Jazz at Centrum

Entertaining Spirit: The Music of Drummer Matt Wilson

Drummer, composer, producer, and bandleader Matt Wilson is considered one of the most creative, talented, and entertaining spirits in jazz today. He has won multiple awards for his work, has appeared on more than 170 recordings and has performed throughout the world.

[Matt Wilson onstage]

His most recent CD, "The Scenic Route", was released in February, 2007, and was recognized as one of the top jazz recordings of that year.

Wilson will be in residence at the 2008 Jazz Port Townsend festival, teaching, jamming, and giving performances. His mainstage performance will be dedicated to the memory of Dennis Irwin, who passed away March 10, 2008.

Jamming With Wycliffe Gordon

[Wycliffe Gordon onstage]

Trombone legend Wycliffe Gordon will be in residence at Jazz Port Townsend in 2008, teaching, jamming, and giving a mainstage performance with his Quartet.

Gordon has enjoyed an extraordinary career as a performer, conductor, composer, arranger, and educator. He tours the world, performing hard-swinging, straight-ahead jazz with his trombone.

In addition to a thriving solo career, he tours regularly leading the Wycliffe Gordon Quartet, headlining at legendary jazz venues throughout the world. Gordon is a former veteran member of the Wynton Marsalis Septet, The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and The Gully Low Jazz Band, and has been a featured guest artist on Billy Taylor's "Jazz at The Kennedy Center" Series. Gordon’s extensive performance experience includes work with many of the most renowned jazz performers of the past and present.

On KPLU: Lynne Arriale Live From Jazz Port Townsend

Re-live highlights from Lynne Arriale's opening-night performance at Jazz Port Townsend on Sunday, November 4, at 1 pm on KPLU 88.5 FM. The concert was recorded July 26, 2007, at the Upstage restaurant.

Since forming her trio, Lynne Arriale has recorded ten CDs, made multiple national "best of" lists, and receives much airplay on jazz radio programs all over the world. The KPLU program will also be available as a podcast at www.kplu.org after the broadcast date.

The Brazilian Passion of Mike Marshall

[Mike Marshall onstage with Hamilton de Holanda]

A great clip of Mike Marshall (at right, in this video) playing the choro music of Brazilian great Jacob do Bandolim.

Marshall will perform at Centrum on November 10, at Fort Worden's Joseph F. Wheeler Theater, with his band Choro Famoso. Tickets for the 7:30 pm show are available by calling Centrum at 360.385.3102, x117 as well as online at our secure server.

Mike Marshall Live Onstage

[Mike Marshall in onstage performance]

Mandolin virtuoso Mike Marshall (at right, in this video) will bring his band Choro Famoso to Fort Worden State Park for a special performance of choro music on November 10 at 7:30 pm at the Joseph F. Wheeler Theater. Tickets are available by calling Centrum at 360.385.3102, x117 as well as on our secure online site.

Live at Jazz Port Townsend on KPLU this Sunday

Jazz Northwest host Jim Wilke has announced the first of his rebroadcasts of the live performances from Jazz Port Townsend 2007.

From Jim:

The Houston Person Trio at Jazz Port Townsend begins a series of Jazz Northwest concert broadcasts from the 2007 festival this Sunday, August 5.  Tenor sax great Houston Person's big sound is complimented by Jeff Hamilton on drums and the amazing Japanese organist Atsuko Hashimoto. This trio recently recorded a CD which will be issued next year.

Jazz Northwest airs Sundays at 1 pm PDT on 88.5 KPLU and www.kplu.org, and is also available as a podcast during the week after the broadcast. Jazz Northwest is made possible by The Boeing Company.

Jazz in the Clubs Venue Map

Jazz in the Clubs showcases intimate jazz in downtown and uptown venues. New this year, is Manresa Castle, which is on Sims Way up by the hospital (in case you get overwhelmed with Jazz Fever!).

Need to know where these clubs are? Our club map is on page 24 of the summer issue of Experience (which also contains full schedule and artist information).

You can also download the club map as a one-page handout.

