John Gilbreath photo Bill Uznay

This edition of Earshot Jazz previews a variety of concert opportunities in the region, many of them in outdoor venues. We are especially proud to announce the lineup of this year’s Jazz: The 2nd Century concert series, held on Thursdays in July in the beautiful Chapel Performance Space, at the Good Shepherd Center.

Jazz: The 2nd Century is a continuation of one of this organization’s core programming initiatives. The series was conceived in the mid 80s by one of Earshot’s founding fathers, Gary Bannister, to offer Seattle artists an opportunity to perform original work in a concert setting, for a respectful fee, with focused audience attention, rather than the distractions of a club setting. The first concerts were presented under the name of New Jazz/New City, at the New City Theater on Capitol Hill (now the Richard Hugo House), and constituted the first productions under the banner of the newly formed Earshot Jazz organization. 

It seems incredible, even to us, that this series has been in existence for 28 years, as New Jazz/New City, the Earshot Jazz Spring Series, Voice and Vision, and now, Jazz: The 2nd Century. This program seems to go hand in hand with Earshot’s Golden Ear and Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame Awards in celebrating the amazing creative spirit of Seattle resident artists.

Submissions for Jazz: The 2nd Century are collected through a public call for artists, with plenty of time before deadline. Featured performers have always been selected by a peer panel, through a “blind jury” process, in which audio samples are considered on their own merit, with information on the submitting artists disclosed after initial selections have been made. This year’s series was curated by four participating panelists, with six ensembles, out of a robust 36 submissions, considered.

Jazz: The 2nd Century asks Seattle artists to consider the future of the music, with the understanding that anything is possible under the expanding universe of jazz. We can’t wait to see and hear what happens this month. 

We hope you’ll join us. The music will be compelling, the Chapel acoustics are wonderful, and the space is gorgeous with the summer sun filtered through the trees and the stained glass windows. Thanks to Steve Peters and Wayward Music for providing the space, thanks to the great musicians for creating the art, and thanks to you for being with us. We’ll see you out there.

–John Gilbreath
Executive Director