Snakeoil (Ryan Ferreira, Matt Mitchell, Tim Berne, Ches Smith, Oscar Noriega) photo courtesy of Universal Music
The 2015 Earshot Jazz Spring Series continues through July 11 with eight distinctive concerts that bring a world of music to Seattle audiences.
Tim Berne’s Snakeoil
Monday, May 4, 8pm
The Royal Room, 5000 Rainier Ave S (Columbia City)
Tim Berne’s third ECM album, You’ve Been Watching Me, sees the saxophonist-composer again leading his dynamic New York band Snakeoil, now a quintet with the arrival of guitarist Ryan Ferreira. Just as Berne has hit a new peak with his writing on You’ve Been Watching Me, his band has reached a heightened state of collective interaction, realizing the compositions to a tee. Snakeoil – with the leader on alto sax alongside pianist Matt Mitchell, clarinetist Oscar Noriega, percussionist Ches Smith, and Ferreira on electric and acoustic guitars – can still be bracingly kinetic. But there is new space in these compositions and more lyrical focus to the improvisations, leading to a dynamic, even cinematic experience.
Tickets available at strangertickets.com. Tickets $18 general; $16 Earshot members & seniors; $9 students & veterans.
Vijay Iyer Trio
Saturday, May 9, 8pm
PONCHO Concert Hall, 710 E Roy St (Capitol Hill)
Described by the Village Voice as “the most commanding pianist and composer to emerge in recent years,” Vijay Iyer brings his trio (drummer Marcus Gilmore and bassist Stephan Crump) to Seattle once again for this special concert, made possible with the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts and the Doris Duke Foundation. The trio’s January release of Break Stuff (ECM) saw the compositional deconstruction of previous Iyer works, breaking down song elements to craft a witty, fast-moving, dynamic record.
Co-presented with Cornish College of the Arts. Tickets available at brownpapertickets.com. Tickets $15-$25.
Peter Brötzmann Trio w/ William Parker & Hamid Drake
Wednesday, May 13, 8pm
Seattle Art Museum, 1300 First Ave (downtown)
The powerhouse elder statesman of European free-jazz reprises his collaboration with two masters of America’s Black avant-garde: bassist William Parker and drummer Hamid Drake. Brötzmann first came together with Parker and Drake through the Die Like A Dog Quartet in the mid-1990s. Since then the three musicians have performed in a variety of ensembles and collaborations, releasing an album as a trio in 2003, Never Too Late, But Always Too Early.
Tickets available at brownpapertickets.com. Tickets $18 general; $16 Earshot members & seniors; $9 students & veterans.
Instant Composers Pool (ICP Orchestra)
Saturday, May 16, 7pm & 9:30pm
The Royal Room, 5000 Rainier Ave S (Columbia City)
Amsterdam’s revered ICP Orchestra, which has been among the world’s most startling and dynamic jazz ensembles for decades, is ready to bid America adieu on this farewell tour. Formed in 1967 by pianist Misha Mengelberg and drummer Han Bennink, ICP combines 10 of Europe’s most accomplished and daring improvisers in performances renowned for their virtuosity and, of all things, fun. Tonight, ICP bids us farewell with two separate performances in Seattle’s newest home for creative music.
Tickets available at strangertickets.com. Tickets $20 general; $18 Earshot members & seniors; $10 students & veterans.
Giulia Valle Trio
Saturday, June 20, 8pm
Chapel Performance Space, 4649 Sunnyside Ave N, 4th floor (Wallingford)
The Barcelona-bred bassist brings a unique musicianship to the contemporary scene with her compositions and playing. The Giulia Valle Trio presents a lineup of great maturity, in which the interplay among the musicians is the common denominator. The project includes Marco Mezquida on piano and David Xirgu on drums, and features new compositions as well as “revisited” topics Valle has introduced on previous recordings.
This Giulia Valle appearance is supported by the Institut Ramon Llull, the Spanish Society of Authors Composers & Publishers, Spain Arts & Culture, and Spain/USA Foundation.
Tickets available at brownpapertickets.com. Tickets $18 general; $16 Earshot members & seniors; $9 students & veterans.
Julia Hülsmann Trio
Friday, June 26, 8pm
Chapel Performance Space, 4649 Sunnyside Ave N, 4th floor (Wallingford)
The Berlin-based Julia Hülsmann began playing piano at the age of 11, and formed her first band at 16. Renowned for her pristine technique and a breadth of creative influences ranging from Thelonious Monk to Emily Dickinson, Hülsmann is gaining international attention through two new records for Munich’s respected ECM label. On this rare North American tour, she is accompanied by bassist Robert Landfermann and drummer Heinrich Köbberling.
Tickets available at brownpapertickets.com. Tickets $18 general; $16 Earshot members & seniors; $9 students & veterans.
Paal Nilssen-Love Large Unit
Sunday, June 28, 8pm
PONCHO Concert Hall, 710 E Roy St (Capitol Hill)
One of the most dynamic drummers in jazz, Norway’s Nilssen-Love leads a younger generation of musicians in acoustic and electronic improvisation and free jazz. After debuting in 2013 at the jazz festival in Molde (from where Nilssen-Love hails), this 12-piece powerhouse has gained critical, global recognition with its big band intensity, nuanced textures, and innovative sound. Comprised of musicians from Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark, the Large Unit is: Jon Rune Strøm – bass; Andreas Wildhagen – drums; Paal Nilssen-Love – drums; Mats Äleklint – trombone; Christian Meaas Svendsen – bass; Klaus Holm – reeds; Julie Kjær – reeds; Thomas Johansson – trumpet; Per Åke Holmlander – tuba; Ketil Gutvik – guitar; Tommi Keränen – electronics; and Christian Obermayer – live sound.
Tickets available at brownpapertickets.com. Tickets $18 general; $16 Earshot members & seniors; $9 students & veterans.
Spiros Exaras & Elio Villafranca
Saturday, July 11, 8pm
PONCHO Concert Hall, 710 E Roy St (Capitol Hill)
This evening features a new collaboration of music between internationally acclaimed Greek guitarist Spiros Exaras and Cuban pianist Elio Villafranca. They perform original pieces and traditional Greek and Cuban songs in their own arrangements, with their first record, Old Water, New River, soon to be released.
Ticket information at earshot.org.