Now that you know where you're going, it's time to learn who you're going to see:

• Jazz Port Townsend Mainstage Schedule
• Jazz Port Townsend Club Schedule

Seven Steps to Heaven

[Lynne Arriale and band onstage]

Pianist, composer Lynne Arriale began studying music at age four, eventually earning a masters degree in piano performance before turning to jazz. Her chops as a singer, composer, leader, and pianist shine through her compelling originals known for their heartfelt, folkloric quality, as well as reinventions of pop classics. The Lynne Arriale Trio now performs internationally and celebrated its tenth anniversary with Come Together, its ninth CD release.

The Trio's previous CD, Inspiration, was named the number one hit on national jazz radio, and number one in the New Yorker's "Best CDs of 2003."

This year, the Lynne Arriale Trio has played numerous concerts and festivals on tours throughout Europe and North America. Arriale will be a featured club performer at Jazz Port Townsend, performing Thursday, July 26, at the Upstage and Friday, July 27, at Khu Larb Thai. Tickets are available by calling Centrum at 360.385.3102, x117 and online at our secure Acteva site.

Tamir Hendelman

Centrum is pleased to showcase award-winning pianist Tamir Hendelman at Jazz Port Townsend in 2007. Tamir began studying the piano at the age of six, attending the Anazagi Conservatory in Tel Aviv, Israel. During this period, a Count Basie recording introduced him to jazz. In 1984, his family moved to Los Angeles. Two years later, at the age of fourteen, Tamir won top honors at Yamaha's national keyboard competition. As a result, performances in Japan and at the Kennedy Center followed.

In 1988, Tamir studied composition at the Tanglewood Institute where he received his first writing commission for large ensemble. The Eastman School of Music was his the next stop. This experience afforded him learning opportunities with Ron Carter and jazz great Lee Konitz.

Since returning to Los Angeles in 1996, Tamir (pictured, left, with Jeff Hamilton) has been in demand as both pianist and arranger. His accomplishments include receiving awards from ASCAP and the National Foundation For Advancement in the Arts and serving as the musical director for Lovewell Institute for Creative Arts. In March of 2000, Tamir joined the Jeff Hamilton Trio and in January of 2001, became the pianist with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra.

On Saturday, July 28, at 1:30 pm, Tamir Hendelman performs with singer Roberta Gambarini, John Clayton (bass) and Joe LaBarbera (drums). The set follows a performance by Joe Locke and is followed by the Jazz Port Townsend Festival All-Star Big Band, led by and featuring the music of NEA Jazz Master Gerald Wilson. Reserved-seating tickets are available by calling Centrum at 360.385.3102, x117 and online at our secure Acteva site.

The Next Generation: Brothers David and Thomas Marriott

David and Thomas Mariott, who began honing their musical chops at Seattle’s Garfield High School as well as Jazz Port Townsend for many years, return to Port Townsend this July 22-29 to teach workshops and give performances.

Trumpeter Thomas Marriott (right), first gained attention with the 1997 release of Open Season.

"Thomas Marriott is one of the most promising young trumpet players in the region,” writes Earshot Magazine. “He combines lighting-quick articulation with walloping bop chops, energy, and knowledge of the tradition.”

Solo efforts on his recent albums and performances with luminaries such as Rosemary Clooney, the Chico O’Farrell Orchestra, Ritchie Cole, and Joe Locke have earned him numerous awards and recognition throughout the music world.

In 2000, Thomas joined the Maynard Ferguson Big Band, and relocated to New York City. After completing three world tours with Ferguson, Thomas worked in and around New York with musicians as diverse as Bob Berg, The Tito Puente Orchestra, Eric Reed, Brian Lynch, Bebo Valdez, Eddie Palmieri and many others.

Now making Seattle his home once again, Thomas released his first solo album, Individuation, in 2005.

Award-winning trombonist David Marriott (left), is equally at home as a performer, composer, arranger, and educator. Co-leader, with brother Thomas, of the Marriott Jazz Quintet, David wrote and arranges most of the music performs.

David received critical acclaim for his CD Septology: In The Beginning, a seven-part jazz suite. And as a teacher of improvisation, theory, and history, David continues to pass the jazz tradition along to others as a Jazz Port Townsend favorite. 

