Jazz Photography
November 4, 2009
The Jazz Photography in the blog below is ending here but continues to be updated with new photography over on the new address for EyeShotJazz blog at EyeShotJazz.com. Please go and set your bookmark to get continuing coverage of the 2009 Earshot Jazz Festival and other photographs of great jazz performances in the Seattle area.
The Don Byron Quartet: Edward Simon (piano), Kenny Davis (bass), Don Byron and Billy Hart (drums) on stage at the Triple Door as the Earshot Jazz Festival carries on in its last week.
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The Don Byron Quartet performance was one of the most enjoyable of the Festival so far. Maybe it was the way he sang a Hank Williams tune or how he referenced one of his compositions to the 1968 Olympics high jumper who first took the plunge backwards, but the performance felt very satisfying and complete. I like his eyeglasses too.
Conceived as a means of expressing gratitude to Lester Young, Don Byron’s 2004 release Ivey-Divey convened an all-star trio with Jason Moran and Jack DeJohnette to revisit and reinterpret some of Lester Young’s finest works. Taking its name, orchestration, and much of its repertoire from Young’s great 1940s trio with pianist Nat King Cole and drummer Buddy Rich, Ivey-Divey was immediately recognized as a masterwork. Reflecting Young’s gifts as a communicator, Byron’s ensemble combines the same unbridled joy and enthusiasm of Young’s classic lineup with the innovations and technical advances of the last half century. With Byron playing clarinet and tenor sax, this expanded version of the Ivey-Divey project features Edward Simon (piano), Kenny Davis (bass), and Billy Hart (drums). As with many of Byron’s diverse forays, the Ivey-Divey Quartet is a wholly compelling and at times unpredictable vehicle for Byron and his peers to let loose. From the Earshot Jazz Festival guide. Photographs by Seattle photographer Daniel Sheehan, a photojournalist specializing in jazz photography and portrait photography for publications and corporations and a Seattle wedding photographer with a story-telling approach creating award winning wedding photography.
The Power of the Single Story -Chimamanda Adichie
October 7, 2009
I heard this story from the Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie on the danger of depending upon the single story and it hit a nerve. Listen to her on this video from TED.
Jazz Photographs – Travis Shook Comeback
September 12, 2009
Travis Shook made his comeback to the Seattle jazz scene at Tula’s Jazz Club last Wednesday night, playing in town for the first time in about five years. His performance with the Travis Shook Trio was greeted warmly by a full house. The Seattle Times ran an article by Hugo Kugiya detailing his career’s ups and downs. “The jazz pianist Travis Shook, a curiosity to some who remember his name, a cautionary tale for others, lives in rural, upstate New York, far from the city and the place he first greeted fame. People don’t recognize him much these days, and for a long time he preferred it that way.
“I’m 40 and I feel a lot more comfortable with myself now,” said Shook, a fixture on the Seattle jazz scene in the early 1990s and once considered one of the greatest jazz musicians of his generation. “That’s all that matters to me. Musically, I’m a much better player than I was. But the main thing is that I’m comfortable with myself. That was my biggest hurdle.”
For most, that would seem a small accomplishment, but for Shook, who experienced meteoric success and sudden failure, who was addicted to alcohol and drugs, who was virtually unemployable for a number of years, this is not an insignificant step.
“Comeback,” is the word he settled on.”
Read the rest at The Seattle Times
it was a delight to see and hear Essiet Essiet perform on the bass behind Shook.
Matt Jorgensen was great at drums throughout the set.
Jay Thomas made an appearance as well during the first set.
Travis looked pleased at the applause at the end of his first set.
Photographs by Seattle Photographer Daniel Sheehan specializing in photojournalism, portraits and photography for publications and corporations, and photojournalistic Seattle wedding photography.
Danilo Perez
May 24, 2009
The extraordinary Panamanian pianist and composer Danilo Perez, among the most influential and dynamic musicians of our time performed Saturday as the Bellevue Jazz Festival continued into its second day.
He is a warm and generous soul and it was hard not to feel the joy his music brings to the people in attendance,
The Thing – Jazz Photography
May 1, 2009
The Thing
Mats Gustafsson Blows real hard in performance Thursday night at Poncho Performance Hall in the last of the April Earshot Jazz Spring Series Jazz which started out so long ago on February 25th with Bill Frisell and Russell Malone.
The Thing- Norway’s most ferocious and refined improvisers are Gustafsson - reeds – Ingebrigt Haker Flaten – bass – Paal Nilssen-Love – drums.
What an amazing concert. It was so refreshing to see and hear them play. An incredible amount of energy was expended up on that stage. The photographs in these pages are by Seattle photographer Daniel Sheehan, a photojournalist who also does Seattle wedding photography creating award winning wedding photojournalism . As a photographer with a rather new digital camera, I am beginning to experiment with the HD video capabilities of my Canon 5D Mark II and recorded some of this concert.
Look forward to seeing some of it embedded into an upcoming blog. There is a small matter of editing the footage and getting it hosted and embedded here. It is stuff that may be old hat to some but is new to me. Just keep a look out for it. Seattle photographers in general may be ahead of the curve in this department.
Peter Brotzman Trio at Poncho Concert Hall
April 29, 2009
Peter Brotzmann Trio with Eric Revis & Nasheet WaitsPlayed Poncho Concert Hall at Cornish College Tuesday evening. They were smashing. One of the last in the series of the Earshot Jazz Spring Series 2009 in April. Coming up on thursday is the final featuring The Thing Mats Gustasson – reeds Ingebrigt Haker Flaten – bass Paal Nilssen-Love – drums Norway’s most ferocious and refined improvisers. Also at Poncho Concert Hall. Tickets still available check out Earshot Jazz at Brown Paper Tickets.
