Seattle Jazz Vespers
Seattle Jazz Vespers, now in our 21st season, is a secular concert of professional jazz music, for those who love jazz, with an inspirational message.
Join us for our monthly concert hosted in the beautiful historic gothic sanctuary of Seattle First Baptist on First Hill at the corner of Harvard Ave. and Seneca street.
These concerts are an opportunity for jazz lovers throughout the city to hear Seattle’s best groups in a concert setting.
Seattle Jazz Vespers is free and open to the public on the first Sunday night of each month (October through June) at 6:00 p.m. No tickets or reservations are needed. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Free voucher validated parking at the Harvard Market garage below the QFC on Broadway or on the street around the church, family friendly. Come early for best seating and parking.
The artists will perform one set and during their break a “free-will” offering will be taken to support the musicians, followed by a short non-sectarian inspirational message. The performers’ second set will conclude the two-hour vespers concert.
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2022-2023 Season – Our Twenty-First
Upcoming Artist
Jovino Santos Neto Quinteto
and
Awarding of the Shirley Cline Memorial
SJV “Young Jazz Artist Scholarship”
June 4, 2022
Jovino Santos Neto – piano, flute, melodica; Ben Thomas – vibraphone, bandoneon; Tim Carey – bass; Mark Ivester – drums; Jeff Busch – percussion
3-time Latin Grammy nominee Jovino Santos Neto is a master pianist, flutist, composer, arranger and conductor from Rio de Janeiro. After 15 years as a member of the legendary Hermeto Pascoal Group, he moved to Seattle in 1993. Since then, Jovino has established himself as a fascinating performer, whether playing solo piano, leading his award-winning Quinteto, or in guest appearances with ensembles and orchestras worldwide. He has shared the stage and the studio with some of the most creative musicians of our times.
Jovino’s compositions have been performed by the Seattle Symphony, NDR Big Band in Hamburg and by numerous jazz and chamber music groups. Jovino gives lectures, clinics and master classes worldwide on a variety of musical topics.
Jovino has received commissions by the Cheswatyr Foundation, IAJE, ASCAP, CMA/Doris Duke Foundation, Jack Straw Foundation, the City of Seattle, 4Culture, Artist Trust and Meet the Composer. He has been artist in residence at some of the most prestigious music schools in the world. In 2012 he was inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame and in 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2018 the Jovino Santos Neto Quinteto won as Best Northwest Acoustic Group in the Golden Ear Awards by Earshot Jazz. He also was awarded an Artist Trust Fellowship in Music in 2012.
Come early for parking and best seating. We expect this concert to be a full house. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Also, we will be awarding our Shirley Cline Memorial “Young Jazz Artist Scholarship” during the interlude between sets.
Past Artists
Dina Blade Quintet
May 7, 2022
Dina Blade – vocal and guitar, Hans Brehmer – piano, Osama Afifi – bass, Darian Asplund – sax/clarinet/flute, and Jamael Nance – drums
Dina Blade is a singer with a deeply relaxed sense of time and swing who spent her early childhood watching old cartoons with jazz soundtracks and has been enthralled with the music ever since. She has graced stages in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Cuba and Brazil, singing at festivals, jazz clubs.
An effervescent performer with a devotion to the timeless songs from the 1930s and 40s Great American Songbook, Dina has created several thematic shows preserving the work of the master composers and lyricists from that era. For this concert she will be playing classic and romantic songs from Brazil and the Great American Songbook. For this reason she is a recipient of the American Masters Performance Initiative from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Francesco Crosara Quartet
April 2, 2022
Originally from Milan, Italy, Francesco Crosara’s music melds an impressive mix of jazz improvisation, a romantic vein from his classical training, along with Latin influences. Francesco stands among the European-bred jazz greats, performing over the years with the likes of Lionel Hampton, Freddie Hubbard, Roy Hargrove, Richie Cole, Lilian Terry, and more. His recordings have featured a multicultural and international array of musicians.
“Since 2017, the Northwest can claim his talents, too, as he’s demonstrated an eagerness to contribute to the local scene. Francesco was selected to perform at the 2021 Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle and has been featured two years in a row in the trend-setting Earshot Jazz.
“A pianist who originally hails from Italy, Crosara is well-versed in bop lore, and his delicate flow might indicate a debt to Bill Evans.” – Down Beat Magazine
“Crosaras compositions are considerate of their audience, providing a source of joy, comfort, escape, and healing. Crosara believes jazz is a collective experience and a living language that distills a multitude of identities, backgrounds, and personalities.”