The brothers’ quintet, the Marriott Jazz Quintet, is a hard-swinging, high energy band that has drawn acclaim and awards from the Pacific Northwest to New York City. The band’s repertoire ranges from bebop to ballads, sprinkled with the flavor of original compositions. In the tradition of the small bands led by Miles Davis, Woody Shaw, and Herbie Hancock, the group's attitude stems from their common appreciation for swing, tradition, and pure fun.

Open Season, the quintet's first CD, was NPR’s Jim Wilke’s number one pick for Best Northwest CD releases, an honor also accorded to the group’s most recent release, The High Country.

The Marriott brothers will be performing at Jazz Port Townsend. Their club performances will be Friday, July 27 and Saturday, July 28. Thomas will play with vibist Joe Locke on both nights at Port Townsend's Manresa Castle while David will be part of an all-star nonet playing on the historic Port Townsend waterfront. Tickets are available by calling Centrum at 360.385.3102, x117 as well as online at our secure Acteva site.

Vibist Joe Locke to play Two Jazz Port Townsend Shows

[Joe Locke and Geoffrey Keezer onstage in Tokyo]

Joe Locke, voted the number one vibist in both Downbeat Magazine's Critic's Poll and Brazil's International Jazz Poll, will be at Jazz Port Townsend this month, giving two mainstage performances. He'll lead off the Saturday, July 28 afternoon performance, playing with Bruce Forman (guitar), Chuck Deardorf (bass), and Jon Wikan (drums). That evening, he closes the 7:30 performance by playing with the Alma College Percussion Ensemble as Special Guest.

The evening performance brings Locke together with the group that left John Clayton with his "jaw on the floor." "The ensemble's not just precise, it's passionate," Clayton says. "It's not just synched, it's soulful. They're exciting, their music's beautiful, and they give experiences no one in the audience will soon forget."

Tickets to the afternoon and evening shows are available by calling Centrum at 360.385.3102, x117 or online at our secure Acteva site.

Jeff Hamilton on Drums

[Jeff Hamilton in an onstage performance]

Get up close and personal with a Jeff Hamilton onstage solo!

At Jazz Port Townsend, Jeff Hamilton anchors the Houston Person Trio Friday, July 27, at 7:30 pm. He'll play with legendary saxophonist Person and Japanese organ sensation Atsuko Hashimoto.

Reserved seats are $26/21; youth 18 years of age or under attend for $9. Tickets are available by calling Centrum at 360.385.3102, x117 or online at our secure Acteva site. 

The Benny Green Trio with Harry Allen

[The Benny Green Trio live with Harry Allen]

As a teenager, pianist Benny Green worked with Eddie Henderson and got big band experience with a twelve-piece group led by Chuck Israels. After a stint with Bobby Watson, Green worked with Betty Carter, Art Blakey, and Freddie Hubbard.

Green has spent the last decade leadings his own trios, accompanying singers, and collaborating with guitarist Russell Malone. He cites Erroll Garner, Ahmad Jamal, Phineas Newborn, Bud Powell, and Oscar Peterson as main influences. He says, "For me and a lot of musicians that I admire, the main focus is to just swing and have fun and share those feelings with the audience. If I'm able to convey that, then I feel like I'm doing something positive."

Benny Green will be playing at the Upstage Restaurant in downtown Port Townsend on both Friday, July 27 and Saturday, July 28. His sets start at 10 pm and last until after midnight. Tickets are available by calling Centrum at 360.385.3102, x117 and online on our secure Acteva site.   

The Stylings of Roy Hargrove

"You can't be a mediocre musician there," jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove says of Cuba. "You have to play each note as if it's your last one."

At thirty-six, trumpeter Roy Hargrove has firmly established himself as among the premiere players in jazz. Always stretching into more challenging and colorful ways to flex his musical chops, Hargrove was already a rising jazz sensation in 1995, when legendary Cuban pianist Jesús "Chucho" Valdes invited him to participate in the Havana Jazz Festival. While there, he and Valdes assembled a band called Crisol, and recorded a CD, Habana, which went on to win a Grammy Award in 1997 for Best Latin Jazz Performance.

