Photo Tracy Yang by Chiang Chi Yuan.
Seattle JazzED Announces New Housing
Seattle JazzED recently announced that it acquired a new property in the heart of Rainier Valley to build a permanent musical home. In partnership with Capitol Hill Housing, the jazz education non-profit announced that its new facility, which will also have 100 units of affordable housing, addresses the issue of equitable access to opportunity in Seattle. As Seattle JazzED has grown in the last eight years from serving 56 young musicians to more than 900, this new project aims to reach even more aspiring jazz students and become a youth performing arts hub for the students of the Seattle region. With their set fundraising and construction goals, Seattle JazzED anticipates moving into its new home by summer 2021.
Clarence Acox, founding music director, says, “I imagine a lot of creativity in the new building and a lot of beautiful music being made. I think any place where people can share ideas and have respect for each other’s point of view and culture is a good place. There’s such a divide now, we need that more than ever. This building is a good place to start.”
To learn more about the project, visit seattlejazzed.org.
Earshot Jazz Seeks Festival Interns
Earshot Jazz is now accepting applications for its 2018 Festival Internship program.
Internships run from September through November and are part-time, with some evening and weekend work. Internships are unpaid, but can be for course credit where necessary.
Students pursuing a degree in communications, arts management, arts administration, publication arts, and music/jazz studies are encouraged to apply. Candidates must have excellent communication, time management, and organizational skills, and professional phone and e-mail manners. Having a car is a major plus; a passion for the arts is a must!
Interested applicants should e-mail a cover letter and resume to
info@earshot.org by September 20.
Instrumental Ladies of Jazz: Tobi Stone & Ann Reynolds
Instrumental Ladies: The Duos kicks off its next season on September 21 at Caffe Musica with saxophonist/clarinetist/flutist Tobi Stone joining pianist/composer Ann Reynolds. Caffe Musica (14300 Greenwood Ave N) presents this series on the third Friday of the month, from 7 to 9pm to showcase women instrumentalists who play jazz in Seattle. Cover $10. Reservations at 206-418-6797. Visit the Facebook page for more upcoming events.
SWOJO Announces Winner of the 6th Annual Jazz Composition Contest for Women Composers
The 2018 winning composition of the sixth annual jazz composition contest is A Step to My Dream by Tracy Yang, while the Honorable Mention composition is Dark and Grey by Tracy Yang. This is the first time the same composer was awarded Winner and Honorable Mention.
Tracy Yang is a composer, arranger and performer from Taiwan. She was first exposed to music at the age of five, learning classical piano and violin. Throughout elementary school, she was also introduced to percussion instruments such as marimba and vibraphone. Yang attended Berklee College of Music and obtained her Diploma in Jazz Composition in 2015. Additionaly that year, she received the Benny Golson Award from the Jazz Composition Department and was the recipient of Passim Iguana Music Fund grant. Yang moved to New York City in 2016, where she leads her own quintet, performing her own compositions in several venues. She recently started her masters in Jazz Composition at Queens College.
The compositions will be premiered and recorded live by the Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra, featuring special guest Sheryl Bailey, on October 27 as part of the Earshot Jazz Festival. Yang will be in attendance.
CMA Presenter Consortium for Jazz Grant
Chamber Music America’s Presenter Consortium program provides support for consortiums of three U.S. presenters to collectively engage up to three professional U.S. jazz ensembles to perform at each presenter’s venue. This grant program is supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
Applications are due by 9pm EST on October 5. For more information, visit chamber-music.org.
Seattle Women in Jazz Seeks Board Members
SWIJ is currently seeking board members from diverse backgrounds. Non-profit experience is not necessary, but a passion for supporting bands led by and/or comprised of women is! For more information, visit
seattlewomeninjazz.com or email
jessica@seattlewomeninjazz.com.
Applications for 2019 Jack Straw Artist Residencies Now Available
The Jack Straw Artist Residency Programs offer established and emerging artists in diverse disciplines an opportunity to explore the creative use of sound in a professional atmosphere through residencies in our recording studios and participation in our various presentation programs. Applications for the 2019 program are now available at jackstraw.org, with a deadline of November 1. Artists may apply to only one program per year.
Write Earshot Jazz
The Earshot Jazz magazine reflects and shares the many ways that jazz intersects with lives in the Northwest. Earshot Jazz is seeking submissions from writers: Please email story pitches, comments, news and announcements to editor@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. To ensure publication in the printed calendar, please submit no later than the 15th of the month prior to the event.