Nelda Swiggett in Megabopolis
March 5, 2022
Travis Ranney – tenor saxophone, Michael Van Bebber – trumpet, Clif Swiggett -trombone/bongos, Nelda Swiggett – piano/vocal, Max Wood – drums, and Michael Glynn – bass
Swingin’, well-crafted arrangements and tight ensemble work produce a rich “big band” sound from this jazz sextet’s three-horn front line. Megabopolis is led by OA2 recording artist and award-winning composer Nelda Swiggett, and performs many of her original compositions and arrangements.
Megabopolis features some of Seattle’s finest jazz musicians, passionate about their craft, who have collectively performed at many top clubs and festivals throughout the Northwest and beyond, including the Earshot Jazz Festival, the Port Townsend Jazz Festival, Bumbershoot, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, the North Sea Jazz Festival, the Montreux Jazz Festival, and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., to name a few.
Larry Green and his Band
February 5, 2022
Larry Green – vocal, LaRoi Carter – guitar, Dale Cartlett – drums, Michael Stubblefield – bass, Jim Cochran – keyboards, and Keith Carter – tenor and alto sax
Singer, songwriter, and musician Larry Green serves up a broad range of musical styles with his original compositions and vocal performances.
Influenced by Al Jarreau, Aretha Franklin, James Taylor and Maurice White, Larry identifies as a musician in the broader sense, unconstrained by genre or label.
As a songwriter, he delights in the pairing of funk rhythms and four-part gospel harmonies infused with rock guitar lead licks. Believing that music is the universal language, he also sees music as a uniting expression of invitation. Larry led and directed a gospel choir while an undergraduate earning his pharmacy degree.
He formed and toured with a funk band while on active duty and living in Italy, and recorded two solo albums showcasing his unique, blended style of artistic expression.
Larry has performed with his band Groove Deluxe at clubs and events in the Northwest, including the Bite of Seattle as well as the Taste of Tacoma.
Darrius Willrich Quartet
(note date change)
January 8, 2022
An internationally acclaimed soul singer, trained jazz pianist and intelligent songwriter, Darrius Willrich delivers feel good music drawn from a wide skill spectrum. His uplifting messages encouraging love of life and his sweetly lyrical, harmonically rich sound have made him a much sought after performer.
Initially influenced by the genius of Stevie Wonder and Prince, Darrius has crafted an original style all his own, capitalizing on his innate musical ability to combine diverse genres of music, from jazz to hip hop, to electronica, soul and R&B.
A cornerstone of Seattle’s live music scene, Willrich collaborates regularly with a number of Seattle Artists, and to date, has composed scores for four feature films.
Devoting his life to music since the age of twelve, Darrius taught himself to play by ear, and later went on to graduate Summa Cum Laude from Cornish College of the Arts with a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Piano.
BlueStreet Voices
December 4, 2022
BlueStreet Voices presents their own musical stamp on the season with snazzy, jazzy holiday tunes and standards directed by nationally renowned, Dave Barduhn and accompanied by the talented and accomplished jazz pianist and band leader Nick Moore.
BlueStreet Voices is an 18-mixed voice, vocal jazz ensemble based out of Seattle, WA that performs tunes with a professional trio. At our Seattle Jazz Vespers show, you may hear everything from swinging jazz standards to creatively arranged contemporary pop hits, including Latin, blues, gospel, and rich ballads.
Scott Lindenmuth Group
November 6, 2022
Scott Lindenmuth – guitar, David Pascal – bass, Chris Munroe – drums, Dwight Beckmeyer – keyboards
Scott Lindenmuth is a guitarist with few boundaries. He has been described as “One of the Pacific Northwest’s greatest instrumentalists” and a “Genre-crossing virtuoso”.
Performing with his contemporary instrumental group the Scott Lindenmuth Group, they will be playing jazz standards, Latin, funk, fusion and originals.
Lindenmuth is expanding his reputation as a cutting edge composer, creative and intuitive improviser, and master technician. A master of many styles he is one of the few guitarists in the world today that can easily transition from jazz to electric blues, classical to rock, funk, and fusion displaying fluid technique and virtuosic ability in all genres. His list of influences range from Jimi Hendrix to Wes Montgomery, Andres Segovia to Pat Metheny.
As a composer he has released four albums of original compositions with his group which received rave reviews in major publications including Down Beat, Guitar Player, Guitar World and Jazziz. They have been featured on radio stations throughout the U.S., with sales in countries around the world. He has also composed many compositions for solo guitar.