In 2002, Hargrove won another Grammy, this time with Herbie Hancock, and Michael Brecker for Best Instrumental Jazz Album.

Atsuko Hashimoto To Play at Jazz Port Townsend

International jazz sensation Atsuko Hashimoto brings a freshness to the jazz repertory through her playing of the Hammond B3 and the piano. She began playing the organ at the age of four, and after exploring classical music in her teens she cultivated her passion for jazz and the jazz organ. She debuted in her hometown of Osaka, Japan, fronting her own quartet at the city's 1992 jazz festival.

She quickly developed a reputation for her skills on the B3, creating complex melodic and harmonic compositions over a consistent, inventive, and hard-swinging bass line.

In the spring of 1999, Hashimoto made her splash in the U.S., lighting up the stage at clubs in New Orleans and San Jose. In the fall of that year, she played in San Francisco, performing to acclaim with guitarist Blues Furman. When she returned to Japan, she took American jazz legends with her.

Hashimoto's career continues to grow. She has released several CDs, including Jazz Organ Tribute, Full Organ, and her most recent recording: Songs We Love.

Hashimoto currently maintains a busy performing and teaching schedule in metropolitan Osaka. Visiting jazz players frequently drop by to sit in with her trio and make music with one of the most exciting improvisors on the jazz organ today.

On Friday, July 27, at 7:30 pm, Atsuko Hashimoto headlines an extended set together with legendary tenor saxophonist Houston Person and drummer Jeff Hamilton. Reserved seats are $26/21; youth 18 or under attend for $9. Order tickets by calling Centrum at 360.385.3102, x117 or by following this link.

Choro Workshop and Performance

CHORO: THE SWEET LAMENT OF BRAZILIAN MUSIC
Workshop: November 8-11, 2007 (full)
Concert: November 10, 2007, 7:30pm

Join Mike Marshall (mandolin), Carlos Oliveira (six- and seven-string cavanquinho guitar), Andy Connell (clarinet and saxophone), and Brian Rice (pandeiro and other Brazilian percussion instruments) in this new Centrum fall offering. 

The thirty-person workshop is open to all instruments. “There will be people of different backgrounds and abilities and we’ll be sure to match you up!” Marshall says.

Evening jam sessions, combined with relaxing Brazilian film and audio sessions, round out the workshop. Participants will receive free admission to the November 10 performance in the Joseph F. Wheeler Theater. On Sunday morning, November 11, participants are invited to join the faculty for an authentic Brazilian brunch, prepared by chefs who have relocated to the United States.

For Concert Tickets, visit our online ticket order page, or call our ticket office at 360.385.3102 x117. The music will start at 7:30pm on Saturday, November 10 at the Joseph F. Wheeler Theater. Tickets are $16.

Faculty

Andy Connell has played in ensembles ranging from jazz to classical to Brazilian music. In addition to his work as a performer, Connell is an ethnomusicologist whose primary research focuses on issues of musical identity and globalization in Brazilian popular instrumental music. He is currently an assistant professor of music at James Madison University in Virginia, working on a book about Brazilian jazz.

Mike Marshall is one of the world’s most accomplished and versatile acoustic musicians—a master of mandolin, guitar, and violin whose playing is as imaginative and adventurous as it is technically thrilling. Able to swing from jazz to classical to bluegrass to Latin styles, he puts his stamp on everything he plays with an inspirational blend of intellect and emotion.

Carlos Oliveira hails from Recife, in northeastern Brazil. This area is especially rich in African influences, and its regional music has greatly influenced Brazilian music. Deeply affected by his exposure to American jazz, Oliveira moved to the US to expand his contact with the music. Oliveira has performed and/or recorded with Claudia Villela, Claudia Gomez, Celia Malheiros, Eddie Duran, and Ricardo Peixoto.

Brian Rice is a much sought-after percussionist for his wealth of experience and skill in a multitude of styles. He is the founder of Samba Seattle, a ninety-member escola de samba, and has played everything from Brazilian, Cuban and Middle Eastern music, to jazz, klezmer, and Celtic. In 2003, Rice traveled to Brazil to study with renowned pandeiro player Marcos Susano.

