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The Northwest Jazz scene


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My wife and I are looking to relocate in a couple or 3 years, and one area we are considering is the Northwest USA (Portland, Seattle, or...)

Are any readers here currently living in this area or are particularly knowledgeable about the health of the jazz scene 'up there'?

Creative musicians, availability of playing opportunities, listening audiences, etc.

Thanks much :cool:

Edited by slide_advantage_redoux
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Yo! Seattle here. In touch with what's going on in Portland to a degree. Both cities have their scene. Good people, love of jazz. Tough to make a living, but people do. Let me know more specifically what your question is and I'll be happy to try to help.

Troy

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My wife and I are looking to relocate in a couple or 3 years, and one area we are considering is the Northwest USA (Portland, Seattle, or...)

Are any readers here currently living in this area or are particularly knowledgeable about the health of the jazz scene 'up there'?

Creative musicians, availability of playing opportunities, listening audiences, etc.

Thanks much :cool:

I've lived up in the NW for some nine years in Bellingham WA, and I can state that jazz is definitely alive in well in the Seattle /Tacoma Area ( and in the Portland area as well ).

Seattle has many fine resident musicians , a number of venues ,several yearly jazz fests, and a decent fan base. You might want to check out the AAJ Seattle jazz guide available in PDF format on a companion jazz BBS .

You might also want to investigate the Origin Records artist roster ( a very well respected jazz label based in Seattle ) Many of their artists ( including myself ) are Northwestern based and display a wide range of stylistic approches . In addition, you might check out the websites of Jazzy Alley, Tulas, the Triple Door, and the EArshot Jazz Festival ..plus the annual Centrum Jazz Festival held every July in Port Townsend WA ( a short ferry ride from the Seattle side of Puget Sound )

All this plus a great overall quality of life ( save the omnipresent traffic hassles ), magnificent scenery, and great seafood!

Hope this gets you started!

:w:w:w:w

Phil Kelly

Northwest Prevailing Winds

( Origin Records )

www.philkellymusic.com

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Of course this is all relative to the fact that the TROMBONE happens to be your chosen instrument, Greg.

Good luck with ALL THAT! ;):g

Well, yeah there is that!

The upside of that is that there seem to be fewer of us around.

dinosaur_1.jpg

I set myself up that time. :blush:

Oh did I mention that I double on bagpipes?

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All About Jazz / Seattle

John Bishop and Matt Jorgensen from Origin Records, The Ballard Festival and AAJ / Seattle have done much to make the jazz enviroment in Seattle a heathy and growing one.

Their efforts can be used as a template for others around the world, in their own cities.

And, they are bad-assed musicians to boot!

ORIGIN RECORDS

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All About Jazz / Seattle

And, they are bad-assed musicians to boot!

ORIGIN RECORDS

Indeed.

Also check out Pony Boy Records for some excelletn Seattle players; http://www.ponyboyrecords.com/files/pony_boy/pony_index.html

Our top Trombone Players include David Marriott and occasionally Julian Priester, who I believe is based here, but seems to just pop up now and again in clubs. A hand full of other very good 'bonists.

There is a broad tier of players not quite that acomplished in Seattle too. Lots of jazz, lots of players, lots of interest, a bit of money. Nice people, great food, better weather than advertised.

-tk

Edited by troyk
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Indeed.

Also check out Pony Boy Records for some excelletn Seattle players; http://www.ponyboyrecords.com/files/pony_boy/pony_index.html

Our top Trombone Players include David Marriott and occasionally Julian Priester, who I believe is based here, but seems to just pop up now and again in clubs. A hand full of other very good 'bonists.

There is a broad tier of players not quite that acomplished in Seattle too. Lots of jazz, lots of players, lots of interest, a bit of money. Nice people, great food, better weather than advertised.

-tk

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dont forget piano player jovino santos neto who is not only well versed in bossa nova but also classical and bebop and he even really likes genesis. he is cool

In addition to Jovino, Seattle is blessed with a large number of great pianists ..including: John Hansen, Marc Seales, Randy Halberstadt, Darin Clendenin, Butch Nordahl , and Ryan Burns.

It also boasts an unusualy cadre of quailty UPRIGHT bassists : Chuck Deardorf, Clipper Anderson, Jeff Johnson, Phil Sparks, Larry Holloway among them.

and let's not forget: Jay Thomas ( a quadruple threat on both trumpet and reeds ) Thom Marriot, Vern Seilert and Paul Mazzio ( from Portland ) on trumpets,

Mark Taylor, Travis Ranney, Jim Coile, Hans Teuber, Hadley Caliman,and Bill Ramsay are all great sax players

( All these are from the Origin "Artists" list -and can be checked out there )

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It also boasts an unusualy cadre of quailty UPRIGHT bassists : Chuck Deardorf, Clipper Anderson, Jeff Johnson, Phil Sparks, Larry Holloway among them.

( All these are from the Origin "Artists" list -and can be checked out there )

Let's not overlook Doug Miller, who I put at or near the top of that list.

Out of respect, we should also mention Buddy Catlett, who was with the Basie Band among other things. He still plays out a fair bit if you know where to look.

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dont forget piano player jovino santos neto who is not only well versed in bossa nova but also classical and bebop and he even really likes genesis. he is cool

In addition to Jovino, Seattle is blessed with a large number of great pianists ..including: John Hansen, Marc Seales, Randy Halberstadt, Darin Clendenin, Butch Nordahl , and Ryan Burns.

It also boasts an unusualy cadre of quailty UPRIGHT bassists : Chuck Deardorf, Clipper Anderson, Jeff Johnson, Phil Sparks, Larry Holloway among them.

and let's not forget: Jay Thomas ( a quadruple threat on both trumpet and reeds ) Thom Marriot, Vern Seilert and Paul Mazzio ( from Portland ) on trumpets,

Mark Taylor, Travis Ranney, Jim Coile, Hans Teuber, Hadley Caliman,and Bill Ramsay are all great sax players

( All these are from the Origin "Artists" list -and can be checked out there )

Is Jessica Williams still around the area? By the way Phil, pianist Dick Reynolds sends his regards..

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dont forget piano player jovino santos neto who is not only well versed in bossa nova but also classical and bebop and he even really likes genesis. he is cool

In addition to Jovino, Seattle is blessed with a large number of great pianists ..including: John Hansen, Marc Seales, Randy Halberstadt, Darin Clendenin, Butch Nordahl , and Ryan Burns.

It also boasts an unusualy cadre of quailty UPRIGHT bassists : Chuck Deardorf, Clipper Anderson, Jeff Johnson, Phil Sparks, Larry Holloway among them.

and let's not forget: Jay Thomas ( a quadruple threat on both trumpet and reeds ) Thom Marriot, Vern Seilert and Paul Mazzio ( from Portland ) on trumpets,

Mark Taylor, Travis Ranney, Jim Coile, Hans Teuber, Hadley Caliman,and Bill Ramsay are all great sax players

( All these are from the Origin "Artists" list -and can be checked out there )

Is Jessica Williams still around the area? By the way Phil, pianist Dick Reynolds sends his regards..

I don't believe that jessica lives in the Seattle area, but she is here frequently and has a lot of friends here. I've been to a few private parties where she has performed in the last year.

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