October may be the favorite month for jazz fans because it’s time for the 17-night, 70-event Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle, Edmonds and Kirkland, starting tonight.
In addition to the music, Earshot also has artists conducting workshops, panel discussions and master classes, as well as offering a series of jazz films and photography.
The theme is Jazz from A to Z, or Ahmad Jamal to John Zorn, and it’s a chance to see the veterans as well as emerging artists.
Locally, Toots Thielemans and Kenny Werner will perform in Edmonds on Saturday.
Thielemans created the closing theme to “Sesame Street,” whistled scores for commercials (“Old Spice”), performed harmonica solos for film scores and participated in concerts with musicians including Ella Fitzgerald and Paul Simon. He is the perennial winner of Down Beat readers’ and critics’ polls in the category of miscellaneous instruments.
Lately he’s been collaborating with pianist Kenny Werner, who can deliver any style or mood but has settled into the long run with Thielemans.
Don’t miss Dee Dee Bridgewater’s Red Earth (Sunday, Triple Door).
Bridgewater’s credits include a Tony Award for playing good witch Glinda during a two-year run in “The Wiz” on Broadway and a Laurence Olivier Best Actress Award nomination for her portrayal of Billie Holiday in “Lady Day.”
She’s a vocalist and bandleader, recording artist and performer with the advantage of theater experience but she may have outdone herself with “Red Earth: A Malian Journey,” in which she’s married her jazz and blues inclinations to Mali’s West-African music and storytelling.
Music styles from Africa and the Middle East will be delivered by the world music sensation Tinariwen (Oct. 31, Town Hall), a collective that traded in traditional lutes and flutes for drums and electric guitars. The musicians created tapes that were passed person to person until they found a wider audience.
Zimbabwean Oliver Mtukudzi (Tuesday, Triple Door) is an Afro-pop icon, cutting to the core of complex political, social and spiritual themes.
In addition to Mtukudzi, Bridgewater and Thielemans, musicians playing during the first week include pianist Ahmad Jamal (tonight, McCaw Hall), tenor saxman Jimmy Greene’s quartet (Saturday, Tula’s), Preservation Hall Jazz Band (Saturday, Triple Door), the all-female sax quartet The Tiptons (Sunday, Tractor Tavern), Cuban drummer Dafnis Prieto’s Absolute Quintet (Monday, Triple Door), David Sanchez Quartet (Thursday, Triple Door) and Roberta Pickett (Thursday, Tula’s).
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
