Samantha Boshnack photo by Daniel Sheehan.
2021 Golden Ear Awards
Keep your ears open! The 2021 Golden Ear Awards are just around the corner. The Golden Ear Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of Seattle jazz artists over the previous year. We are seeking community feedback to nominate your favorite and most influential artists in the following categories: NW Recording of the Year, NW Acoustic Jazz Ensemble of the Year, Alternative Jazz Group of the Year, NW Concert of the Year, NW Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year, Emerging Artist of the Year, NW Vocalist of the Year, Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame, and Special Awards. More information will be available in the January magazine issue.
2022 NYC Winter Jazzfest
New York City’s Winter Jazzfest returns for its 18th annual festival for over a week of festivities January 13-22, 2022. Originally conceived to showcase the latest and most cutting-edge jazz acts during the annual Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) Conference, and founded by New York concert impresario Brice Rosenbloom, NYCWJF has become the definitive all-inclusive jazz event that offers a “state of the union” of jazz and its many stylistic camps from hot swing to avant-garde to post-bop, jazz-funk, fusion, hypermodern through-composed music and jazz-inflected world music. “Celebrating the Feel Good” is this year’s theme. Rosenbloom says of this year’s program, “Especially in these trying times, we all deserve and need the positive energy of feel good music. In the spirit of celebrating Black American Music, we are committed to supporting musicians that have contributed to keeping us all musically medicated and inspired during the pandemic.” This year’s lineup includes Seattle’s own Gregg Belisle-Chi, Samantha Boshnack, Kassa Overall, Aaron Parks, Chris Speed, Carmen Staaf, and Sumi Tanooka. For more information visit winterjazzfest.com.
KEXP’s Tom Mara Retires
After 31 years of dedicated service, retirement is on the horizon for KEXP Executive Director Tom Mara. Mara grew what once was the local, volunteer-run University of Washington radio station, KCMU, to the now internationally recognized public radio station, KEXP that now reaches over two million listeners a week. Mara will officially retire on June 30, 2022 as the organization turns 50. A fitting end to the local and global legacy he leaves behind. In a statement announcing his retirement, Mara said of his time, “It has been an honor to serve the KEXP community over the past three decades. I am also eternally grateful for the musicians who inspire and heal us—they are the connective tissue between our communities.” We send our congratulations to Tom for an inspiring career that has cultivated an incredible community of DJs, artists, and listeners alike, and wish him the best in this next chapter of his life!
STG’s Broadway Inclusion Program
Seattle Theatre Group is currently enrolling for their Broadway Inclusion Program, a program that provides free theatre arts programming to neurodivergent and/or disabled community members and their families and caregivers. Participants tend to be between 8-50 years old, but all ages and abilities are welcome! Participants meet for an hour on Monday afternoons to explore musical theatre and movement-based activities in a creative and safe environment. This program is now run via livestream and recorded classes. The fall series is still open for registration, featuring the much adored musical, Anastasia. On the horizon in BIP’s series is Beautiful in the winter, Mean Girls in the spring, and Hamilton in the summer. Registration is ongoing so you can register at any time! To learn more about the program and registration please visit: stgpresents.org/ece/broadway#about-stg-s-broadway-inclusion-program.
2022 Presenter Consortium for Jazz
Chamber Music of America is accepting applications to the 2022 Presenter Consortium for Jazz. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and accessibility issues, the program will provide support to consortiums of three U.S. presenters that collectively engage up to three professional U.S. jazz ensembles (consisting of 2-10 musicians each) to stream, livestream, or present in-person to limited audiences at each presenter’s venue. The program will fund up to 100% of eligible expenses, up to a maximum of $10,000 per Consortium partner or $30,000 per Consortium. The Presenter Consortium for Jazz is funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Applications are due December 10. For full guideline details and to apply, visit chamber-music.org/grants/presenter-jazz.
Economic Injury Disaster Loan Updates
The Small Business Administration announced major enhancements to the COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, including increasing the COVID EIDL cap from $500,000 to $2 million, implementing a deferred payment period, establishing a 30-day exclusivity window, expanding the eligibility of using the funds, and simplifying affiliation requirements. Additionally, Seattle’s Office of Economic Development is providing free technical assistance to businesses applying for the loan. For assistance, please contact OED@seattle.gov. EIDL applications close on December 31. For more information on the grant, visit seattle.gov/office-of-economic-development/covid-19/sba-disaster-loan-assistance.
