What i///u has done is translate the in-group language of their friend group—including complex, occasionally abstract chord changes—into something accessible and energizing for those of us in the audience. We’ll have to see what’s next from this Seattle-born crew.
These staggered rhythms are a microcosm of the entire album, for The Grind is nothing if not a study in contrast. With only four instruments, the quartet veers expertly between silence and cacophony, a sonic effect amplified by Treseler’s and Wood’s mirrored playing. Their album press release calls this, “interactive collective improvisation,” or “improvised counterpoint.”
Now dubbed the Quincy Square Jazz Festival, the recent event brought nine jazz ensembles, including groups from Bainbridge Island and Kingston, to Olympic College for a brand new tournament.
Twelve years into Coe’s Blue Moon gig, he’s playing better than ever, and the event has turned into a rare Seattle commodity, a dependable community celebration. Rarer yet – on a Monday. “If you do something that’s good enough on a regular basis,” says Coe, “people eventually figure it out.”
Save the Date! 37th Annual Earshot Jazz Festival; HONK! Fest West – May 30 to June 1; 2025 Seattle Jazz Hero Award; SAMA: Music + Art Announces New Executive Director; Fellowship Futures – Open Auditions for 21 & Under; Jack Straw Office Space Available; LANGSTON Offers Space in the Place
It’s pride for presentation that keeps us here at Earshot working hard to bring you the very best this genre has to offer. Often presenting norm-challenging and innovative artists with their unique sound, that, when performed in the same musical space as more traditional jazz stylings, keeps the genre alive and fresh – inviting and intriguing new audiences along the way.
Screen Time is a pleasant reminder that film and television composers, like their Tin Pan Alley precursors, have a splendid ear for chordal movement. On top of that, movie tunes are functional; they’re often based around motifs. Marriott bends these repeated melodies to his will and even invents his own on the thumping original “Skip Intro,” which could slot in after Dave Brubeck’s television hit “Theme from Mr. Broadway.”
Beyond the musicianship, what makes Filthy so noteworthy is how Jazz Overhaul captures the heart and spirit of grunge in their approach while skillfully adding their own dose of jazz to the mix with a touch that harnesses the power of the originals. Their performances overflow with chemistry, and the sessions, available on their YouTube channel, are worth checking out in addition to the album itself.
Jazz scholar, archivist and former booking agent David Keller has published a handsomely redesigned and somewhat updated edition of his 2013 pictorial history of Seattle Local 493, The Blue Note: Seattle’s Black Musicians’ Union.
This includes Langston’s cherished Seattle Black Film Festival (SBFF), going over 20 years strong now (which also makes it the longest-running festival of its kind in the region). This year, SBFF is showcasing films by Black filmmakers and celebrating stories from the African diaspora, and feature many film styles, local to international, with over 100 independent selections to choose from.
Earshot Jazz honors jazz as a vital Black American art form through live performance presentations, artist advocacy, and community engagement.
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