Johnaye Kendrick photo by Lisa Hagen Glynn
New Earshot Jazz Season Pass
Discover the full spectrum of Seattle’s vibrant jazz scene with Earshot’s new Gold Pass – your all-access ticket to a year of extraordinary music. From intimate club performances to festival main stages, from emerging artists to living legends, the new Gold Pass opens doors to every Earshot Jazz event throughout 2025. Visit earshot.org/goldpass for more information.
Local Jazz Wins at the Grammy Awards
At this year’s 67th Grammy Awards, säje’s Sara Gazarek (of Seattle) and Johnaye Kendrick (of Tacoma), won their second Grammy for Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals for their single “Alma,” featuring Regina Carter. They were also nominated in the Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella category. The evening also included a tribute to the late Quincy Jones featuring Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, and Janelle Monáe. Jones’ formative years exploring music trailed through Seattle and Bremerton.
Folklife Sessions Returns at Métier Brewing Company
Northwest Folklife’s “Folklife Sessions” returns to Métier Brewing Company for the third year. This free series will be hosted by the Demarcus Baysmore Band, as part of a three-month artist residency. Playing on the First Thursday of February, March, and April, 7-9pm. Demarcus Baysmore is a skilled and engaging guitarist from Texas who is best known for his jazz, blues, and funk musical stylings. He studied guitar at Oklahoma Baptist University and the Navy School of Music before joining Navy Band Northwest, where he played and toured as their guitarist for four years. Upon moving to the Pacific Northwest in 2019, Baysmore quickly became immersed in the Seattle music community. Influenced by musicians like Wes Montgomery, Mark Lettieri, and Tosin Abasi, Baysmore aims to inspire creativity in not only his listeners but also fellow musicians and students through his music and teaching.
The Royal Room Celebrates Women’s History Month
Columbia City’s Royal Room has a slate of engaging shows in store in March for Women’s History Month, including The Tiptons Sax Quartet & Drums on March 7, an internationally renowned all-female saxophone quartet with drums; the Seattle Composers Alliance presents The Change We Seek on March 8, hosted by the Nelda Swiggett Quintet; and, on March 13, Critical Mass Big Band celebrates Women’s History Month with an evening dedicated to compositions by female composers including Toshiko Akiyoshi, Maria Schneider, Annie Booth, Mary Lou Williams, and more. Tickets at theroyalroomseattle.com.
Call for Poetry
April marks both National Jazz Month and National Poetry Month. In honor of the relationship between jazz and poetry, Earshot Jazz is calling for poetry submissions that tells a tale of these two worlds. Selected submissions will run in the April magazine issue. Please send poems to editor@earshot.org.
