Port Townsend Jazz Festival - Saturday

Saturday at the Port Townsend Jazz Festival was a full one, to be sure. I started the day with a three hour rehearsal for the tribute to Count Basie on the afternoon concert. With John Clayton at the helm, and Byron Stripling and Carmen Bradford added to the usual mix, I have to say that this was by far the most pain-free rehearsal we've ever had up there. What's the lesson? Good music copying work + seasoned frontman and conductor = pain-free rehearsal.

Some friends from Seattle came up just before the afternoon concert, and all of us got our share of good music. Christian McBride's band was stellar as always -- this is a band that can play nearly any style of music out there related to jazz music, and make you think that each "thing" is the one thing that they do best. I never get tired of hearing this group; from Weather Report and Jaco to Bobby Hutcherson and the Spinners, it's all at the highest caliber with the Christian McBride Band. Kenny Barron and Regina Carter played a great duo program for the middle set; while not necessarily my "cup of tea", these two are definitely at the top of their respective games. The big band portion went off as the rehearsal did -- without a hitch. The perfect blend of vocals, solo features, Basie classics, and newer tributes, the tribute band couldn't have been more fun for either the listener or the performers.

After a quick buzz out to Beckett Point for a beachside dinner moment, we made it back to the McCurdy Pavilion to hear Benny Green and Russell Malone get into their duo thing, and while Russell Malone is certainly a tasty performer, Benny Green is a piano playing monster. I remember hearing Benny Green 15 years ago at Jazz Alley, and his playing continues to grow both technically and musically, while also getting more refined and controlled. From Charlie Parker to Roberta flack, I can only imagine that their recordings reflect the beautifully mellow sound and variety of tune choices we heard on the Mainstage that night. The Clayton Brothers Quintet finished out the evening concert with a full dose of Cannonball, Blakey, blues, and swing -- make no mistake! When it comes to quintet precision, arrangements, and craftsmanship, it sure can't get much better than this; Terrell Stafford and Jeff Clayton certainly recall the Cannonball Adderley Quintet frontline, and the diverse band-contributed compositions were equally suited. But for me, the real highlight was Emily, featuring beautifully melodic statements on bowed bass and alto. To be honest, I've rarely felt as moved when listening to live music as I was in those moments. I'll be going home to find this on a recording somewhere...

My friends and I decided to try and start the night at Ingrid Jensen and Terrell Stafford, only to find it already full! Before Terrell was even there yet! So we tried Pete's Place to hear my brother and the horn extravaganza, and again -- full! After our third miss, we jumped in the Surf, scarfed down a drink, and went to try and catch George Cables at the Upstage. Thankfully -- outdoor seating. The trio finished their set about the time we arrived, and by the time one of our group had to head back to Seattle, we were heading inside to catch the third set. George Cables, Carl Allen, and John Clayton were billed as Trio Magic, and I can't think of a more apt way to describe this trio. From Cables originals to It Could Happen to You and Over the Rainbow, Cables and Company are always a festival favorite, and with people filling every square inch of space in the room, this year was no exception in my book and anyone that heard them.

John Clayton spoke often this weekend about the musical family that is the Port Townsend Jazz Festival and Workshop. Never have I seen that feeling more openly on display than at the festival this year. To John Clayton, Becca Duran, Gregg Miller, and everyone else involved with making this year's festival a success -- bravo!

Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra at All-City Street Dance

I returned to my old chair in the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra as a sub this afternoon for the All-City Street Dance up at the Garfield Community Center. It is nice to know that some things never change! While the band still has the same litany of pros and cons from a performer's perpective, the audience always seems to turn out in excited droves to see this group of players.

I was certainly not the only person subbing in the band today -- at least six chairs were filled with people other than the regulars, but this made for some surprisingly interesting music. Julian Priester, certainly one of the most historically-connected players in Seattle, sounded as good as I've ever heard him play live -- so organic and natural sounding. Brian Kirk, jazz instructor at Seattle Central Community College, always brings a spark of energy and his diverse commerical background to the drum chair. Ed Lee, who I haven't heard in years, filled in the trumpet section next to regulars Brad Smith, Dennis Haldane, and Thomas Marriott. Along with super-strong solo support from folks like Travis Ranney, Bill Anthony, Mark Taylor, Phil Sparks, and Buddy Catlett, you can't go wrong, especially for a dance gig playing Fletcher Henderson, Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and much more. But damn, what a long day! We rehearsed for two hours in the morning starting at noon, and we finished the gig at 8pm -- the real deal, eight-hour work shift! Plus, the majority of the day was spent outside, and while it was a beautiful summer day in Seattle, it was a hot one in slacks and dress shirts.

