Earshot: Sumi Tonooka

Presented by Earshot Jazz Festival.

The “fierce and fascinating composer and pianist” (Jazz Times) Sumi Tonooka performs solo. Born in Philadelphia, Tonooka started piano and music instruction at the age of seven and cites a teenage experience seeing Thelonious Monk for making her want to be a jazz musician. She holds a bachelor of music degree from the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts, and has gigged with Kenny Burrell, Little Jimmy Scott, Sonny Fortune, Red Rodney, Benny Golson and David “Fathead” Newman.

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Earshot: Jaap Blonk

Presented by Earshot Jazz Festival.

Dutch vocal improviser Jaap Blonk uses synthesized sounds, including samples of his own voice, in powerful, joyful performances structured by the mathematical algorithms that are his other expertise. As a vocalist, Blonk is unique in his powerful stage presence and almost childlike freedom in improvisation, combined with a keen grasp of structure. Tonight he presents his 4-channel-mix piece Polyphtong and Kurt Schwitters’ classic Ursonate.

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Lubomyr Melnyk

Canadian composer and pianist Lubomyr Melnyk is the pioneer of Continuous Music — a piano technique he has developed since the 1970s that uses extremely rapid notes and note-series to create a rich, pulsating tapestry of sound. Inspired by the phase and pattern musics of Steve Reich, Philip Glass, and Terry Riley, yet frustrated by the ecstatic detachment from reality they can encourage, Continuous Music is based in the innovations of the minimalists but with its roots more deeply planted in harmony. Overtones blend or clash according to the harmonic changes. Melnyk released a number of solo piano and ensemble works on the Bandura label through the 1970s and 1980s, and has composed many more, though relatively little was heard from him until the CD reissue of KMH (Unseen Worlds, 2007).

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Keith Eisenbrey: Preludes in Seattle, Part 4

Seattle composer/pianist Keith Eisenbrey continues his tour through the Prelude cycles of Seattle composers Ken Benshoof, Greg Short, and Lockrem Johnson. In addition he will perform the entirety of his own cycle of 24 Preludes for Piano (2009 - 2011).

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Earshot: Phil Dadson & friends

Presented by Earshot Jazz Festival.

New Zealand home-made-instrument innovator Phil Dadson performs with three inventive Seattle soundscapers: Bill Horist, Paul Kikuchi and Steve Barsotti.

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Earshot: Evan Flory-Barnes, 2 + 2

Presented by Earshot Jazz Festival.

The featured artist of this year’s festival is one of Puget Sound’s most expansive creators. Bassist/composer Evan Flory-Barnes explores new musical possibilities with stellar Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame bassist Jeff Johnson and expressive pianist Dawn Clement.

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Dan Peck

New York-based tuba player Dan Peck makes a wide swing over to the Left Coast to join a crew of Seattle improvising stalwarts with Bill Horist (guitar), Eyvind Kang (viola), Lori Goldston (cello), Greg Campbell (percussion, French horn).

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Earshot: Tatsuya Nakatani

Presented by Earshot Jazz Festival.

Tatsuya Nakatani is a creative percussionist originally from Osaka, Japan, currently based in Easton, PA. He uses drums, gongs, cymbals, singing bowls and much else to create organic, intense music. Tonight he plays solo and in a first-time duo improvisation with special guest violist Eyvind Kang.

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Earshot: Ab Baars & Ig Henneman

Presented by Earshot Jazz Festival. Support provided by the Consulate General of The Netherlands.

Reeds man Ab Baars and violist Ig Henneman, both long-established members of the theatrically avant-garde New Dutch Swing pantheon, bring an unmistakable playfulness to their collaborations as a musical duo. The husband-and-wife team deliver lyrical, expressive pieces that animate memories of tiptoeing down a hallway, dancing outside or hiding beneath the bed. For all of its sharp dissonances and off-kilter rhythms, their sound is like a simple game of tag.

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Percussion and Movement

Percussion by Dean Moore in collaboration with butoh artist Alan Sutherland and Acrobalance performers Jason Williams and Evelyn Bittner (aka Dr. Calamari & Acrophelia of Circus Contraption). With special guest percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani performing with butoh artist Vanessa Skantze.

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Tempered Steel + Lube Fondue

The long-awaited CD release from Tempered Steel, featuring Ffej, Frank Junk, and Dennis Rea playing amplified, electronically processed thumb pianos. The trio's seamless improvisations conjure everything from phantom harpsichords and subaquatic percussion to as-yet-uninvented stringed instruments and vintage musique concrete. Opening are Lube Fondue, featuring Noisepoetnobody and Briana Jones.

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