Garfield High School Jazz Band photo by Daniel Sheehan.
Seattle-Kobe Female Jazz Vocalist Audition
The 15th Annual Seattle-Kobe Female Jazz Vocalist Audition is accepting applications with a deadline of MarchThe Seattle-Kobe Sister City Association will hold auditions in May at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley to choose two winners: one high school student and one adult vocalist from the greater Seattle area. The winners will perform as guest singers at the Kobe Shinkaichi Jazz Vocal Queen Contest in Japan later this year. The prize includes roundtrip tickets to Osaka and lodging for four nights. Applicants must submit two song samples and a fee of $20 with their application. More information at seattlekobe.org.
SMASH Membership 2019 Open Enrollment
Seattle Musicians Access to Sustainable Healthcare (SMASH) is a nonprofit organization that connects musicians to healthcare providers by offering subsidized preventative doctor visits at nonprofit healthcare clinics throughout King County. SMASH also provides hearing screenings and custom molded earplugs to help prevent hearing loss. 2019 Member enrollment is now open. The application is free and confidential. To be eligible, you must live in King County, perform, record, or compose music, and earn income at or under SMASH’s income limit. Visit smashseattle.org for more information.
Washington Schools to Compete at Essentially Ellington Competition
Congratulations to Roosevelt High, Garfield High, and Mount Si High jazz bands for being chosen to compete in the 24th Annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival, taking place May 9-11. Essentially Ellington is a prestigious program at Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York which aims to elevate musicianship, broaden perspectives, and inspire performance. For more details visit academy.jazz.org.
Sudden Valley Jazz Kicks Off 2019 Season
The 9th season of the Sudden Valley Jazz, organized by Bellingham’s Friends of the South Whatcom Library, kicks off on March 30 with a salute to Jazz at the Philharmonic, starring Greta Matassa and the Julian MacDonough All-Stars (MacDonough on drums, Tony Foster on piano and Michael Glynn on bass, and special guests). Next, on April 27, is Bossa Nova Brazil, starring Nilza Lessa and Marco de Carvalho and backed by Jeff Johnson (bass) and Jeff Busch (drums). After a summer reprieve, the series continues on October 12 with Brubeck Plays Brubeck, honoring Dave Brubeck’s centennial with a performance led by his son, Dan Brubeck (drums), with Steve Kaldestad (saxophone), Miles Hill (bass), and Miles Black (piano). Wrapping up the series on November 9 is Ron Jones’ Jazz Forest, a 12-piece jazz recordings orchestra. Sudden Valley Jazz performances take place at 3pm in the Sudden Valley Dance Barn in Bellingham. Seating is limited, and drinks are available for purchase at the concert. Both series tickets ($70) and single concert tickets ($20) are available at fswl.org.
Seattle JazzED Summer Jazz Prep Camp
Registration is now open for Seattle JazzED’s Summer Jazz Prep Camp. The camp is offered at a sliding scale with a full tuition waiver option and is available to students entering 4th, 5th, and 6th grades in the fall. No prior experience required. The camp is scheduled for June 24-28 but please note these dates are in flux due to the recent Seattle Public School snow days. Participating students are required to attend Meet Your Instrument Day prior to camp on April 28. More information at seattlejazzed.org
Seattle Improvised Music Festival Reschedules Some Events
The Seattle Improvised Music Festival, which ran February 6–10, has rescheduled some events due to the inclement weather. The tribute to
Paul Hoskin, SIMF founder and a key figure in Seattle’s freely improvised music history, is now scheduled for March 15. Music and Dance curated by Stephanie Skura has been moved to June 20.Both events take place at the Chapel Performance Space in the Good Shepherd Center. $5–20 suggested donation at the door. For further updates, follow SIMF on social media or visit nseq.org.
Jack Straw Cultural Center 2019 Winter Audio Workshops
Jack Straw Audio Workshops provide the opportunity to improve existing studio skills or obtain hands-on-learning to assist those wishing to enter the audio industry. There are two workshops available this month: March 8, Microphone workshop; and on March 9, Basic Field Recording workshop. Space is limited. To register call Jack Straw Cultural Center at 206-634-0919. For more information email workshops@jackstaw.org or visit jackstraw.org.
4Culture Arts Projects Grants
Artists and art groups seeking funding to create and share their work are encouraged to apply for 4Culture Arts Projects grants by March 6, 5pm. The grants support project needs from June 1, 2019 through June 1, 2021. Projects Grants can be used to help artists create new work, interpret existing work, pursue professional development opportunities, and pay for equipment. The competitive grants are offered in fixed amounts and the applications are reviewed and selected by artist panels. Visit 4culture.org for more information.
Office of Arts and Culture Artists Roster for Seattle Public Schools
Artists and art organizations who are interested in partnering with Seattle Public Schools to increase student access to the arts, broaden the range of art disciplines studied by students, and create connections between community and schools are encouraged to apply for inclusion on the Community Arts Partner Roster. The roster is maintained by the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture to help schools find creative resources. Art partners mentor students and, in some cases, provide professional development opportunities for school teachers. Arts partners remain on the roster for two years. Applications are due on March 13 and are available at
creativeadvantageseattle.org.
