Jazz Northwest

Red Kelly's Sextet playing a night at Parnell's in Seattle in 1981 will be featured on today's episode of Jazz Northwest. Recorded in the Pioneer Square jazz club for promotional purposes, Red Kelly's sextet swings hard through two Ellington-inspired pieces, "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" and "Castle Rock."

The annual Earshot Jazz Festival begins next Wednesday with dozens of events including live performances and streamed music, film, video watch parties, and conversations. In today's episode of Jazz Northwest, we'll hear 3 artists appearing in the first week including the Festival Resident Artist, Marina Albero, and singer Eugenie Jones and saxophonist Kareem Kandi.

The regional jazz scene is cranking up for Fall, with the new Calluna jazz club, the Bellevue Jazz and Blues Series next week, and The Earshot Jazz Festival starting the week after that.

Selections from a new release by trumpeter Jared Hall will debut today on Jazz Northwest. Jared Hall is a relatively recent arrival on the Northwest jazz scene, and this album will go far to establish his credentials here. Also on this week's show is Paquito D'Rivera who blends jazz and classical music with humor, he'll be at Jazz Alley next week. Jovino Santos Neto plays solo piano in an original piece from his new album and we'll highlight a reviving jazz scene as more live jazz is becoming available.

In this week's episode, we feature samples of upcoming jazz events, such as The Cookers who will be performing at Jazz Alley in Seattle next Tuesday, Sept 21, and Wednesday, Sept 22.

As it often does, music on this week's episode ranges from Vancouver, B.C. to Portland, Ore., with Cory Weeds in Vancouver, and Randy Porter and Nancy King in Portland. We also have Jay Thomas with a tenor and tuba version of a Monk tune, and a pretty ballad composed by Primo Kim to feature Bill Ramsay's alto sax. There's more of course, plus suggestions for best opportunities to catch some live jazz around the Seattle area including a new venue for music.

Labor Day seems like Summer's last hurrah so this week's show has several songs remembering Summer with a touch of nostalgia.

On this week's Jazz Northwest, we'll remember Lofurno's in Seattle with Melody Jones playing solo piano on one tune and joined by Fred Greenwell in another in 1993.

Jerry Granelli died July 20 in Halifax, Nova Scotia at the age of 80. Granelli was an important part of the Seattle jazz scene in the 80s when he was on the faculty at Cornish College of the Arts. The percussionist/composer was part of a boundary-testing group of musicians here at the time including Ralph Towner, Gary Peacock, Julian Priester, Jay Clayton and Denny Goodhew.

The second part of the Saturday afternoon concert from this Summer's Jazz Port Townsend will be featured today on Jazz Northwest. Like most events, the Festival was canceled last year due to Covid-19, but returned this year in a smaller form, with masterclasses online the week before, and two sets on the main stage at McCurdy Pavilion at Fort Worden with the audience of several hundred seated outdoors on Littlefield Green.