Scott Lindenmuth is regular performer on the Pacific Northwest music scene and has appeared at the region’s top venues for live music.
Greta Matassa Quintet in Concert
October 2, 2022
Greta Matassa – vocals, Brian Monroney – guitar, Clipper Anderson – bass , Mark Ivester – drums, and Alexey Nikolaev – sax
In the Pacific Northwest, where she built her career, Greta Matassa wins wide acclaim; 8 times, the readers of Earshot, the Seattle jazz magazine, have voted her the best jazz vocalist in the Northwest including another award 2021.
She was inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame in 2014. Jim Wilke, the Seattle jazz maven and host of the syndicated “Jazz After Hours” radio program, praises her versatility. “She has a fearlessness in approaching material,” Wilke says, “that makes her like an instrumentalist in a jam session.”
Her 40 year career has been a whirlwind of exciting opportunities and experiences. Over the last 20 years she has become established as one of the greatest jazz singers of her time. Working with top jazz musicians in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York. In 2016 she was featured with bassist John Clayton’s group in a centennial tribute to Ella Fitzgerald.
“One of the best jazz vocalists we have to boast about these days.” —John Clayton
“Worldly, gentle, bold, dynamic, Favorites from a Long Walk is a gift for the heart. Greta Matassa is one of America’s finest singers, and stands firmly among the best in today’s jazz.” —Jazz Review
“Greta Matassa moves from triumph to triumph.” —Christopher Loudon, Jazz Times
” She can give Ms. Streisand a run for it! —Seattle Times
“Matassa is a Seattle treasure.” —Seattle Times
“Her scatting is as confident, nimble an energetic as Ella’s and her phrasing is hip like Nancy Wilson’s” —Earshot Jazz
Dmitri Matheny Quintet
and
Awarding of the SJV “Young Jazz Artist Scholarship”
June 5, 2022
Dmitri Matheny – flugelhorn; Bill Anschell – piano; Milo Petersen – guitar; Phil Sparks – bass; Mark Ivester – drums
During the interlude, we will be awarding the SJV Young Jazz Artist Scholarship. Also, there will be a short tribute to Shirley Cline, our longtime SJV co-chair and booking agent who passed away earlier this year. At the conclusion of the concert, all past SJV performers are invited to join us in a special finale of “Route 66,” Shirley’s favorite song, to wrap-up our 20th season.
“Dmitri Matheny is a jazz treasure. The lyrical Matheny has impressive chops, but it’s his warmth and soulfulness that win you over.”—All Music Guide
Acclaimed for his warm tone, soaring lyricism and masterful technique, American flugelhornist Dmitri Matheny has been lauded as “one of the most emotionally expressive improvisers of his generation” (International Review of Music). An honors graduate of the Berkley College of Music, Dmitri Matheny vaulted onto the jazz scene in the 1990s as the protégé of jazz legend Art Farmer. Since then he has garnered critical acclaim and a loyal international following, touring extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Asia, traveling to 19 countries. With over 100 recordings to his credit, Dmitri Matheny has released 11 albums as a leader. His latest is Jazz Noir, a fresh spin on crime jazz, film noir movie themes and timeless classics. The San Francisco Chronicle calls Matheny “one of the jazz world’s most talented horn players.”
Sidney Hauser, Marina Albero and Kelsey Mines
May 1, 2022
Marina Albero: Pianist, composer, and educator Marina Albero is a captivating performer born in Barcelona, Spain and based in Seattle since 2015. Albero’s piano playing is an absolute celebration of life, her spirited performances are intelligent, uplifting, and delightfully engrossing.
Albero deftly draws on a lifetime of music tradition, from her native Barcelona in classical and early music as well as flamenco, to Cuba and Son Cubano, to American jazz. Her celebrated triple album “A life soundtrack” contains an all improvised volume called “Agua” of solo and duos with Hans Teuber as well as originals and jazz standards. Albero is a multi award winning artist and has become a favorite of Seattle’s audiences and critics.
Sidney Hauser: Sidney Hauser is a member of the next generation of Northwest Jazz musicians. She graduated from South Whidbey High School and the University of Washington, where she received a BA in Painting and a minor in Music Performance. Sidney has studied with saxophonist Neil Welch, Mark Taylor, and Michael Brockman, and has played alongside musicians such as Joshua Redman, Maria Schneider, Christian Mcbride, and more recently Tia Fuller. In addition to her position as second alto with the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, Sidney has also played with the Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra and the Jazz Police among other ensembles, including leading her own fusion group, SmackTalk. She has been twice nominated through Earshot for the emerging artist award, and continues to write music for her own personal projects.