Corey Christiansen Quartet – Ballard Jazz Festival
April 28, 2009
Corey Christiansen Quartet: Corey Christiansen (guitar), Mark Taylor (sax), Paul Gabrielson (bass), Matt Jorgensen (drums) opened up the Saturday night Mainstage Concert of the Ballard Jazz Festival.
Some really wonderful performances from Corey and the whole group. They opened the Saturday night episode of the Ballard Jazz Festival at the beautiful sounding hall at the Nordic Heritage Museum. an old Seattle Public School house dating to 1930’s.
More photos to come from the evening. Sorry for the delay in posting them.
Fred and Jenn
April 21, 2009
Fred Gilbert and Jenn celebrated their wedding with a number of Earshot Jazz staff and fans at the Asian Art Museum in March. Here is a large group panoramic photo of everyone attending out on the steps in front of the museum.I really love those camels on both sides of the entrance.
Jazz Photography – Toshiko Akiyoshi
March 18, 2009
Toshiko Akiyosh conducts the Seattle Jazz Repertory Jazz Orchestra during a performance at Nordstrom Hall on March 7th 2009
I wanted to run another image from a fantastic and entertaining performance, by internationally renowned, award-winning composer, pianist, and NEA Jazz Master Toshiko Akiyoshi . She lead the SRJO in a concert of big band works from her many years touring the globe with the Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabackin Big Band. Born in Manchuria, Akiyoshi took up jazz as a teenager in Japan, coming to the US in her 20s to immerse herself in the sounds of Basie and Ellington. She became the first woman named “Best Arranger and Composer” by Down Beat magazine, and has recorded over 45 albums with a refreshing view of the art of jazz.
This was one in a series of concerts by the : NEA Jazz Masters Live a new NEA initiative and Earshot Jazz has been chosen to participate. The program celebrates the living legends who have made exceptional contributions to the advancement of jazz, NEA Jazz Masters Live supports meaningful, in-depth, extended engagements featuring NEA Jazz Masters that:
Photograph by Seattle photographer Daniel Sheehan, a photojournalist specializing in jazz photography, photojournalism and portrait photography for publications and corporations. He is also a Seattle wedding photographer with an unobtrusive, story-telling approach creating award winning wedding photojournalism among Seattle wedding photographers.
Movie Music
December 13, 2008
Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra West, Wednesday, November 5, King Cat Theater
For a Seattle photographer, this was so much fun to watch and photograph this group play to these old movies. I wish they had a regular gig doing this.
New York-trumpeter Steven Bernstein conducts his fine nine-piece band, which typically explores the largely-lost music of the bluesy, loose-territory bands. Tonight he performed in accompaniment to three Laurel and Hardy silent films on the screen behind him at the King Kat Theatre and he and the band had a lot of fun with it as did the audience. The Laurel and Hardy films were classic treasures. Steven Bernstein likes to have his cake and eat it too. The Grammy-nominated trumpeter is one of the hardest-working musicians to come out of New York’s “downtown scene.” He recently released three critically-acclaimed CDs on John Zorn’s Tzadik label and has had his music featured on MTV, Saturday Night Live, and National Public Radio. His ensemble, the Millennial Territory Orchestra, is an outgrowth of his immersion in the sound of the Midwestern swing bands from Robert Altman’s movie Kansas City. The ensemble was formed in 1999 for a series of midnight shows at New York’s Tonic nightclub, and they subsequently spent a year and a half in residency at the Jazz Standard. The group, a collection of distinctive musical personalities, recently released its debut recording, MTO Vol. 1, on Sunnyside Records. This is sure to be an edge-of-your-seat performance, featuring swing band adaptations of several rock and soul genre classics, led by this wonderfully “left of center” musician.
Roosevelt H.S. & Sean Jones
November 27, 2008
Sean Jones playing with the Roosevelt High School Jazz Band
Another photograph from the Earshot Jazz Festival 2008. The reigning champion of Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington competition, the Roosevelt Jazz Band opened the Earshot Jazz Festival at the Triple Door to a completely packed house Saturday night October 18th celebrating Seattle’s place in the great continuum of jazz.
Photograph by Seattle photographer Daniel Sheehan, a photojournalist specializing in photojournalism and portrait photography for publications and corporations and a Seattle wedding photographer with an unobtrusive, story-telling approach creating award winning Seattle wedding photography and wedding photojournalism ranked among the best Seattle wedding photographers.
Anton Goudsmit
November 21, 2008
Anton Goudsmit takes off at Tulas last month during the Earshot Jazz Festival playing with Eric Vloeimans Fugimundi
One of Europe’s most gifted trumpeters, the Dutchman performed Sunday night at Tula’s with his wonderful trio Fugimundi, featuring Anton Goudsmit who was astounding on guitar and Harmen Fraanje on piano. They ranged from cutting-edge jazz to hymns all presented with virtuosity, warmth, and wit. What a really special treat, and still ranks as one of my favorite performances of the 2008 Earshot Jazz Festival.
Photograph by Seattle photographer Daniel Sheehan, a photojournalist specializing in photojournalism and portrait photography for publications and corporations and a Seattle wedding photographer with an unobtrusive, story-telling approach creating award winning Seattle wedding photography and wedding photojournalism ranked among the best Seattle wedding photographers.