Faculty

Andy Connell has played in ensembles ranging from jazz to classical to Brazilian music. In addition to his work as a performer, Connell is an ethnomusicologist whose primary research focuses on issues of musical identity and globalization in Brazilian popular instrumental music. He is currently an assistant professor of music at James Madison University in Virginia, working on a book about Brazilian jazz.

Mike Marshall is one of the world’s most accomplished and versatile acoustic musicians—a master of mandolin, guitar, and violin whose playing is as imaginative and adventurous as it is technically thrilling. Able to swing from jazz to classical to bluegrass to Latin styles, he puts his stamp on everything he plays with an inspirational blend of intellect and emotion.

Carlos Oliveira hails from Recife, in northeastern Brazil. This area is especially rich in African influences, and its regional music has greatly influenced Brazilian music. Deeply affected by his exposure to American jazz, Oliveira moved to the US to expand his contact with the music. Oliveira has performed and/or recorded with Claudia Villela, Claudia Gomez, Celia Malheiros, Eddie Duran, and Ricardo Peixoto.

Brian Rice is a much sought-after percussionist for his wealth of experience and skill in a multitude of styles. He is the founder of Samba Seattle, a ninety-member escola de samba, and has played everything from Brazilian, Cuban and Middle Eastern music, to jazz, klezmer, and Celtic. In 2003, Rice traveled to Brazil to study with renowned pandeiro player Marcos Susano.

The Banda Brothers Latin Jazz Band

[The Banda Brothers Latin Jazz Band in studio]

The Banda Brothers will bring their hot, danceable Latin jazz stylings to McCurdy Pavilion on Friday, July 27, at 7:30 pm. Whether you want to bring your dancing shoes or just listen and be part of the show, tickets are available here or by calling Centrum at 360.385.3102, x117.

I Want You To Have a Good Time: Tenor Sax Legend Houston Person

Don’t fit tenor saxophonist and record producer Houston Person into a particular jazz category. You can’t. And he doesn’t want you to try.

“The music industry uses stuff like categories,” Person says. “But they’re on the other side of the thing. They’re not in it. They don’t understand how music works.”

NEA Jazz Master Gerald Wilson

Legendary NEA Jazz Master Gerald Wilson, often considered one of the top composers, arrangers, and band leaders in the history of jazz, will be bringing a lifetime's worth of work in jazz to Jazz Port Townsend this summer.

Wilson has been behind some of the biggest names in jazz, including Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ray Charles, and Ella Fitzgerald. In the 1960s he almost single-handedly integrated the Los Angeles Musicians' Union, and he played at Martin Luther King, Jr.'s civil rights rallies in Los Angeles.

Throughout his career, Wilson has received considerable acclaim, winning countless awards, having his life's work archived by the Library of Congress, and garnering multiple Grammy nominations.

Bron in Shelby, Mississippi, in 1918, Wilson got his started in Jimmie Lunceford's orchestra as a trumpet player. He played with the Count Basie Orchestra and in 1950 joined the Dizzy Gillespie big band, as a trumpet player and arranger. He became particularly famous in the jazz world through a number of classic big band recordings in the 1960s. 

Wilson will be leading this year's Festival All-Star Big Band, in the mainstage performance at McCurdy Pavilion on Saturday, July 28, following sets by Joe Locke (with Bruce Forman, Chuck Deardorf, and Jon Wikan), and Roberta Gambarini (with Tamir Hendelman, John Clayton, and Joe LaBarbera).

Making the Waves and Wild Water Come Alive

"Watching [Ingrid] Jensen lead all-star bands at Port Townsend, I've been impressed with her centered, athletic grace and Milesian strength," writes jazz critic Joseph Blake.

Ingrid will be teaching and performing at Jazz Port Townsend, July 22-29. She sat down with us for a recent interview about her music, discussing her development in jazz, how jazz can move from the artist to the listener in the post-CD era, and what the future could hold for the next generation of jazz musicians.   

Centrum: You grew up in Nanaimo, Canada, you've played in the subways of New York City, and you now teach and play at internationally renowned conservatories and workshops. What was your development in jazz like?

