EyeShotJazz | Jazz Photography

Three time Grammy Award winner Antonio Sanchez brought his quartet to Jazz Alley tonight and blistered.  Playing off of the saxophone tandem of Chris Potter and David Sanchez, and with veteran bassist Scott Colley, they played through a number of the songs on their 2007 album Migration.

“On a jazz scene brimming over with dazzling young drummers, Sanchez stands out as one of the most extravagantly gifted. He’s best known for his ongoing, decadelong gig with guitarist Pat Metheny, but in recent years the drummer has stepped forward with his own project, Migration…”

Migration marks his debut as a band leader and this was the Seattle debut for his group. “”I’ve always been drawn to the space you get when you don’t have a harmonic instrument playing in the band, particularly sax trios like Sonny Rollins used on ‘Freedom Suite’ and ‘Way Out West,’ ” says Sanchez, 38. “I love that space as a drummer. It allows me to play a little busier, without getting in the way.”
Read more in the Seattle Times article by Andrew Gilbert Jazz Photography by Seattle photographer Daniel Sheehan who covers jazz performances, and creates portrait photography for publications and corporations and a Seattle Wedding Photographer at A Beautiful Day Photography, a wedding photographer with an artistic photojournalist style. Visit his newest website EYESHOTPHOTOS.COM to see samples of all of his work as a Seattle Photographer.

Ralph Towner and Paolo Fresu put on a beautiful concert last Sunday night at the Triple Door as part of the Earshot Jazz Spring Series. I especially appreciated the sound of the classical guitar and the trumpet mingling together it was so sweet. Here are the rest of the pictures I wanted to share from the performance.

Best known as the lead composer, guitarist, and keyboardist of the classic jazz ensemble Oregon, Ralph Towner has led a storied four decade career in improvised music. Towner’s blend of jazz, folk, and contemporary classical music offered a compelling alternative to the jazz-rock that ruled much of the 1970s (interestingly enough, however, Towner was also a valuable contributorto some vintage Weather Report line- ups). Towner’s first unaccompanied twelve-string guitar recordings were received as an entirely new musical idiom, and if one artist came to represent that classic ECM sound – spacious, rural, European or classical in design – it was Towner. His working relationship with ECM producer Manfred Eicher led to numerous fruitful collaborations, including recordings with Gary Peacock, Jack DeJohnette, Jan Garbarek, and Gary Burton. Towner is a true innovator, presenting ever fresh ideas while maintaining his rich, “pianistic” approach to guitar.

As one critic has remarked, “his ability to work simultaneous lines, sustain rich harmonics and drones and even get a percussive counterpoint out of the snap of the strings and the thud of the sound-box is what makes his solo playing so rich and multi-dimensional.” A generation removed from Towner, Sardinian trumpeter Paolo Fresu is a premiere exponent of the new Italian jazz. Indebted to Enrico Rava, Kenny Wheeler, and mid-50s Miles Davis, Fresu creates a gorgeous sound on both trumpet and flugelhorn. Fresu has long admired Towner’s work for solo guitar, and paired together the duo creates sparse music of great melodic subtlety. Though they first met some fifteen years ago, Fresu and Towner recently released their first album as a duo, Chiaroscuro (ECM), a masterful exploration of the colors and opportunities afforded by the unique instrumental pairing. The duo’s live performances are augmented by some tasty electronics, and taken altogether Towner and Fresu create a music quite unlike any other.

Jazz Photography by Seattle photographer Daniel Sheehan who covers jazz performances, and creates portrait photography for publications and corporations and a Seattle Wedding Photographer at A Beautiful Day Photography, a wedding photographer with an artistic photojournalist style. Visit his newest website EYESHOTPHOTOS.COM to see samples of all of his work as a Seattle Photographer.

Ralph Towner and Paolo Fresu performing at the Triple Door Sunday night as  the Earshot Jazz Spring Series continues.

The duo of Towner and Fresu put on a beautiful concert. The sound of the classical guitar and the trumpet mingling together so fluidly was especially compelling. I will post some more pictures of the performance by these two in the coming week.

Best known as the lead composer, guitarist, and keyboardist of the classic jazz ensemble Oregon, Ralph Towner has led a storied four decade career in improvised music. Towner’s blend of jazz, folk, and contemporary classical music offered a compelling alternative to the jazz-rock that ruled much of the 1970s (interestingly enough, however, Towner was also a valuable contributorto some vintage Weather Report line- ups). Towner’s first unaccompanied twelve-string guitar recordings were received as an entirely new musical idiom, and if one artist came to represent that classic ECM sound – spacious, rural, European or classical in design – it was Towner. His working relationship with ECM producer Manfred Eicher led to numerous fruitful collaborations, including recordings with Gary Peacock, Jack DeJohnette, Jan Garbarek, and Gary Burton. Towner is a true innovator, presenting ever fresh ideas while maintaining his rich, “pianistic” approach to guitar.

