A Mirror and Focus for the Jazz Community February 2012 Vol. 28, No. 2 EARSHOT JAZZSeattle, Washington D’Vonne Lewis Photo by Daniel Sheehan NOTES EARSHOT JAZZ A Mirror and Focus for the Jazz Community Beloved Bassist Chuck Metcalf jazz scene today.” Read more at www. Memorial Concert seattlejazzscene.com. Executive Director John Gilbreath Bassist, thinker, architect, and inau- Seattle-Kobe Sister City Female Managing Director Karen Caropepe gural Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame induct- Jazz Vocalist Applications Due Editor Danielle Bias ee Chuck Metcalf succumbed to can- Earshot Jazz February 5 Assistant Editor Schraepfer Harvey cer in January. He was 81. The Legacy The Seattle-Kobe Sister City Asso- Quartet with Clarence Acox celebrates Contributing Writers Steve Griggs, Peter ciation (SKSCA) will send one high Monaghan the bassist in a tribute performance, school-aged and one adult female jazz on the stage that Metcalf designed and Calendar Editor Schraepfer Harvey vocalist from the greater Seattle area put in place, at the New Orleans Cre- Calendar Volunteer Tim Swetonic to Kobe, Japan, in May 2012 to be a ole Restaurant on Wednesday evening, Photography Daniel Sheehan guest singer at the 13th annual Kobe March 14. Layout Karen Caropepe Jazz Vocal Queen Contest. Every fall Mailing Lola Pedrini The young, gigging Metcalf mingled for the last twelve years, the winner of and played with many on the growing Send Calendar Information to: the Kobe Jazz Vocal Queen Contest Seattle scene, as chronicled in Jackson 3429 Fremont Place #309 – held in Kobe – has flown to Seattle Street After Hours – The Roots of Jazz in Seattle, WA 98103 to make her U.S. debut at Dimitriou’s fax / (206) 547-6286 Washington by Paul de Barros. By the Jazz Alley. Seven years ago, SKSCA email / [email protected] 1960s, Metcalf was an active jazz bass- began holding a jazz vocalist audition ist and scene builder, holding memo- Board of Directors Kenneth W. Masters as the reciprocal component of this ex- (president), Richard Thurston (vice- rable sessions at his home, mentoring change. president), Renee Staton (treasurer), Hideo young players on the scene, and orga- The deadline to apply for first-round Makihara (secretary), Clarence Acox, Bill nizing events with the Seattle Jazz So- auditions in Seattle is February 5. Fi- Broesamle, George Heidorn, Femi Lakeru, ciety. Living for stretches in San Fran- nalists will be selected by early March Lola Pedrini, Paul Toliver, Cuong Vu sisco, Seattle and New York, his out- and will be invited to give a live audi- standing musicianship and enthusiasm Earshot Jazz is published monthly by tion at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley on March were welcome in jazz communities Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle and is 19. Family, friends and community across the nation. Tours in the 1980s available online at www.earshot.org. members are encouraged to come and with Dexter Gordon and Ernestine Subscription (with membership): $35 support the finalists. The suggested Anderson are late-career highlights. 3429 Fremont Place #309 donation will be $5 for students and His two 1990’s recordings Elsie Street Seattle, WA 98103 $10 for adults, with proceeds support- and Help Is Coming are landmarks in phone / (206) 547-6763 ing this and future Seattle-Kobe jazz fax / (206) 547-6286 Seattle jazz history. Metcalf moved to auditions. The two winners will be Santa Fe in 2010, and, in 2011, retired Earshot Jazz ISSN 1077-0984 guest vocalists at the Kobe Jazz Vo- from public performance. Printed by Pacific Publishing Company cal Queen Contest held on May 6, at Metcalf’s incredible influence on the © 2012 Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle Kobe Asahi Hall in Seattle’s sister city, Seattle jazz ecology is recorded on the Kobe, Japan. More info is available at Seattle Jazz Scene website through www.sksca.org. many email tributes and recollections MISSION STATEMENT by members of the jazz community. 4Culture Grants Available for Earshot Jazz is a non-profit arts and service This from Jim Wilke: “Chuck Met- Individual and Group Arts Projects organization formed in 1984 to cultivate a support calf was the catalyst on the jazz scene 4Culture’s Group Arts Projects system for jazz in the community and to increase when I arrived here in the early 60s. … (GAP) program provides emerging awareness of jazz. Earshot Jazz pursues its Without Chuck’s energy and ideas, we mission through publishing a monthly newsletter, and established groups in King Coun- presenting creative music, providing educational would have had far fewer opportuni- ty with critical project support for art programs, identifying and filling career needs for ties to hear and play jazz in that time experiences in all disciplines. Award jazz artists, increasing listenership, augmenting … and by extension, [in] the Seattle and complementing existing services and programs, and networking with the national and CONTINUED ON PAGE 22 international jazz community. 