Ingrid Jensen: I got started in the public school system. There were a lot of good players and a good jazz scene in Nanaimo, and there was a local big band called the NMA (the Nanaimo Musicians Association). I was mentored by a lot of great people in that band that really loved the music. A big step for me was when I went to [Jazz] Port Townsend after my second year of college. It was a big epiphany for me, to play with such a high level of musicians.

They encouraged me to go east, which was something that I had no thought of doing up to that point. I had a bunch of scholarship money that I’d accumulated over the years, as well as grants (I would later receive) from the Canada Council, and went to Berklee for three years. When I graduated from Berklee I moved to Europe for while, first Denmark (to practice and think) and then to Austria where I taught and played. It was great time for me in both places as I played a great deal with a variety of musicians and in a wide variety of styles.

Joe Locke, "Tulipa"

Vibist Joe Locke will appear at Jazz Port Townsend on Saturday, July 28, 2007.

Mainstage Schedule

Jazz Port Townsend's signature performances take place in McCurdy Pavilion--Fort Worden's 1200-seat performance hall that began life as a WWI-era balloon hangar. With soaring sightlines and rich acoustics, McCurdy Pavilion is one the West's Coast's most distinctive jazz venues.

Friday, July 27, 7:30 pm
Reserved seats $21/26; 18 and under $9
Purchase tickets

Houston Person Trio

• Houston Person – tenor sax
• Atsuko Hashimoto – B-3 organ
• Jeff Hamilton – drums 

Banda Brothers Latin Jazz All Stars

• Ramon Banda – drums
• Tony Banda – bass
• Thomas Catanzaro – tenor sax
• Chris Barron – piano
• Joey DeLeon – percussion
• Arturo Velasco – trombone

Saturday, July 28, 1:30 pm
Reserved seats $24/29; 18 and under $9
Purchase tickets 

Joe Locke

• Joe Locke – vibes
• Chuck Deardorf – bass
• Bruce Forman – guitar
• Jon Wikan – drums

Roberta Gambarini

• Roberta Gambarini – vocals
• John Clayton – bass
• Tamir Hendelman – piano
• Joe LaBarbera – drums

Festival All Star Big Band
    Led by, and featuring the music of NEA Jazz Master Gerald Wilson

• Gerald Wilson – director
• Jeff Clayton – first alto
• Bill Ramsay – second alto
• Jay Thomas – tenor
• Travis Ranney – tenor
• Gary Smulyan – baritone
• Terell Stafford – trumpet (soloist)
• Andy Omdahl – trumpet
• Tom Marriot – trumpet
• John Castleman – trumpet
• Jiggs Whigham – trombone (soloist)
• Richard Lopez – trombone
• Dave Marriot – trombone
• Nelson Bell – bass trombone
• Randy Halberstadt - piano
• Dan Balmer – guitar
• Doug Miller – bass
• Gary Hobbs – drums

Saturday, July 28, 7:30 pm
Reserved seats $21/26; 18 and under $9
Purchase tickets 

Roy Hargrove Quintet

• Roy Hargrove – trumpet
• Gerald Clayton – piano
• Danton Boller – bass
• Montez Coleman – drums
• Justin Robinson – alto sax and flute
  

Alma College 30-person Percussion Ensemble
    with Special Guest Joe Locke

The Banda Brothers

Ramon and Tony Banda are brothers from a musical family. They are best known to audiences worldwide for their more than twenty years of solid, uncompromising work in the celebrated music ensemble, the Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band—Tony on bass and Ramon on drums and timbales.

Ramon, born in 1954, and Tony, born in 1955, were raised in Norwalk, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. They were surrounded by music in their home and in the neighborhood. By 1961 the brothers were performing regularly all across Southern California. During these formative years, the brother's love and appreciation for a wide variety of musical styles developed—especially Jazz, Latin, and Rhythm & Blues.

The Bandas have participated in countless tours, played every major music festival around the globe, and recorded with artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Cal Tjader, Celia Cruz, Freddie Hubbard, Jimmy Smith, Woody Herman, Ray Charles, Carmen McRae, Mongo Santamaria, Al Jarreau, Chick Correa, Bette Midler, Dianne Reeves, Joey DeFrancesco, Al McKibbon, Stanley Turrentine, Joe Pesci, Francisco Aguabella, the Jazz Crusaders, Eddie Harris, Arturo O’Farrill, and Terence Blanchard.

