Jonah Parzen-Johnson / Here to Play

Monday, October 16
8:00 pm PDT
Raisbeck Auditorium*  
In-person*
$12-30

Sponsored by Seed IP. Welcomed by 91.3 KBCS.

Born and raised in Chicago, but now based in Brooklyn, baritone saxophonist Jonah Parzen-Johnson makes music for baritone saxophone that challenges listeners with experimental electronic textures and embraces them with warm approachable melodies. An oftentimes solo performer, Parzen-Johnson’s approach to music includes both improvisation and composition that is both formidable and unique. He notes that his performances are a deeply intimate experience, where he endeavors to share who he is, how he sees our world, and the temporary moments of community that we can all embrace together. During his time in Chicago, Parzen-Johnson was inspired by such avant-garde approaches to music as the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and South Side Jazz community. Parzen-Jones completed his Bachelor’s in music performance at New York University. Parzen-Jones has performed widely across the Unites Sates and internationally. He has collaborated with the Afrobeat band Zongo Junction. His most recent album is Friendship Music for Turkey (2023) where he collaborated with percussionist Berke Can Özcan. Much of his work is solo—on  his LP, Imagine Giving Up (2020) Parzen-Johnson accompanies himself on an analog synthesizer.
“Baritonist Jonah Parzen-Johnson has a tone and phrasing somewhere between Giuffre, Chaloff, and Pepper Adams, with even a little Mulligan, only with a modern twist.” – Cadence 

OPENING: HERE TO PLAY

Neil Welch, Gregg Keplinger, and Kelsey Mines photo courtesy of the artists

Formed in 2018, Here to Play is a hard-charging trio featuring Kelsey Mines on upright bass, Neil Welch on tenor saxophone / electronics, and Gregg Keplinger on drums and handmade percussion. In the years since returning to Seattle from graduate school at Arizona State University, Mines has immersed herself in the local scene in numerous projects. Mines currently works for the Yakima Symphony, Symphony Tacoma and the Paramount Orchestra, while freelancing in numerous settings reaching from chamber music to Latin jazz. She released her debut album in 2018 February of entirely original music and currently co-leads the quartet EarthToneSkyTone. Mines is also part of the eight-piece salsa band Eléré. Serious about passing on her craft to the next generation, Mines teaches  at numerous schools including Bellevue College and  Seattle JazzED among others.

* Raisbeck Auditorium is a new performance space at Cornish College of the Arts. Not to be confused with the older Raisbeck Performance Hall next door, the new auditorium is located in the Ivey building on the corner of Lenora St and Boren Ave.

**Earshot Jazz COVID-19 Policy: Earshot recommends that all ticket holders be vaccinated. Policy subject to change. Full COVID policy here.

Jonah Parzen-Johnson photo courtesy of the artist