Johnaye Kendrick photo by Daniel Sheehan.
Presented by Bainbridge Island Museum of Art.
BIMA and Earshot Jazz are excited to partner for the third year in a row to present Within/Earshot, a month-long, all-ages festival celebrating jazz and the diverse talent of the region through live performances, lectures, art exhibitions, and other special events, located a ferry ride away from downtown Seattle on beautiful Bainbridge Island. For ticket information, visit biartmuseum.org.
Look
As part of the Within/Earshot festival, BIMA is proud to present Jazz Combo II, an exhibition of portraits by noted Northewest photojournalist, Daniel Sheehan. The Pulitzerprize winning photographer has been documenting the Seattle jazz scene for decades, capturing venues, clubs, and musicians with an impeccable sense of timing and authenticity. Sheehan has captured the spirit of such local legends as Clarence Acox, Jay Thomas, Buddy Catlett, Ruby Bishop, Overton Berry, and many more. The exhibtion is free of charge and runs from October 5–October 24.
Listen
Some of the region’s most inspiring artists will turn the island inside out with a smattering of innovative sounds.
Starting off the series is celebrated vocalist and educator, Johnaye Kendrick on October 5. Offering up original compositions and re-imaginings of standards, Kendrick’s infectious sound has won over audiences in the Northwest and beyond.
On October 12, BIMA presents Best of the West Sound, a toe-tapping afternoon of free jazz concerts in celebration of the museum’s fall exhibitions. Best of the West ensembles include The Cuban Heels, a Bainbridge Island Latin Jazz band; Sus 4, a Kitsap-based quartet offering electric jazz and progressive rock; and the Chuck Easton & George Radebaugh Quartet, a group of Port Townsend area musicians offering standards and contemporary straight-ahead jazz.
Next up on October 18 is a night of piano-driven music with the Bill Anschell Trio. Joining Anschell are fellow stalwarts on the Seattle scene, Jeff Johnson on bass and D’Vonne Lewis on drums.
Get ready to get down on Saturday, October 19, with the soulful grooves of Grace Love. The transporting vocalist dishes up powerful performances rooted in soul. Saxophonist Neil Welch and drummer Chris Icasiano have been collaborating for over a decade. Their experimental duo, Bad Luck, will “bear down on you like a cyclone of fire” (The Stranger). Their music defies boundaries, drawing from electronic, metal, folk, jazz, and more. They’re joined by Lorraine Lau on October 25.
The last concert showcases the Savani Latin Jazz quartet on October 27. Bringing a jazz inflection to traditional Cuban and South American rhythms, the songs breathe with deep lyricism, inviting the audience into a rich and sometimes unpredictable musical landscape.
Learn
Dive deeper into the history of the art form with a number of educational events. Returning this year is the popular Jazz with Jim lecture series, presented by James Cauter, professor of music at Seattle Central College. Topics covered include Be-Bop, Cool, and Hard Bop (October 10, 7pm) and Jazz Fusion (October 24, 7pm).
Within/Earshot offers up two films. Buena Vista Social Club follows aging Cuban musicians whose talents had been virtually forgotten following Castro’s takeover of Cuba. the musicians are brought out of retirement by Ry Cooder, who travelled to Havana with the goal of bringing the musicians together for sessions. Screenings take place October 8 at 2pm and 7:30pm.
A Great Day in Harlem is a documentary covering a remarkable day in jazz history when some of the greatest players in jazz gathered early one morning in in 1958 New York City for a photograph commemorating the golden age of jazz. The screening takes place October 13 at 2pm. For ticket information, visit biartmuseum.org
