In this Issue
Seattle Jazz Composers Ensemble New Works Concert
On Friday, December 6th, the Seattle Jazz Composers Ensemble performs at the Chapel performance space. SJCE is a flexible project for composers, musicians, and artists with a wide range of sonic exploration. They have commissioned new pieces from more than 20 composers as they continue to seek more community support, grant funding, and collaborative projects for Seattle artists.
Alex Dugdale: Dig the Gig
Author Steve Griggs describes a scene of Dugdale teaching a class of music students at one of the several schools he teaches throughout the week. He describes being 11 and his epiphany while tap dancing in the hot New York subway of understanding jazz as a language. This inspired him to pursue jazz throughout the rest of his education, his style is shaped by years of hard studying. This month, Seattle can catch him perform with the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra at Town Hall.
25th Annual Concert of Duke Ellington’s Sacred Music
On Saturday, December 28th, at Town Hall, Seattle audiences can see a gospel choir and tap dancer Alex Dugdale perform with the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra for Earshot Jazz’s 25th annual presentation of Duke Ellington’s Sacred Music concerts. The three Sacred Music Concerts, which premiered in 1965, 1968, and 1973, convey intense emotion and brought jazz tradition into church. Ellington credits these as his most important music ever written. The sheer scale of these concerts makes them infrequently performed.
Daniel Sheehan’s EyeShotJazz Blog
Photo journalist Daniel Sheehan shares images of Earshot Jazz events to eyeshotjazz.com. Visit his website to see his photos in color.
Choice, Recent Local Releases
This For The Record features B’shnorkestra ‘Go to Orange’, Glenn Crytzer’s Savoy Seven ‘Focus Pocus & A Little Love This Christmas’, Heatwarmer ‘Heatwarmer’, Christian Pincock ‘Plentiful Excitement’, Michael Coleman / Jacob Zimmerman ‘Today the World is Old’, Amy Denio ‘Prodigal Light’, Industrial Revelation ‘Oak Head’, and Steve Treseler Group ‘Center Song’.
In One Ear
This In One Ear features RIP Dee Dee Rainbow, Pie Features for November, Chamber Music America Features, Seattle Offices of Arts & Culture 2014 City Artists, ArtistTrust Award Recipients, and upcoming Jazz Radio programing.
Best Festival Ever!
In this Letter from the Director, John Gilbreath concludes Earshot 25 by thanking everyone who contributed to making Earshot 25 come to fruition including all the artists, partnering institutions, donors, businesses, and volunteers. He also announces that the National Endowment for the Arts will be funding Earshot Jazz 2014.
