In this Issue
Table of Contents
– Profile –
Beth Fleenor: The Discipline of Being
– Preview –
Cry & Roar: 10 Years of Racer Sessions
-Venue Profile–
Pacific Room Alki Offers New Space for Jazz Artists and Audiences
-Feature-
Masthead
January 2020
Volume 36, No. 01
Executive Director
John Gilbreath
Managing Director
Karen Caropepe
Programs Manager
Tara Peters
Development Manager
Errin Patton
Marketing & Development Asssociate
Lucienne Aggarwal
Editors
Lucienne Aggagrwal & Tara Peters
Contributing Writers
Whitney Bashaw
Paul de Barros
Ian Gwin
Bryan Lineberry
Rayna Mathis
Paul Rauch
Calendar Editors
Carol Levin
Jane Emerson
Tara Peters
Photography
Daniel Sheehan
Layout
Tara Peters
Karen Caropepe
Distribution
Karen Caropepe
Dan Dubie
Earshot Jazz volunteers
Send Calendar Information to:
Add a gig to the calendar online or send us an email.
Board of Directors
Danielle Leigh (President)
Chris Icasiano (Vice President)
Chris Nutter (Secretary)
Sheila Hughes (Treasurer)
John W. Comerford
Maurice James
Kenneth W. Masters
Gail Pettis
Ruby Smith Love
Diane Wah
Emeritus Board Members
Clarence Acox
Sue Coliton
Taina Honkalehto
Hideo Makihara
Kenneth W. Masters
Peter Monaghan
Lola Pedrini
Paul Toliver
Cuong Vu
Founded in 1984 by Paul de Barros, Gary Bannister, and Allen Youngblood.
Earshot Jazz is published monthly by Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle.
Subscription (with membership): $35
3417 Fremont Ave N, #221
Seattle, WA 98103
phone / (206) 547-6763
Earshot Jazz ISSN 1077-0984
Printed by Yakima Herald-Republic
© 2020 Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle
Letter from the Director
2020 Vision
Given the incredible growth in jazz over the last 10 years—both in global reach and sheer excellence—I’m optimistic about what we might see and hear from the art form in the coming decade. In fact, given that Seattle itself was the fastest growing city in America over the past 10 years, with 114,000 new citizens bumping our population up by 18.7%, I am equally optimistic about the potential upside for our city’s arts and cultural sensibilities.
Earshot Jazz is proud to hold a valuable place within Seattle’s remarkable cultural community. There is a civic value system around jazz here in Seattle that is unique in America. Building on that, we can’t wait to see how this next set of Roaring 20’s will evolve. We’ve certainly seen a lot of new faces at our programs in recent years, and we’re glad to welcome a younger and more inclusive audience that is clearly interested in engaging with a broad spectrum of cultural experiences. And you know that can’t be bad.
I, myself, first came around the Earshot Jazz organization as a new Seattleite in 1990. The first event I attended was the very first Golden Ear Awards party, upstairs at the old Lofurno’s on 15th Ave W. The music was sweet, the vibe was warm and welcoming, and I remember being a little knocked out that there was an organization that would honor the jazz artists who were living and working in the city. Having attended every Golden Ear Awards event since then, I can admit to still being humbled by the artistry and dedication that surrounds us, and even more convinced of the importance of formally recognizing it.
We’re excited about our circumstances in these coming years. We’re proud of the recent Downbeat magazine headline that says, “Earshot Serves as Platform for Thriving Seattle Scene,” and we resolve to redouble our work in support of the incredible ecosystem for jazz in this beautiful, fast-growing megabopolis. Please join us! –John Gilbreath, Executive Director