Kelsey Mines: Kelsey Mines is a performer, composer, and bass instructor native to Seattle. She holds a masters degree in Double Bass Performance from Arizona State University and was awarded the Holland Scholarship in 2016, sending her to study at Prince Claus Conservatoire in Groningen, the Netherlands. Upon returning to Seattle, Kelsey has established herself as an important voice in the Northwest, freelancing across the greater Seattle area in a number of styles ranging from jazz to classical to pop. Kelsey maintains an active private studio, is the double bass instructor at Bellevue College, and teaches classes at Seattle JazzEd . As a bandleader and composer, Kelsey has been featured at the Earshot Jazz Festival, Ballard Jazz Festival, Wayward Music Series, and with The Sound Ensemble. She performs regularly with the Yakima Symphony Orchestra, Wayne Horvitz’ Electric Circus, Eléré, and many others. She was awarded an Earshot Golden Ear award for Emerging Artist of the Year in 2019.
Duende Libre Quintet
April 3, 2022
Alex Chadsey – piano; Farko Dosumov – electric bass; Jeff “Bongo” Busch – drums; Frank Anderson – vocals and percussion; Chava Mirel – vocals, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist
Duende Libre utilizes the American jazz tradition as a point of departure for daring explorations of rhythm & influences from the Americas, Europe and Africa yielding catchy melodies, lush harmonies, and wholehearted groove.
Duende Libre translates roughly as “free spirit” and Chadsey has certainly felt it within the trio, putting out three albums in swift succession. Formed in 2016, they released their self-titled debut album in 2017, an album rooted in American jazz painted warmly by thick brush strokes of Latin elements. Their second album, Drift, was released in the spring of 2018. It increased their musical palette—touching on the folk traditions of Europe, Africa, and beyond. Jazziz mentioned, “a strikingly authentic blend.”
Their new album adds yet more color to the band’s work. It was largely inspired by the addition of two musicians to the lineup—Frank Anderson (vocals and percussion) and Chava Mirel (vocals). Adding them added to the chemistry of the group as a whole. Anderson has been performing in and around Seattle since 1986 as a R&B singer, percussionist, and dancer. Chava Mirel is a singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist and is a major voice in Seattle’s Jewish music community. Chava Mirel’s own quartet premiered at Seattle Jazz Vespers in November of 2019.
Ranger and the “Re-Arrangers”
March 6, 2022
Ranger Sciacca – violin; Dave Stewart – guitar, mandolin and vocals; Mick Nicholson – bass; Jeffrey Moose – percussion; Mike Sciacca – guitar
Ranger and the “Re-Arrangers” evoke the spirit of a Paris cafe and the raucous energy of a Gypsy campsite with their version of Gypsy jazz. “At the heart of their sound is Ranger Sciacca’s sweet violin playing… his sense of melody and daring improvisations” (World Rhythm). The band’s repertoire includes swing standards, traditional Gypsy melodies, the music of Django Reinhardt, and Ranger’s unique originals.
THE GENRE “Gypsy jazz,” is named in honor of Django Reinhardt, Europe’s acclaimed composer and guitarist. In the 1930’s, Django and violinist Stephane Grappelli blended their own musical legacies with the new American art form of jazz, Soon their recordings brought international fame to the genre. Gypsy jazz is characterized by upbeat, high energy swing on acoustic instruments, especially guitar, violin, bass, clarinet, and accordion.
THE BAND Ranger and his father Michael formed the band in 2006, after a pilgrimage to the world’s foremost Gypsy Jazz event, the Django Reinhardt festival in Samois Sur Seine, France. The band has now released 4 CDs and performs over 100 times each year at music festivals, concerts in the park, swing dances, weddings and events of all sorts.
Miranda Kitchpanich Band
February 6, 2022
Miranda Kitchpanich is an energetic and dynamic 20 year old vocalist, guitarist, bassist, and songwriter hailing from the rainy city of Seattle, WA. She grew up in a musically rich environment and her skills as a vocalist were developed at an early age. Her earliest influences consist of Classic Rock and Blues, but she expanded to Jazz, Funk, and Soul both vocally and instrumentally. Some of her favorite artists include Led Zeppelin, Queen, Heart, Soundgarden, Beth Hart, Etta James, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Elmore James. Joining Miranda are Andrew Cloutier – drums, Robin Moxie – guitar, Kenny Prior – bass.
