John Gilbreath photo by Bill Uznay
Well, folks, this looks to be my final offering for this slot in the Earshot Jazz magazine. I’ll be retiring out the door at the end of January. For me, it’s sad, it’s exciting, and it’s a little scary; but it’s definitely time. As the old jazz lyric says, “It’s too late to leave early.”
My tenure as Executive Director of Earshot Jazz has been an absolute gift in my life. Yes, it’s been 10,000 days of work, but overall, the work has been fascinating and enriching; an actual labor of love. I couldn’t have imagined a better way to spend the last 33 of my working years. I’ll miss the organization, the music, the audiences, the “hang,” and all of my brilliant collaborators. I’ll miss you all!
I’ve been thinking off and on for months about this last letter. I’ve lost count of how many drafts I’ve begun. I started writing about some of the most memorable concerts we’ve shared, but the more I wrote, the more I remembered, and the further over any reasonable space allotment I soared. In truth, I could fill several issues just riffing on concert memories.
It has been my absolute privilege to work with many of the finest jazz artists of our time from around the world and from right here in Seattle, all the while centering jazz as a cultural treasure of Black America. Between the 33 years of Earshot events and the other festivals I’ve had the pleasure to book over the years, I’m sure there have been around 3,000 events; and each one has had its own story, its own reason to be on stage, and its own accrual to the greater good. It has all been a blessing.
Of the many fine things that have happened during my run here, I count the day that Karen Caropepe came to work with us as the best. Karen’s diligent and passionate professionalism has been a game changer here, day after day, for nearly 20 years. I am grateful beyond words to Karen and our current team: Lucienne Grace, Rayna Mathis, and Halynn Blanchard. Beyond that, it has been my joy to work on the team with several strong and talented women and men, from the original “Jazz Saint,” Lola Pedrini, to our current Interim Executive Director, Meriça Whitehall.
I’m also grateful to all of the Earshot Jazz board members who have volunteered their time and expertise to help guide this organization over the years. Again, there are too many names to list, but I do want to give special thanks to our current chair, Maurice James, who has led the charge on this essential executive succession work. And, of course, we owe profound thanks to Earshot founders Paul (and Judy) de Barros, Gary Bannister, and Allen Youngblood, for their vision and ingenuity in getting the organization off the ground in the mid 1980s.
Sad as I am to leave, I feel very good about the organization now. We’ve learned how to operate effectively and with compassion, and how to keep drama and negativity outside the door. You’ve got this now. You have a great team navigating this organization into the future, with some money in the bank and an incredible amount of experience and good will in their sails. And Earshot Jazz still has that remarkable spirit that first drew me in; part cultural institution and part spunky non-profit. That’s a good thing.
And please remember, the organization needs your enduring support right now, and in the future. Please join me in making contributions to this organization as it builds on this legacy by charting an ever more productive course in service to this rich cultural gift of jazz in Seattle.
Thank you ALL!!
—John Gilbreath, Executive Director
