A Mirror and Focus for the Jazz Community November 2012 Vol. 28, No. 11 EARSHOT JAZZSeattle, Washington Paul de Barros Photo by Daniel Sheehan. LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR Thank you all for another fantastic fewer and further between, and the Earshot Jazz Festival. This year’s pro- pay is getting worse, rather than better gram was one of our most ambitious – and Seattle’s jazz scene is generally yet, showcasing varied aspects of the considered better than those of most ever-expanding universe that is barely American cities. contained under the wide umbrella of The house of jazz does not stand the word jazz. neatly at the intersection of Art and The music in this year’s festival was Commerce. It is well up Art Street, a spectacular, without exception – good distance from Commerce. whether it came from Amsterdam or We absolutely don’t expect jazz art- Mongolia, New York or Cuba. And ists to modify their creative output so JOHN GILBREATH BY BILL UZNAY especially when it came from Seattle. that it can appeal to a wider, popular cial possibility and artistic integrity. The more that Seattle artists are pre- audience. Jazz touches people on its And we understand the need to place sented alongside creative musicians own terms. That’s why we love it. The the long-term creative health of the from around the world, the more we masters of this art form have tradition- art form ahead of its short-term finan- realize what a treasury of jazz we can ally turned away from popular appeal, cial success. We believe this happens call our own. rather than toward it. Of course, we’re through support of jazz education But in Seattle, as around the coun- always looking to engage new audienc- programs, providing performance op- try, jazz is almost becoming a study es. I hope that search applies to every portunities for student and emerging in supply-side economics. The creative artist, consumer and industry profes- artists, building an infrastructure to center of the art form, enriched by an sional out there. support our own resident artists, and increased supply of talented and well- Earshot Jazz is an arts organization. creating an environment that values educated young musicians, at times Having presented one of the country’s creative expression and progression in seems ready to overpower the existing most ambitious creative jazz festivals the art of jazz. demand for the music. No one knows for 24 years, we understand how to We invite you to join us! this better than the artists. Gigs are manage the tension between commer- – John Gilbreath NOTES School of Jazz Selections pel Performance Space, has openings More at www.chamber-music.org/pro- KPLU’s School of Jazz Program se- available in November. For booking grams/jazz/grants. lects schools and mentors in Novem- information on the DIY presentation On the Horizon: ber for its 9th edition of the School space, visit waywardmusic.blogspot. Portland Jazz Festival of Jazz CD. The deadline for submit- com. Portland, Ore., February 15-24, 2013 ting an application was October 31. CMA’s Residency Partnership In venues throughout Portland, the The School of Jazz pairs Northwest Program high school jazz bands with profes- Portland Jazz Festival celebrates its The application deadline for Cham- sional jazz musicians, culminating in tenth anniversary in 2013. NEA Jazz ber Music America residency projects the recording, whose proceeds benefit Master Jack DeJohnette headlines this is November 16. The program sup- the schools’ music programs. More at year in a special quartet, with Ravi ports selected applicants in jazz, classi- www.schoolofjazz.org. Coltrane, Matt Garrison and George cal/contemporary and world ensemble Colligan. An incredible array of art- Chapel Space Submissions for music that are presented outside of ists feature this year, February 15-24. November traditional performance venues and in Check www.pdxjazz.com for the latest Dedicated to various contemporary community settings, with the goal of schedule announcements and festival and experimental music and sound increasing audience appreciation and information. art, the Wayward Music Series, Cha- awareness of small ensemble music. 2 • EARSHOT JAZZ • November 2012 EARSHOT JAZZ IN ONE EAR A Mirror and Focus for the Jazz Community CityArtist Projects Awards McPartland’s Piano Jazz, Ken Wiley’s Executive Director John Gilbreath Trumpeter/composers Samantha the Art of Jazz and Jim Wilke’s Jazz Managing Director Karen Caropepe Boshnack and Jason Parker, vocal- After Hours and Jazz Northwest. Jazz ist/composer Jessika Kenney, drum- Northwest, Sundays, 1pm, features the Earshot Jazz Editor Schraepfer Harvey mer/composer Paul Kikuchi and artists and events of the regional jazz Contributing Writers Christine Beaderstadt, pianist/composer Wayne Horvitz are scene. For JazzNW program informa- Katy Bourne, Gregory Brusstar, Steve among the 31 individual artists receiv- tion, see jazznw.org. For KPLU’s full Griggs, David Marriott Jr., Peter Monaghan, ing Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs jazz schedule, see kplu.org/schedule. Jason