John Gilbreath smiling in front of jazz art poster

John Gilbreath photo by Bill Uznay

Every month is Jazz Appreciation Month around here. The recent weeks have been so rich with inspirational moments for Seattle jazz that announcements of metrics on the U.S. jazz economy’s slip to only 1.4% of the total music “industry” barely caused a ripple. With Garfield, Roosevelt, and Mt. Si high schools going to New York next month for Essentially Ellington, and so many area students falling in love with the heart of the art form, the future of jazz can only be bright.

Seattle’s devotion to jazz education has been in full bloom this spring, with March events like the Seattle JazzED fundraiser, the Seattle Jazz Experience at Seattle Center, Garfield’s annual fundraiser, Starbucks’ Hot Java Cool Jazz, and appearances by student ensembles on stage and radio. Earshot’s March events also shone light on our jazz continuum, with JazzED’s New Works Ensemble performance at SAM’s Art of Jazz and the Golden Ear Awards ceremony at the Royal Room. 

In a city that already has above average marks for its stewardship of jazz tradition, we should not be surprised to find two major new initiatives gaining traction. The Seattle Jazz Experience recently wrapped up its second successful run at Seattle Center with high school and college student groups engaged in two intense days of workshops, clinics, and performances in and around the new Cornish Playhouse. Originally an initiative of Kent Devereaux, the recent music chair of Cornish College of the Arts, the two-day festival brings students together with clinicians like Christine Jensen, Bill Holman, Robin Eubanks, Kneebody, Julian Lage, and many others. Congratulations to Tom Baker, Megan Campbell-Miller, and Cornish College for creating a very special annual event. 

Meanwhile, the nonprofit Seattle JazzED celebrated its fifth year with a successful fundraising concert event at the Triple Door in early March. The community organization makes high-level jazz education available to a wide variety of students without regard to geographical and financial limitations. New donations help fuel instrument availability and scholarships to these students, with first-rate instructors including Clarence Acox, Robert Knatt, Aaron Walker-Loud, and Wayne Horvitz. 

As they say, “It takes a village,” and we have that village going on. There are many other great jazz programs in the Seattle area. Of course, we encourage you to pitch in, and get involved where you can. Let us know how we can help. We’ll see you out there.

John Gilbreath, Executive Director