As one critic has remarked, “his ability to work simultaneous lines, sustain rich harmonics and drones and even get a percussive counterpoint out of the snap of the strings and the thud of the sound-box is what makes his solo playing so rich and multi-dimensional.” A generation removed from Towner, Sardinian trumpeter Paolo Fresu is a premiere exponent of the new Italian jazz. Indebted to Enrico Rava, Kenny Wheeler, and mid-50s Miles Davis, Fresu creates a gorgeous sound on both trumpet and flugelhorn. Fresu has long admired Towner’s work for solo guitar, and paired together the duo creates sparse music of great melodic subtlety. Though they first met some fifteen years ago, Fresu and Towner recently released their first album as a duo, Chiaroscuro (ECM), a masterful exploration of the colors and opportunities afforded by the unique instrumental pairing. The duo’s live performances are augmented by some tasty electronics, and taken altogether Towner and Fresu create a music quite unlike any other.

Butch Morris conducting his Conduction® No. 189, S & P at PONCHO Hall Saturday night.

The New York-based composer, conductor, and cornetist Lawrence D. “Butch” Morris redefined the roles of composer, conductor, and performer with this concert which featured two separate 15-member ensembles. Below is Butch working with the Associate Artists Ensemble.

The Associate Artists Ensemble was: Darian Asplund, soprano sax; Jacob Brady, drums; Colin Field, cello; Jacob Herring, trombone; Jamie Maschler, accordion; Evan McPherson, guitar; Steven O’Brien, trumpet; James Pfeffer, percussion; Matthew Reed, clarinet; Dick Robinson, flute; Sydney Robinson, voice; Jacob Stickney, tenor sax; Martin Strand, bass; Brent Vaartstra, guitar; Colby White, alto sax

The second group was the Master Artists Ensemble of: Brianna Atwell, viola; Heather Bentley, violin; Samantha Boshnack, trumpet; Greg Cambell, percussion; Lesli Dalaba, trumpet; Beth Fleenor, clarinet; Craig Flory, woodwinds; Wayne Horvitz, electronics; Paris Hurley, violin; Paul Kukichu, percussion; Joanne de Mars, cello; Lisa Miller, piano; Steve Moore, keyboards; Katie Rife, vibes; Monica Schley, harp; Tom Varner, horn.

This was one of the most interesting performances I have seen in a log time. Lawrence D. “Butch” Morris is recognized internationally as a leading innovator in the confluence of jazz, new music, improvisation and contemporary classical music and the principal theorist and practitioner in the evolution of Conduction®. Since 1974, his career has been distinguished by unique and outstanding international contributions to film, theater, dance, television, radio, interdisciplinary collaborations, concerts and recordings. Employing more than 5,000 musicians in 23 countries and 63 cities, Morris has opened the door to a new understanding of musical language. Morris has acted as a resident conductor and lecturer at institutions such as Princeton University, California Institute of the Arts, Yale University, Wesleyan University, New York University, University of Westminster, London, Orchestra della Toscana, Florence, Mito Museum, Mito, Japan, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and many others.

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The Steve Griggs Ensemble performing Cancao Carioca at the Chapel Performance Space, Weds night March 3rd.

In a wonderful sold out performance, Steve Griggs and his ensemble performed music from Rio de Janeiro, music written by composers from the “marvelous city” about their home. Performaned were works by Heitor Villa-Lobos, Ernesto Nazareth, Pixinguinha, and Antonio Carlos Jobim, among others. It was very delightful to hear the blend of instruments on tunes I remember being played only on guitar. The Ensemble is composed of Steve Griggs – saxophone, Louie Richmond – cello, Tom Varner – French Horn, Phil Sparks – bass, Jeff Busch – percussion, Marco de Carvalho – guitar, and Susan Pascal – vibraphone, marimba.

All photographs on this website are Daniel Sheehan © 2010. All Rights Reserved. Please inquire for permission to use.

Chris Icasiano playing in January with Bad Luck. Just got word that Chris will be playing in the upcoming Ballard Jazz Festival.

All photographs on this website are Daniel Sheehan © 2010. All Rights Reserved. Please inquire for permission to use.

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Last spring I photographed SPEAK in Ballard for Earshot Jazz. Here is another version from the July Earshot Jazz profile on the group featuring Aaron Otheim, Cuong Vu, Luke Bergman, Chris Icasiano, Andrew Swanson.

Tinariwen in Concert: Wonou Walet Sidati, vocalist, Elaga Ag Hamid, guitar, Ibrahim Ag Alhabib, guitar, Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni, guitar, Eyadou Ag Leche, bass, and Said Ag Ayad on drum.

All photographs on this website are Daniel Sheehan © 2010. All Rights Reserved. Please inquire for permission to use.

As promised, here are some more images from Tinariwen’s performance at the Triple Door last week.
An amazing group to see and hear in concert.