Parker, Sarah Thomas CityArtist Projects awards totaling Late-night Sundays on 90.3 KEXP Calendar Editor Schraepfer Harvey $160,000. The CityArtist Projects pro- features Jazz Theater with John Gil- Calendar Volunteer Tim Swetonic gram advances new works and works- breath and Sonarchy, a live-perfor- Photography Daniel Sheehan in-development by funding different mance broadcast from the Jack Straw Layout Karen Caropepe artistic disciplines in alternating years Productions studio, produced by Distribution Karen Caropepe and volunteers – dance, music and theater in 2012. Doug Haire. Full schedule informa- Send Calendar Information to: Rucker Receives Artist Trust Grant tion is available at kexp.org and jack- 3429 Fremont Place N, #309 straw.org. Interdisciplinary sound and video Seattle, WA 98103 Sonarchy’s November lineup: No- artist, cellist and composer Paul fax / (206) 547-6286 vember 4, Afrocop late-night street email / [email protected] Rucker received the Artist Trust Con- soundtrack with Andy Sells, drums; ductive Garboil Grant. More at artist- Board of Directors Kenneth W. Masters Jayson Powell, percussion; Quinten trust.org. (president), Richard Thurston (vice- Musgrove, bass; Noel Brass Jr., keys; president), Renee Staton (treasurer), Hideo Jam Session News Collin Higgens, guitar; November 11, Makihara (secretary), Clarence Acox, Bill Broesamle, George Heidorn, Femi Lakeru, Session organizers and attendees, Noise-A-Tron, noise and beats in ser- Lola Pedrini, Paul Toliver, Cuong Vu send session news and anecdotes to vice of the drone experience, with Ja- [email protected]. son Bledsoe, drums, and Lea Bledsoe, Earshot Jazz is published monthly by Jazz Radio bass, keys and samples; November 18, Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle and is In addition to its weekday NPR and PLY, new music for jazz quartet, with available online at www.earshot.org. Michael Owcharuk Beth late-night and prime-time jazz pro- , piano; Fleenor Paul Kemmish Subscription (with membership): $35 grams, 88.5 KPLU hosts Saturday Jazz , clarinet; , 3429 Fremont Place #309 Matinee, Jazz Sunday Side Up, Marian CONTINUED ON PAGE 22 Seattle, WA 98103 phone / (206) 547-6763 fax / (206) 547-6286 Earshot Jazz ISSN 1077-0984 Printed by Pacific Publishing Company © 2012 Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle Learn. Play jazz. Make progress. Have fun. MISSION STATEMENT Small Jazz Ensembles, Big Bands, Earshot Jazz is a non-profit arts and service organization formed in 1984 to cultivate a Classes for Vocalists, Improvisation, support system for jazz in the community Ear Training, Harmony, Labs & more. and to increase awareness of jazz. Earshot Learn more at jazznightschool.org, Jazz pursues its mission through publishing a (206) 722 6061, or [email protected]. monthly newsletter, presenting creative music, providing educational programs, identifying and filling career needs for jazz artists, increasing listenership, augmenting and complementing existing services and programs, and networking with the national and international jazz community. November 2012 • EARSHOT JAZZ • 3 BOOK REVIEW Shall We Play That One Together? – The Life and Art of Jazz Piano Legend Marian McPartland PAUL DE BARROS READING FROM SHALL WE PLAY THAT ONE TOGETHER? AT ELLIOT BAY BOOKS ON OCTOBER 19 AS PART OF THE EARSHOT JAZZ FESTIVAL. PHOTO BY DANIEL SHEEHAN. Paul de Barros land. The 496-page biography released while plumbing the enormous archive St. Martin’s Press by St. Martin’s Press on October 16 at her New England home. “Marian is features a black-and-white cover photo a pretty crusty character,” de Barros By Steve Griggs of a young brunette McPartland at the said in a September 19 Jazz Journal- “Can’t we women make our own piano, smiling a playful glance at the ists Association webinar Writing Jazz contribution to jazz by playing like camera over her right shoulder. Biographies. “She’s not a trusting per- women,” asks pianist Marian McPart- The photo and book title embody the son by nature. She probably didn’t get land, “but still capturing the essential story de Barros tells – a poised wom- where she is by being trusting.” elements of jazz – good beat – good an enjoying herself and asking you to De Barros earned her trust. In the ideas – honesty and true feeling?” share in the fun. The title is an invita- webinar he reports that McPartland Blazing the trail for gender equality, tion 94-year-old McPartland has rou- said: “Come on over and you can look McPartland contributed this quote in tinely posed to her musical guests dur- at anything.” Jackpot! McPartland had her 1957 article “Playing Like a Man” ing the past three decades of her Na- every review ever published, journals, in the London publication Just Jazz. tional Public Radio show Piano Jazz. letters, six previous attempts at her bi- Seattle writer Paul de Barros honestly What you can’t hear, even on the ra- ography by other writers, a complete captures these female contributions, dio, is McPartland’s musical maturity discography with physical copies of all ideas and feelings in Shall We Play while swearing like a sailor.