The Banda Brothers Sextet plays with an energy and conviction that is soulful, relaxed, and intensely swinging. Formed in 1996, the group puts a powerful emphasis on straight-ahead Jazz, as well as drawing from the rich Afro-Caribbean traditions.

The Bandas have assembled some of the most talented, young musicians working today, including Javier Vergara (tenor sax), Chris Barron (piano), Francisco Torres (trombone), and Joey De Leon (percussion). The group has a unique talent for bringing insight and imagination to original material as well as covered classics, providing the perfect balance of accessibility and invention. Their 2004 debut release Acting Up! is on the WJ3 Label.

Visit their website.

2007 Jazz in the Clubs Schedule

In addition to sizzling mainstage shows in Fort Worden's WWI-era balloon hangar, Jazz Port Townsend showcases tremendous talent in historic downtown and uptown clubs. All Jazz in the Clubs venues are ADA accessible except for Fins and Manresa Castle, which have stairways, but no elevators.

Purchase tickets

Thursday 8-11 pm

The Upstage Restaurant
    Lynne Arriale, piano
    Paul Keller, bass
    Steve Davis, drums

The Public House
    1) Nancy King, vocal
        Steve Christofferson, piano
    2) Dee Daniels, vocal
        Tamir Hendelman, piano
        Clarence Acox, drums
        Doug Miller, bass

Pope Marine Building
    Participant Combos

Friday 10 pm – 1 am
The Uptown Pub
    Ingrid Jensen, trumpet
    Dan Balmer, guitar
    Dave Speranza, bass
    Jon Wikan, drums

The Upstage Restaurant
    1) Benny Green, solo piano
    2) Benny Green, piano
        Bruce Forman, guitar
        John Clayton, bass

Khu Larb Thai Restaurant
    Lynne Arriale, piano
    Paul Keller, bass
    Clarence Acox, drums

The Public House
    Jeff Clayton, alto
    Terell Stafford, trumpet
    Randy Porter, piano
    Christoph Luty, bass
    Greg Williamson, drums

Castle Key Restaurant at Manresa Castle
    1) Gary Smulyan, bari
        Jay Thomas, trumpet & tenor
        Jiggs Whigham, trombone
        Randy Halberstadt, piano
        Chuck Deardorf, bass
        Gary Hobbs, drums

    2) Joe Locke, vibes
        Thomas Marriott, trumpet
        Randy Halberstadt, piano
        Chuck Deardorf, bass
        Gary Hobbs, drums

The American Legion
    “Birth of the Cool” nonet
        Tuba . . . . . . . . Nelson Bell
        Trumpet . . . . .  Andy Omdahl
        Trombone . . . . David Marriott
        French Horn . . Mike Simpson
        Alto . . . . . . . . Travis Ranney
        Bari . . . . . . . . Bill Ramsay
        Bass . . . . . . . Doug Miller
        Drums . . . . . . Gary Gibson
        Piano . . . . . .  Bill Anschell

Fins
    Dave Peck, solo piano

Pope Marine Building
    Participant Combos

Saturday 10 pm – 1 am
The Uptown Pub
    Ingrid Jensen, trumpet
    Dan Balmer, guitar
    Dave Speranza, bass
    Jon Wikan, drums

The Upstage Restaurant
    1) Benny Green, solo piano
    2) Benny Green, piano
        Bruce Forman, guitar
        John Clayton, bass

Khu Larb Thai Restaurant
    Dave Peck Trio
        Dave Peck, piano
        Jeff Johnson, bass
        Joe LaBarbera, drums

The Public House
    Jeff Clayton, alto
    Terell Stafford, trumpet
    Randy Porter, piano
Christoph Luty, bass
Greg Williamson, drums

Castle Key Restaurant at Manresa Castle
    1) Gary Smulyan, bari
        Jay Thomas, trumpet & tenor
        Jiggs Whigham, trombone
        Randy Halberstadt, piano
        Chuck Deardorf, bass
        Gary Hobbs, drums

