Archive for the ‘Seattle’ Category
A WAITING LIST is available.
Vocalist Ed Reed is a master singer and storyteller, and one of the jazz world’s living treasures. With an uncanny history working with and learning from many of jazz’s legends (ever since, growing up in Watts, L.A., he was taught harmony by Charles Mingus when Mingus would come to baby sit at the house across the street), he amazed the jazz world when he came out with his highly acclaimed debut CD at age 78. Since then he has earned a Top Ten spot on the DownBeat Critics Poll eleven times, including First Place on their Rising Star Male Vocalist list for 2014. He was awarded a Jazz Hero award by the Jazz Journalists’ Association, and was the subject of an hourlong episode of NPR’s Piano Jazz.
For this concert, Ed and host/saxophonist Anton Schwartz are joined by Portland-based pianist Randy Porter, who recently was the featured soloist with the Seattle Symphony for their performances of La La Land, and whose most recent CD, Porter Plays Porter, was nominated last year for a Grammy.
Randy and Anton have performed and recorded extensively with Ed, including his on CDs I’m a Shy Guy and Born to be Blue, about which renowned jazz journalist Andrew Gilbert writes:
Given his track record of exponential creative growth over the past four years it might be premature to say that “Born to Be Blue ” is Reed’s definitive statement, but his third album possesses all the distilled emotion and narrative coherence of a jazz masterpiece.
Learn more about Ed Reed.
Read MoreJosh Nelson has performed extensively with some of the most respected names in jazz, including Natalie Cole, Anthony Wilson, Benny Golson, Sheila Jordan, Jeff Hamilton, John Clayton, Richard Galliano, Dave Koz, Seamus Blake, Matt Wilson, Sara Gazarek, Jack Sheldon, Tom Scott, and Peter Erskine. Josh has recorded on countless albums, films, and television, and has released five acclaimed CDs of his own. “There’s a lightness in Nelson’s touch reminiscent of Red Garland, an Oscar Peterson dazzle to his technique.” –Jazz Times Magazine.
Josh has been performing with Anton Schwartz‘s quintet since early 2015. Following a sold out festival performance together, they decided to play a duo concert in Oakland, and the chemistry was palpable. We’re looking forward to this, Josh’s first appearance at the loft!
Read MoreThis show is SOLD OUT.
A WAITING LIST is available.
We’re proud to have Denise Donatelli joining us from Los Angeles!
“Donatelli makes it sound so natural to hit the dead center of each note, you can almost forget how rarely it occurs in the rest of the world. Her intonation combines accuracy with ease in a way most singers can only imagine.” —Neil Tesser
Her last three albums have received four Grammy nominations, including her latest nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album for her most recent album Find A Heart. She has been voted into the Downbeat Critics Poll as Female Vocalist Rising Star for the past three years, and was named Jazz Vocalist of the Year by the Los Angeles Jazz Society.
Joining Denise and host Anton Schwartz (saxophone) are pianist Bill Anschell and bassist Michael Glynn.
Read MoreNOTE: There is also an afternoon show the same day.
Kellye Gray, a native of Dallas, first made a name for herself on the Austin scene. As word of her talent has spread, she’s lived stints in Los Angeles and San Francisco and toured internationally. We’re delighted to have her up at the loft for a Seattle performance!
Of her many remarkable qualities, perhaps the most striking is the sheer power of her performance energy and how completely she puts herself on the line when she interprets a song. The results are stunning. She draws on a wide repertoire and vocabulary from both jazz and popular music, always carving her interpretations and improvisations with fearless creativity.
“Think of a layer cake with a dense Carmen McRae center, iced with swoops, dollops and occasionally wide swatches of Nancy Wilson and Billie Holiday, then dotted with Etta James bluesiness and Tina Turner wail. Gray’s is an impressive, indeed frighteningly vast talent.”
—Christopher Loudon, Jazz Times
Joining Kellye and Anton are two brilliant players on the Seattle jazz scene: Bill Anschell and Jeff Johnson. Kellye has performed at the Oakland loft twice and both concerts sold out well in advance, so be sure to reserve early.
Read MoreKellye Gray, a native of Dallas, first made a name for herself on the Austin scene. As word of her talent has spread, she’s lived stints in Los Angeles and San Francisco and toured internationally. We’re delighted to have her up at the loft for a Seattle performance!
Of her many remarkable qualities, perhaps the most striking is the sheer power of her performance energy and how completely she puts herself on the line when she interprets a song. The results are stunning. She draws on a wide repertoire and vocabulary from both jazz and popular music, always carving her interpretations and improvisations with fearless creativity.
“Think of a layer cake with a dense Carmen McRae center, iced with swoops, dollops and occasionally wide swatches of Nancy Wilson and Billie Holiday, then dotted with Etta James bluesiness and Tina Turner wail. Gray’s is an impressive, indeed frighteningly vast talent.”
—Christopher Loudon, Jazz Times
Joining Kellye and Anton are two brilliant players on the Seattle jazz scene: Bill Anschell and Jeff Johnson. Kellye has performed at the Oakland loft twice and both concerts sold out well in advance, so be sure to reserve early.
