Saturday, December 11, 2010

2011 JAZZVOX CONCERT SERIES PREVIEW


Nich Anderson, fantastic host of the incredibly successful JazzVox house concert series, has been featuring world-class artists and delighting audiences since January, 2008 and will keep his ‘dream come true’ alive in grand style by celebrating male jazz vocalists throughout 2011.  The theme is, of course, “Boys! Boys! Boys!” and Nich promises to present an electrifying group of gifted, inventive vocalists from different parts of the world.  He kicks off his fourth season with the outstanding vocalist/composer Peter Eldridge of New York Voices fame in January and winds up the year with brilliant jazz song stylist and New Orleans native Kenny Washington in November.  The excitement in his voice can hardly be concealed talking about it - “Everyone knows Kurt Elling, John Pizzarelli and Jamie Cullum – but there are lots of fantastic male jazz vocalists out there – I decided to make it a focus for this year to draw attention to just some of the wealth of men blazing the trail in the world of vocal jazz!”

Also on Nich’s agenda for 2011 is the eagerly anticipated January 18 release of the first-ever JazzVox CD (on OA2) “In Your Own Backyard” which showcases new studio recordings by many of the recent JazzVox artists – his way of capturing, and sharing with the world, some of the magic happening at these concerts!          
                                                               
As I have observed over the 2 ½ years of attending nearly every JazzVox performance, Nich Anderson has such a warm, witty way of making his guest artists and audiences feel so special.  He puts out the welcome mat for folks from many cultures and backgrounds and as a result, garners rave reviews from newcomers and a steadfast, loyal following.   The guest artist for the October, 2010 JazzVox concert was sensational British vocalist Anita Wardell who says, “It is a delight to play for Nich’s first rate concert series!  He gave me first-class treatment both professionally and personally.”  Long-time JazzVox devotee and great friend Julie Olson exudes, “I love the intimacy and connection with the audience… their love for music and the energy and joy felt in the room!”

The schedule of 2011 JazzVox concerts is:  January – “perennially classy” NY jazz vocalist/songwriter Peter Eldridge;    February – incredible Swiss vocalist/arranger Beat Kaestli; March – lauded jazz singer with the velvet voice, Kevin Mahogany;   April – Belgian bandleader/singer extraordinaire David Linx;  May – Grammy award-winning vocalist/composer John Proulx;   June – Innovative Jazz singer’s singer JD Walter;   September – “Hipster” vocalist and piano man Bob Dorough;   October – Acclaimed bassist/songwriter Jay Leonhart, and   November – Jazz vocalist virtuoso Kenny Washington.  Specific dates and times for these concerts are available on the wonderful JazzVox website, www.jazzvox.com

Not only will you be treated to terrific performances but close friend and colleague Patti Carr puts on a sumptuous after-show buffet with many of her own creations and favorite recipes.  She and her husband, superb pianist Andy Carr, also host JazzVox concerts in their lovely home on Camano Island, so you could potentially see a concert in each locale all in one weekend – what a golden opportunity!

To help with your concert selection process, Nich has beautifully designed his website to include bio information, press reviews, sound clips, and even YouTube clips for each artist with a fabulous opportunity to purchase discounted season passes or 4-concert passes.  If you truly desire to be a part of this one-of-a-kind concert experience with the “Boys” in 2011, simply visit www.jazzvox.com and reserve your seats via advance donation either by check or PayPal online.  You’re sure to savor good friends, culinary delights and the very finest in vocal jazz featuring male artists – we’ll see you there!

GRETA MATASSA AT BAKE’S PLACE WITH BARNEY MCCLURE – 12/03/10


Last Friday night at Bake’s Place in Issaquah was another exquisite evening of stellar jazz, especially with the great Barney McClure in the house!  He brought in his own vintage B3 Hammond organ, and as Bake’s owner Craig Baker said, “He plays it how it’s supposed to be played”.  Barney was at his smokin’ best belting out blazing hot runs and punctuating groovin’ chords and sustained notes with aplomb to augment the fabulous rhythm section comprised of local standouts Jose Martinez on drums and Chris Spencer playing electric guitar.

As if this group of extraordinary musicians wasn’t enough, the stage was also graced by the incomparable Greta Matassa who brought the house down with her powerhouse vocals and irresistible charisma.  She sang a variety of styles from smoldering blues numbers to lush standards as “Like Someone in Love” and Shirley Horn’s “I could have told you so”.  Greta also paid tribute to the wonderful vocalist/songwriter Blossom Dearie with her rendition of “Now At Last” and pulled out all the stops with a cookin’ Ray Charles tune “Danger Zone”.

Greta Matassa’s spontaneous and joyful interplay with Barney, Jose and Chris was so pleasing to the audience, and together they created sheer magic during this festive holiday season.  To learn more about these remarkable artists and their CD releases/Concert gigs, please visit Greta Matassa at www.gretamatassa.com, Barney McClure at www.barneymcclure.com, Jose Martinez at www.teachstreet.com, and Chris Spencer at www.chrisspencermusic.com