Miranda has been representing the Washington Blues Society and the South Sound Blues Association at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee at their Youth Showcase Act for 5 years. She has been on 5 national All-stars tours with the School of Rock, giving her the opportunity to play on stages such as the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Lollapalooza, Gathering of the Vibes, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Summerfest in Milwaukee, and many others all across the country. She was nominated as best blues female vocalist in the 2020 Washington Blues Society Awards.
For the last concert of our 2019-2020 SJV season (just before Covid,) Miranda showcased as a guitarist and lead vocalist with the Randy Oxford Band. Just recently, she performed on the season premiere of American Idol, February 14, 2021.
Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra – Quintet
January 2, 2022
Seattle Jazz Vespers is proud to present The SRJO Quintet as we continue the New Year Celebration on Sunday, January 2, 2022.
This group is made up of members of the award-winning Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra. Throughout the years, various small groups from the 17-piece orchestra have formed to do outreach and concerts in between performances of the regular concert season.
Joining us for the evening concert are Milo Petersen, guitar; Phil Sparks, bass; D’vonne Lewis, drums; SRJO Co-Artistic Director Michael Brockman, saxophone; and Jay Thomas, trumpet/saxophone.
Colin Pulkrabek Quintet
December 5, 2021
Seattle Jazz Vespers is proud to present The SRJO Quintet as we continue the New Year Celebration on Sunday, January 2, 2022.
This group is made up of members of the award-winning Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra. Throughout the years, various small groups from the 17-piece orchestra have formed to do outreach and concerts in between performances of the regular concert season.
Joining us for the evening concert are Milo Petersen, guitar; Phil Sparks, bass; D’vonne Lewis, drums; SRJO Co-Artistic Director Michael Brockman, saxophone; and Jay Thomas, trumpet/saxophone.
Max Hatt – guitar; Edda Glass – vocals, Clipper Anderson – bass
November 7, 2021
Everyone will be required to provide proof of full vaccination or a negative test for COVID-19 upon entry to the venue.
Max Hatt and Edda Glass have “an incomparable spook” and a “unique sound” (Nashville Scene and NPR’s Larry Groce) that’s taken them across the county from NPR and PBS to NYC’s Lincoln Center, DC’s Kennedy Center, and the Sundance Film Festival. Praised for her “impeccable vocal command” (PopMatters) and compared to a gamut of singers from Astrud Gilberto to Billie Holliday, Glass’s voice is ultimately “one of a kind…you cannot confuse her with another artist” (New York Theatre Guide). Max and Edda will be joined by Clipper Anderson on bass.
Jacqueline Tabor’s Tribute to Nancy Wilson
October 3, 2021
A returning SJV favorite, Jacqueline Tabor, the Seattle Chanteuse’s signature bluesy style has set her apart as a legendary performer in the Pacific Northwest. She combines relaxed energy with tremendous range and masterful improvisation, defining herself as a unique and dynamic presence in the contemporary jazz world. Tabor’s stunning vocals have thrice earned her the Earshot Jazz Vocalist of the Year Award, as well as the Seattle-Kobe Sister City Association Female Jazz Vocalist Award. Backed by a hand-picked ensemble of Seattle’s most talented jazz musicians, Tabor always brings you a breathtaking performance that stands as a testament to her place as one of the PNW’s most beloved jazz voices.
On Sunday, October 3rd, she will pay tribute to the late and great stylist Nancy Wilson.
Tabor’s first introduction to jazz was delivered by a cassette tape of Nancy Wilson singing “Guest who I saw Today” the story telling component of the song planted a seed that grew into this production. Tunes like “Never will I Marry”,”Save Your Love for Me” and the “Nearness of You” will be portrayed by Tabor’s unique and distinctive sound.
Jazz singer Nancy Wilson, a three-time Grammy Award-winner, was born on February 20, 1937, in Chillicothe, Ohio to iron-worker Olden Wilson and the former Lillian Ryan, who worked as a domestic servant. Nancy was the first of six children. Her father’s love of music and the records he played at home were a huge influence on Nancy as a young girl. She already knew she would be a singer by the time she was four years old and developed her talent by singing in the church choir.
Nancy Wilson won her first Grammy in 1964, for best R&B recording for her LP “How Glad I Am.” Nancy continued recording into the 21st Century, winning Best Jazz Vocal Grammy Awards for her albums “R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal)” (2005) and “Turned to Blue” (2007). She retired from live performance in 2011.
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