(NOTE: there is also an 8pm show the same day.)
Read MoreThis show is SOLD OUT.
A WAITING LIST is available.
We’re honored to have joining Anton this time two standout artists in the world of jazz.
Lorraine Feather is without a doubt one of the freshest and most enjoyable voices in jazz. Not only because of her beautiful voice and subtle, spirited delivery. But because she writes material that is sophisticated, poignant, witty, expertly crafted, and perfectly tailored to her own remarkable musical-storytelling ability. Lorraine grew up steeped in jazz. Her father was the renowned jazz writer Leonard Feather; her godmother was Billie Holiday. A three-time Grammy-nominee (most recently in 2014), her recordings have received glowing reviews in every major jazz magazine. DownBeat has called her work “deliciously savvy”; Jazz Times referred to her lyrical reinventions as “pure genius.” Songs with her lyrics have been recorded by many jazz artists, including Patti Austin, Kenny Rankin and Phyllis Hyman.
Multi-Grammy winning pianist Russell Ferrante is perhaps best known as the founding pianist and composer of the Yellowjackets, whose 22 acclaimed albums over nearly 35 years have made them a guiding force in modern jazz. He has also recorded and performed with a dazzling list of artists including Art Blakey, Wayne Shorter, Joni Mitchell, Art Pepper, Bobby McFerrin, Al Jarreau, Marcus Miller, Take 6, Lee Ritenour and Randy Crawford.
Lorraine and Russell have been songwriting partners for many years, and they share a warm chemistry when they perform. This is a rare opportunity to catch the two of them together in Seattle, not to mention in such an intimate setting.
Read MoreThis show is SOLD OUT.
A WAITING LIST is available.
It’s our honor to present one jazz’s great living treasures, Julian Priester, and his ensemble.
Priester has been a part of countless history-making bands over the past 60 years, performing and recording extensively with the likes of Duke Ellington, Max Roach, Lionel Hampton, Sun Ra, Dinah Washington, John Coltrane, Philly Joe Jones, Ray Charles, Herbie Hancock, Abbey Lincoln, Freddie Hubbard, Art Blakey, Blue Mitchell and Woody Shaw.
The concert features the members of Julian Priester’s working quartet, Priester’s Cue, expanded to form a quintet with Anton Schwartz on tenor sax. They will perform a program of compositions by Priester and arrangements of jazz standards.
Read MoreThis show is SOLD OUT.
A WAITING LIST is available.
For this concert, Anton Schwartz will be joined by two of Portland’s greatest contributions to the international jazz scene: vocalist Rebecca Kilgore and pianist Randy Porter.
“Rebecca has a gorgeous voice and has a deep connection with every song she touches. In a world of pretenders, she’s absolutely the real thing. I love what she does!”
– Michael Feinstein
“Becky is one of my favorite singers, and one of my greatest recent pleasures was presenting her in concert on Fresh Air.”
– Terry Gross, host of NPR’s Fresh Air
“If Benny Goodman were alive today, he’d hire Becky to sing in his band.”
– Bucky Pizzarelli
Not yet thirty years old, Taylor Eigsti has established his place as one of the world’s foremost jazz pianists. He has performed as a featured soloist with jazz ensembles and symphony orchestras around the world, received multiple Grammy nominations, been the cover story of Keyboard Magazine and Jazziz and the subject of numerous television and radio specials, and has collaborated with most of the brightest stars in jazz today, including Esperanza Spalding, Dave Brubeck, Christian McBride, James Moody, Nicholas Payton, Lee Konitz, Chris Potter and Hank Jones.
Taylor joined the faculty of the Stanford Jazz Workshop at age fifteen. That is where he and Anton and first met and collaborated. Taylor appears on Anton’s latest CD, Radiant Blue, as well has his upcoming one (stay tuned!)
Here are two videos of them in concert at Yoshi’s several years ago:
Detroit based vocalist Kathy Kosins will be passing through Seattle, and we’re hooking up for a show at the loft. Kosins is a six-time ASCAP award winner, and has performed at prestigious jazz clubs, festivals and concert series across the nation and around the world. The Chicago Tribune calls her “one of the most alluring voices in jazz.” And famed jazz critic Niel Tesser writes that she possesses “solid intonation, unwavering swing, and a voice that can conjure both the girl next door and her older, wiser sister.”
We are particularly lucky to be joined by Seattle’s own Paul Gabrielson on bass, and Portland phenomenon Randy Porter on piano.
Some may know pianist Randy Porter as saxophone great Charles McPherson’s longtime pianist. Others may know him from his annual performance and teaching at the Port Townsend Jazz Festival, or his performances with such greats as Freddy Hubbard, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Arturo Sandoval, Karrin Allyson, Sheila Jordan, Diane Schuur, Wynton Marsalis and numerous symphony orchestras. Based in Portland, Oregon, he is without a doubt one of the city’s major contributions to the international jazz scene.
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