2 • EARSHOT JAZZ • February 2012 IN ONE EAR Bill Anschell in the February 2012 jazzsession.com, that he’s hosting the ses- Issue of JazzTimes sion “with the intention of providing In the February issue of JazzTimes, an outlet for a community of improvis- pianist Jason Moran takes the “Be- ing musicians that strive for achieving fore & After Challenge” adminis- form-based collective improvisation.” tered by writer Thomas Conrad. The Tula’s is closed February 5; look for challenge included recordings by Jaki the Reggie Goings Jazz Offering again THE NEW YORK VOICES Byard, Keith Jarrett, Wynton Kelly, in March. Don’t forget to check out Friends of Frank DeMiero Brad Mehldau and Vijay Iyer. Bill An- other Tula’s monthlies: Greta Matassa Present the schell’s solo piano take on the Eagles’ jam, first Mondays, and Daren Clen- song “Desperado” from his record Fig- denin jam, third Mondays. ments on Origin was featured in the Sonarchy February Lineup piece. Of Anschell’s playing before the Announced performer and the name of the tune is DEE DANIELS Sonarchy is recorded live in the stu- revealed, Moran says: “I like that this dios at Jack Straw Productions, Seat- has a lot of sustain pedal. With those tle. This hour-long broadcast features two lines being at equal volume, the new music and sound art made in the sustain pedal gives it a very nice, very Pacific Northwest. Sonarchy is now specific space. This is a studied pianist into its 16th year of airing on KEXP. – studied like … he’s not bullshit- The broadcast can be heard live every ting.” After the details of the tune are Sunday evening at midnight at 90.3 revealed, Moran says, “I enjoyed that. FM and on www.KEXP.org. It is also That’s bad.” available in its entirety for two weeks Jam Session News following the broadcast in several Amore Infused, host to Tim Ken- streaming audio formats. This month’s Three incredible shows! nedy and John Terpin’s Monday ses- shows will also be available as podcasts sion, suffered an electrical kitchen fire shortly after they air. Doug Haire Thursday · Friday · Saturday in January and has closed for renova- is the producer and mixes these live tions. Stay tuned for the return of this shows. On February 5, using two mi- March 1, 2 & 3, 2012 Monday-night session. crophones, Rob Millis and Jesse Paul Don’t miss out… A recent Seattle transplant, drum- Miller create a sonic interaction with mer Claudio Rochat-felix hosts a new Millis’ Jack Straw gallery installation get your tickets early! session on Wednesdays at 418 Pub- Fragments of the Story. On February VIP packages and premier seating lic House in Ballard, 418 NW 65th 12, Eric Barber’s Metrilodic features are available. new fusion jazz with Barber on saxo- For more info: Street, beginning at 9pm. The session www.DeMieroJazzFest.org opened in December and has featured phones, pocket synth and iPad, PK on Friends of Frank DeMiero produces this a rotation of house musicians, includ- bass and Olli Klomp on percussion. annual festival to benefit arts education. ing bassists Ian Sheridan and Paul On February 19, Kagel Textural pres- Gabrielson, pianist Eric Verlinde, and ents electro-acoustic improvisations guitarist Brendan O’Donnell. on this Sonarchy Archive Series show Young pianist Gus Carns launched from 1997. James Wood is joined by a new session at the Royal Room. The Doug Theriault, Mark Collins and session is on Wednesdays, beginning Matthew Sperry. Finally, on Febru- with house band Brendan O’Donnell ary 26, Fluke presents Jim Knapp’s (guitar), Carmen Rothwell (bass) and compositions, with Brian Kinsella on Chris Icasiano (drums) at 9:30pm. piano, Chris Symer on bass and Chris Carns states on the web, www.royal- Icasiano on drums. GRETA MATASSA February 2012 • EARSHOT JAZZ • 3 PROFILE D’Vonne Lewis Reveling in the Music Industry By Steve Griggs signed with A&M Records after being “When I was younger,” Lewis says, heard by Herb Alpert in a Seattle club. “I thought I wanted to play guitar. I “There is a side of me that comes His 1964 single “Little Green Thing” would watch the musicians at church out so easily around him; there is this was highlighted on Dick Clark’s and the guitar player was in front. way we both laugh deeply together American Bandstand, exposing him to Since the guitar was in front, I thought with and at life. This joy is felt on and off the bandstand.” That’s what bassist Evan Flory-Barnes says about drummer D’Vonne Lewis. I wonder what side of me would come out around Lewis. Now’s the time to find out. Lewis opens the door to his apartment with a long, relaxed, “Yeee-aaah.” A native Seattleite, he talks with a warm drawl that evokes sunny southern hospital- ity.