It is always fun to play with this group -- I've missed the chemistry between the players in this group, and while it can be volitile at times, it can also produce some great music from time to time. Thankfully, my time with the band before I went to New York has been well documented on the Origin Arts CD, SRJO Live, so I can relive some of those moments myself. Hopefully, I'll be able to get myself back with the group regularly and be able to experience this musical experimentation as it should be: in the present.

Project Live on KISS 106.1 Jackie and Bender Show

The Project Live story continues! After our big win at the Band Battle III semi-final last week, we were invited to play live this morning on KISS 106.1 during the Jackie and Bender Show. Despite not being able to bring a drumset in the studio and substituting two congas instead, the performance went off great! With the lighter vibe and open sound, I think the listening audience got a nice taste of Project Live without us giving away all the different things we do. Sammi was even kind enough to mention us in her official blog for the Jackie and Bender Show. The big finals are coming up on the 4th of August, so come on out to Jillians!

Emerald City Jazz Orchestra at Tula's

Another installment of Big Band Tuesday at Tula's, this time featuring the always swingin' Emerald City Jazz Orchestra. Originally a band for Microsoftees, it quickly evolved into the high-energy, no-holds-barred band that it has been for years. If you need evidence, just listen to the tunes we played in the second set: Jumpin at the Woodside, Honeysuckle Rose, Cherokee, Giant Steps... And there were MORE! Full contact big band -- maybe we should change the name! With such burning soloists like Travis Ranney, Vern Seilert, Steve Tressler, Alexey Nikolaev and more, this is a big band you really shouldn't miss in the Seattle area. Another recurring gig, the ECJO appears at Tula's the 2nd Tuesday of the month.

Marriott Jazz Quintet at the New Orleans

The reunion of the Marriott Jazz Quintet began last night at the New Orleans Creole Restaurant in Pioneer Square. With Matt Jorgensen (drums), Geoff Harper (bass) and Ryan Burns (piano and Moog), Thomas and I played two sets in one of the great jazz venues in Seattle. They have regular, recurring groups during the week and feature more blues-oriented programming on the weekends, returning to jazz on Sunday. We've played here quite a bit over the last ten years, and it's always a pleasure playing for the attentive and enthusiatic audiences that the New Orleans is known for -- not to mention the great Creole cuisine! Gaye Anderson, the proprieter of the club, has always been good to us, and certainly any musician reading this could do worse than call her for a booking.

Reggae-Jazz with Middle Passage at the Sea Monster

The Sea Monster is a new venue to me in Seattle, but I'm sure that I'll be going back after my experience last night with Lamar Lofton's Middle Passage, an interesting mix of reggae and jazz styles with original music and traditional jazz standards. A fun gig with more than its share of strange moments, the real trivia moment on the gig was the realization that 4-out-of-5 members of the band graduated from Garfield High School: Lamar Lofton (80s), myself (early 90s), Chris Patin (mid 90s), and Carter Yasutake (new millenium). Add Marc Fendel to the mix (from Portland) and you've got Middle Passage! Lamar has been playing around town for years in both jazz and reggae situations, and if you don't know his playing you might've heard him with Clinton Fearon and Boogie Brown Band. If not, keep an eye out for Lamar (you can't miss him!) and this great band -- hopefully we will be playing together again soon.

Band Battle III at Jillian's with Project Live

Brainchild of Matt Cavinto, Project Live took to the stage at Jillian's last night for their inaugural performance and proceeded to win their Band Battle III. With the finals coming up on August 4th, they called me yesterday to add a little spice to the mix in the hopes of getting a spot on that final show. Whether I helped at all or not, we won! A couple of great rock bands opened up the night, followed by a sorta-jive rapper, but Project Live managed to take home the gold from the judges. Stay tuned for a follow up report after the finals on August 4th at Jillian's -- if you want to help cheer us on, come on down!

Jay Thomas Big Band at Tula's

If you've never been to Tula's on a Tuesday night, you may have been missing out. Unofficially dubbed Big Band Tuesday, Tula's has traditional-sized large ensemble jazz music in a variety of styles from traditional to experimental. Tonight, I played down there with one of the Jay Thomas big bands -- this one dubbed (at least formerly) Jay Thomas and the Usual Suspects. The band included such Seattle notables as Rich Cole, John Gofoth, Jay Thomas, Greg Williamson, and Vern Seilert, plus some new figures on the scene that if you haven't heard them yet, you will. This gig is always a great time for me, and as far as I know, you can hear this band the 2nd Tuesday of every month at Tula's.