Kevin Buster photo by Tim Cheeny
Seattle outdoor jazz concerts and dances abound in August. Here are eleven alfresco opportunities in the city for outdoors enthusiasts and jazz fans.
Summer at SAM
Olympic Sculpture Park
2901 Western Ave
Summer at the Seattle Art Museum’s Olympic Sculpture Park features Big World Breaks, led by drummer Aaron Walker-Loud, Thursday, August 1, and the Jefferson Rose Band, featuring a driving horn section with an African backbeat, August 8, as well as mobile food trucks in the park. Concerts begin at 6pm. Admission is free.
Dancing til Dusk
Westlake Park & Freeway Park
Dancing till Dusk is an annual series of free dance lessons and dances in two Seattle parks. Dance floors are brought in, but you’re on your own for parking and water or refreshments. Thursday, August 1, swing-era dance band the Portage Bay Big Band is in Freeway Park, 6pm; Thursday, August 8, Leify Green performs West Coast swing and fusion blues, Freeway Park, 6pm; Thursday, August 13, Kevin Buster’s Lunch Money performs swing and blues, Freeway Park, 6pm. The rain hotline is (206) 264-5646. Full schedule information at www.danceforjoy.biz.
Interbay Golf Center BBQ Jazz
2501 15th Ave W
Interbay Golf Center BBQ Jazz, Thursdays in August, welcomes back local Gypsy jazz sensations Pearl Django, August 1 and 22; Big Gig producer Billy Brandt and The Thing and The Stuff Jazz Band, August 8; classic jazz performers Ambience, with vocalist Leah Natale, winner of the 2013 Seattle-Kobe Female Jazz Vocalist competition at Jazz Alley, bassist Burt Boice and guitarist George Stone, August 15; and guitarist Scott Lindenmuth, August 29. Concert seating starts at 5pm. Admission is free.
Magnolia Summerfest Mainstage
32nd Ave W and W Smith St
Magnolia Summerfest, August 2-3, craft and food vendors, a Seafair parade, an art show, pony rides, inflatable rides, clowns, magicians and a beer garden. Performances on Friday, August 2, include Dina Blade & Hans Brehmer, jazz piano and vocal duo, 4:15pm; the Velveteen Lotharios, with the young Chris Niccoli vocalizing Tin Pan Alley and Great American Songbook tunes, 6:45pm. Performances on August 3 include jazz quartet Hook Me Up, 2:30pm; Scott Lindenmuth Trio, contemporary jazz guitar, 3:45pm; and The Dusty Martin Band, an acoustic jazz band from Magnolia, 7:30pm.
ZooTunes at Woodland Park Zoo
750 N 50th St or 5500 Phinney Ave N
Rain or shine concert presentations at the Woodland Park Zoo include concessions and beer gardens, but not regular zoo admission. Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue performs August 7, 6pm. Tickets are $27, online only, at www.zoo.org/zootunes.
Jazz Under the Stars
Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma
Jazz Under the Stars concerts are held at the Mary Baker Russell building’s outdoor amphitheater, on the PLU campus. Refreshments and star charts are available, for those interested in viewing the night sky from the campus’ observatory. Keck Observatory is open for the August 4 and 11 concerts. On August 4, director of PLU jazz studies David Deacon-Joyner performs; August 11, the Jim Kerl Orchestra performs a Sinatra at the Sands program with vocalist Joey Jewell. Concerts begin at 7pm. Admission is free.
Gail Pettis photo by Daniel Sheehan
Jazz on the Lawn at Cedarbrook Lodge
18525 36th Ave S
Cederbrook Lodge is a luxury, semi-secluded property just down the road from SeaTac Airport. At the August jazz events, the property’s Copperleaf Restaurant features farm-to-table small plates and appetizers, area wines, craft beer and a cash bar. The Copperleaf Bar is also open to the public. The lawn is set with theatre seating, lawn seating, high-top cocktail tables and cocktail tables with chairs. Gail Pettis performs on August 9 and Susan Pascal’s Brazil Project performs August 23. Concerts begin at 6:30pm. Admission is $20 in advance, $25 at the door. More information at www.cedarbrooklodge.com/jazz.
Arts in Nature Festival
Camp Long, West Seattle
5200 35th Ave SW
The Arts in Nature Festival is held August 10 and 11 at Camp Long in West Seattle. The Festival is an eclectic, multidisciplinary experience of music, dance, interactive arts and sound in the woods of Seattle’s only campground. Performances occur at various locations throughout the park, some indoors, some out. The festival also includes arts activities, writing workshops, a ropes course, but no vendors. Performers include AMA Trio, with Amy Denio, Madeleine Sosin and Abel Rocha, Bill Horist, Ranger & The Re-Arrangers, Trio Duwamish, with Jim Knodle, Wendi Martin and Don Berman, and Swingamathing, plus an installation by Steve Peters. Admission is free, with suggested donation. Schedule details at fest.naturec.org.
Concerts at Ballard Locks
This long-running series on the grounds of the beautiful botanical gardens and busy Ballard Locks features a mix of large community bands and combos. Saturday, August 10, 2pm, Dukes and Diva, a cappella quintet; Sunday, August 11, 2pm, Mach One Jazz Orchestra; Saturday, August 17, 2pm, Microsoft Jumpin Jive Orchestra; Sunday, August 25, 2 pm, The Tempos, big band.
Bradner Gardens Park Summer Jazz Concerts
29th Ave S & S Grand St
Bradner Gardens Park is a new 1.6-acre park in the Mt. Baker neighborhood. Winding paths connect the many features of the park, including seven ornamental theme gardens, 61 p-patch plots and Seattle Tilth and Urban Food demonstration gardens. Jim O’Halloran Quintet, including Jim O’Halloran (flute), Bill Anschell (piano), Dean Schmidt (bass), Jacques Willis (drums), Denny Stern (percussion), Elva Pope (vocals), Paul Nelson (poet), El Habib Louai (neo-beat poet), performs on August 14, 6:30pm. Bring your blanket, lawn chair, and picnic. Admission is free.
Bumbershoot: Starbucks Stage
Seattle Center
Bumbershoot’s outdoor Starbucks Stage at the Mural Amphitheatre brings a mix of jazz performances on Saturday, August 31. Noon, Matt Jorgensen +451; 12:30pm, Human Spirit; 1:10pm, Ernie Watts with New Stories; 2:45pm, Robert Glasper Experiment. Also, check out the Films4Adults: Neither Here nor There series of shorts, including Dosa Hunt (Amrit Singh, USA 2013, 22 min) with Ashok Kondabolu and Himanshu Suri of Das Racist and pianist Vijay Iyer, Sunday, September 1, 8pm.