    2) Joe Locke, vibes
        Thomas Marriott, trumpet
        Randy Halberstadt, piano
        Chuck Deardorf, bass
        Gary Hobbs, drums

The American Legion
    “Birth of the Cool” nonet   
    Tuba . . . . . . . . . .Nelson Bell
    Trumpet . . . . . . . Andy Omdahl
    Trombone . . . . .   David Marriott
    French Horn . . . .  Mike Simpson
    Alto . . . . . . . . . .  Travis Ranney
    Bari . . . . . . . . . .  Ramsay
    Bass . . . . . . . . .  Doug Miller
    Drums . . . . . . . .  Gary Gibson
    Piano . . . . . . . .   Bill Anschell

Fins
    Tamir Hendelman, solo piano

Pope Marine Building
    Participant Combos

The Uptown Community Center
    Participant Big Bands

Sunday 9 am – 1 pm
The Public House
    Set 1: Dawn Clement Trio

• Dawn Clement, piano
• Pete Swan, drums
• Dave Bjur, bass

    Set 2: Dan Balmer Trio

• Dan Balmer, guitar
• John Wikan, drums
• Jeff Johnson, bass

It's a Vibe I Got

Legendary vibraphonist Joe Locke performing in Italy. On Saturday, July 28, at Fort Worden's McCurdy Pavilion, Locke will perform with Chuck Deardorf (bass), Jon Wikan (drums), and Bruce Forman (guitar).

Performance Information

Tickets go on sale May 1; stay tuned for a detailed performance schedule (mainstage schedule at end of this post).

At its core, Jazz Port Townsend is a weeklong workshop where people from all over the world come to live and learn with some of the finest jazz musicians playing today.

Starting on Thursday, and running through Sunday, we hit the lights and the renowned artist/faculty take to the stage for mainstage performances in Fort Worden State Park's WWI-era McCurdy Pavilion, and for club performances in Port Townsend's historic downtown and uptown districts.

Mainstage schedule

Friday, July 27, 7:30 pm
Reserved seats $21/26; 18 and under $9

Houston Person Quartet

• Houston Person - tenor sax
• Atsuko Hashimoto - B-3 organ
• Bruce Forman - guitar
• Jeff Hamilton - drums 

Banda Brothers Latin Jazz All Stars

• Ramon Banda - drums
• Tony Banda - bass
• Javier Vergara - tenor Sax
• Chris Barron - piano
• Joey DeLeon - percussion
• Francisco Torres - trombone

Saturday, July 28, 1:30 pm
Reserved seats $24/29; 18 and under $9

Joe Locke

Roberta Gambarini

• John Clayton - bass
• Tamir Hendelman - piano
• Joe LaBarbera - drums

Festival All Star Big Band
    Led by, and featuring the music of NEA Jazz Master Gerald Wilson

Saturday, July 28, 7:30 pm
Reserved seats $21/26; 18 and under $9

Roy Hargrove Quintet

Alma College 30-person Percussion Ensemble
    with Special Guest Joe Locke

Friday, July 27, 7:30 pm
Reserved seats $21/26; 18 and under $9

Houston Person Quartet

• Houston Person - tenor sax
• Atsuko Hashimoto - B-3 organ
• Bruce Forman - guitar
• Jeff Hamilton - drums 

Banda Brothers Latin Jazz All Stars

• Ramon Banda - drums
• Tony Banda - bass
• Javier Vergara - tenor Sax
• Chris Barron - piano
• Joey DeLeon - percussion
• Francisco Torres - trombone

Saturday, July 28, 1:30 pm
Reserved seats $24/29; 18 and under $9

Joe Locke

Roberta Gambarini

• John Clayton - bass
• Tamir Hendelman - piano
• Joe LaBarbera - drums

Festival All Star Big Band
    Led by, and featuring the music of NEA Jazz Master Gerald Wilson

Saturday, July 28, 7:30 pm
Reserved seats $21/26; 18 and under $9

Roy Hargrove Quintet

Alma College 30-person Percussion Ensemble
    with Special Guest Joe Locke