Photo Levis Gillis by Seth Gillis.
Stuart MacDonald Receives Raynier Foundation Award
Saxophonist, bandleader, and educator Stuart MacDonald has been awarded a multi-year grant from the Raynier Institute and Foundation in the amount of $150,000. The award will primarily support “intergenerational collaborations and mentorship” through workshops and performance opportunities for young artists who are navigating the path to professionalism after the completion of formal jazz education programs. MacDonald hopes to connect up-and-coming players with established performers in the region, giving concerts at both traditional and non-traditional venues, with basic artist fees augmented by the grant. Interested participants, as well as venue owners and curators, can contact Stuart by email at stumac206@gmail.com.
Levi Gillis Named 2018 Recipient for Artist Trust Award
Artist Trust recently announced the recipients of its 2018 Grants for Artist Projects (GAP) Award. A total of $92,000 will be directly invested in 61 Washington artists through projectbased grants in the amount of $1,500 each. Seattle saxophonist/improviser/composer Levi Gillis was named a recipient in the Performing Artist category. Bandleader of avant-jazz/art-rock group Hunter Gather and member of R&B/funk band The Dip, Gillis has also been active as production manager for Earshot Jazz, as an educator in the Seattle area, and as curator for Table & Chairs’ monthly artist showcase. Gillis received 2018 GAP Award funding to develop a set of new pieces for solo saxophone. He will then orchestrate these pieces for chamber ensemble and perform them with the group. With this project, he hopes to contribute to Seattle’s rich lineage of new work by saxophonists and creative musicians. “As an artist,” says Gillis, “it’s often hard to push oneself to find new creative pathways, especially with little monetary compensation. I am so grateful to Artist Trust for this award—it will allow me to deepen my practice and engage with the creative music community in new ways.” First presented in 1988, GAP is one of Artist Trust’s flagship award programs and supports projects by emerging to established artists of all disciplines across Washington State. The award is made possible through gifts from our supportive donors, members, and corporate partners.
2018 Golden Ear Award Nominations Wanted
The Golden Ear Awards recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of the previous year in Seattle jazz. Nominations for the 2017 awards are currently being accepted. Please email nominations to nominations@earshot.org by January 15, 2019. The official voting ballots for the 2018 awards will be printed in the February issue of this publication and available at earshot.org. Send us your suggestions for: NW Recording of the Year; NW Acoustic Jazz Ensemble of the Year; Alternative Jazz Group of the Year; NW Concert of the Year; NW Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year; Emerging Artist of the Year; NW Vocalist of the Year; and Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame.
CMA New Jazz Works
Applications are now open for Chamber Music America’s New Jazz Works program. The New Jazz Works program provides grants to U.S. jazz ensembles to create, perform, and, if desired, record new works. The new work may be composed by the ensemble leader or another member of the ensemble. Applications are due February 1, and are available at chamber-music.org.
On the Horizon
2019 Biamp PDX Jazz Festival February 20–March 3 Various venues, Portland, Oregon Pharoah Sanders, Stanley Clark, Darrell Grant, Freddy Cole, Christian Scott, Aaron Diehl, Benny Green, Veronica Swift, Orrin Evans, Farnell Newton, Marcus Strickland, and many more. Full schedule, information, and tickets available at pdxjazz.com.
Earshot Jazz 2019 Series
Earshot Jazz is pleased to announce its presentation of world-renowned artists in early 2019. Upcoming concerts include: Kahil El’Zabar: Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, Itamar Borochov, Omar Sosa & Seckou Keita: Transparent Water, Sullivan Fortner Trio, Maxine Gordon, Maria Grand: Persephone, Tim Berne’s Sun of Goldfinger, Satoko Fujii Trio, Robert Dick & Thomas Buckner, Miles Okazaki’s Trickster, Paal Nilssen- Love’s Large Unit, and many more. Tickets and more information will be available soon at earshot.org.
Help the Jazz Around the Sound Calendar
Please email news and announcements about jazz gigs, concerts, and community events to jazzcalendar@ earshot.org.
News’n’Notes
Email news about Seattle-area jazz artists and events for Earshot Jazz Notes to editor@earshot.org.
