpreter. singing along, but I didn’t really know world with an intimacy that very few Though her skill and feel for the jazz what jazz was at that point.” [laughs] vocalists can achieve, a talent that has tradition is impeccable, Flying shows Kendrick’s work ethic was strong, nothing to do with chops or genre and that Kendrick is everything a versa- and her growth steady.