Critics were tripping over themselves praising Maria Schneider’s “Concert in the Garden” album, and with good reason.
Marie Schneider Jazz Orchestra: 7:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Jazz Alley, 2033 Sixth Ave., Seattle; $25.50; 206-628-0888.
Spyro Gyra: Various times Thursday through Feb. 12, Jazz Alley, 2033 Sixth Ave., Seattle; $24.50; 206-628-0888. Tom Rush: 8 p.m. Saturday, Triple Door, 216 Union St., Seattle; $20, $25; 206-838-4333. International Guitar Night: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Lincoln Theater, 712 S. First St., Mount Vernon; $22-$26; 877-754-6284. How to Destroy the Universe: 8 tonight, Triple Door, 216 Union St., Seattle; $20; 206-838-4333. Rose Hill Drive: 9 p.m. Thursday, Chop Suey, 1325 E. Madison St., Seattle; $6; 206-324-8000. Golden Ear Awards: 6:30 p.m. Monday, Triple Door, 216 Union St., Seattle; $7-$17; 206-838-4333. |
It went on to win a 2005 Grammy for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, and took the same honors from Jazz Journalists and Downbeat’s Critic Poll and Readers Poll.
Schneider will bring her 19-piece jazz orchestra to Seattle Monday and Tuesday, an orchestra she started in 1993. It has performed in jazz festivals and concert halls in the U.S., Europe and Brazil.
Her debut album, “Evanescence,” was nominated for two Grammys, and her next two albums earned nominations as well. Her third album, “Allegresse,” made Time magazine and Billboard’s top 10 recordings in 2000.
Schneider has guest conducted in several countries, and performed commissioned works, including arranging and conducting concerts with Toots Thielemans for the Danish Radio Orchestra.
Spyro Gyra: After 24 albums, it’s tough to develop new material, especially in a business that rewards sameness and minimizes risks. But Spyro Gyra, which performs Thursday through Feb. 12 in Seattle, has a new fusion album (“Wrapped in a Dream”) coming out later this month that speaks to its willingness to explore the possibilities. Band leader and saxman Jay Beckenstein has become an elder statesman in the smooth jazz world, scoring big with melodic and adventuresome blend of pop, soul, jazz, Latin and R&B.
Tom Rush: Rolling Stone magazine called his 1968 “Circle Game” album the genesis of the singer-songwriter era. The lyrically talented Rush, who performs Saturday in Seattle, continues to remind audiences why so much of the music of the ’60s was so powerful.
International Guitar Night: Go north for top-flight guitar music Thursday in Mount Vernon. Brian Gore, the guitar poet from San Francisco; Clive Carroll, a fingerstyle phenom from England; Brazil’s flamenco master guitarist Marco Pereira; and Northwest native jazz and experimental guitarist Ralph Towner, now living in Italy, are performers in the annual event.
How to Destroy the Universe: It’s the tour that brings Blixa Bargeld with F-Space and the Living Jarboe to Seattle today. If you’re craving a dose of entertaining avant-garde music, you’ll find it here. Bargeld, the godfather of industrial music and ex-guitarist with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, explores language and music with special effects; neo-punk F-Space has been called the Led Zeppelin of noise with frenetic percussive instruments; Jarboe is the former chanteuse and founding member of The Swans.
Rose Hill Drive: The trio just wants to rock, and now they’re moving from the club circuit in Boulder, Colo., to bring rock ‘n’ roll reminiscent of the good old days to Seattle on Thursday. They’ve opened for Umphrey McGee and Van Halen.
Golden Ear Awards: The 17th Seattle party for jazz fans and performers celebrates accomplishments in 2005 on Monday. The Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra Nonet, with guest Julian Priester, will present “The Birth of Cool,” music of Miles Davis’ 1949 era-defining album.
Maria Schneider performs next week in Seattle.
Spyro Gyra performs Thursday through Feb. 12 in Seattle.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.