Chuck Deardorf Quintet with Warren Rand (alto sax), Dawn Clement (piano), Dave Peterson (guitar), Gary Hobbs (drums), and Deardorf (bass) played at Tula’s before the start of the Golden Ear Awards.

Chuck Deardorf is a regular performer in the Seattle area; a full-time professor of bass at the Cornish College of the Arts, where he’s also served as music faculty chair; and a member of Centrum’s 2011 Jazz Port Townsend faculty. His quintet warmed up the Tula’s stage at 7pm, ahead of the presentation of awards at 8pm.  Celebrated jazz radio programmer Jim Wilke emceed  the event. It was a wonderful laid back evening and I congratulate all of the nominees and winners.



The Kora Band, Cascades (OA2 Records) won the NW Recording of the Year Award presented by Rochelle House, left to Andrew Oliver, Kane Mathis, and Chad McCullough.

Tom Marriott gathered the honors for NW Acoustic Jazz Ensemble of the Year for Thomas Marriott’s Flexicon

Alternative Jazz Group of the Year and NW Concert of the Year were both awarded to Speak with drummer Chris Icasiano accepting the award with Andrew Swanson

Bill Anschell, piano, was surprised  and grateful to win NW Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year

And NW Vocalist of the Year went to Gail Pettis

Chuck Deardorf was also surprised when he was inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame

Wayne Horvitz was also Inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame.

Another award announced but not in attendance was Paul Kikuchi for Emerging Artist of the Year

After all the awards were given out I got a photo of all of the nominees for NW Vocalist of the Year

Valerie Joyce,  Gail Pettis, Kelley Johnson and Greta Mattassa 2010 NW Vocalist of the Year Nominees.

Here are some more images from the annual Earshot Jazz Golden Ear Awards for 2009 from last Monday night. Above is Greg Williamson A-Y-P Large Ensemble performing before the awards were given out.

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


Below are some more pictures from the awards ceremony.

Steve Peters, co-founder of the Nonsequitur Foundation, which runs the Chapel Performance Space, also received a community service award.

David Pierre-Louis, owner of Lucid Jazz Lounge, was given a special award in recognition of dedication and innovation in support of the  Seattle Jazz community.

Steve Peters, co-founder of the Nonsequitur Foundation, which runs the Chapel Performance Space, also received a special award with gratitude in recognition of tremendous contributions to Seattle’s Creative Jazz Scene.

Golden Ear Awards 2009

February 16th, 2010

Just got back from the annual Earshot Jazz Golden Ear Awards and it was a blast to see how the jazz community in Seattle comes together like this every year. Old friends and new together again. Here are a few of the award winners tonight. I will post some more later in the week.

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



Kimberly Reason, Kay Bailey and Karen Shivers, accepted their award for Earshot Jazz’s prestigious Golden Ear Award for 2009 Northwest Vocalist of the Year for their group COCOA MARTINI and they thanked everyone including the members of their group, Bill Anschell on piano, Bernie Jacobs on flute and tenor saxophone, Doug Miller on bass, and Greg Williamson on drums.



Evan Flory-Barnes, Josh Rawlings and Jeremy Jones here accept the 2009 NW Acoustic Jazz Group Award for their group The Teaching

Evan Flory-Barnes was back up soon after to receive the award for 2009 NW Jazz Concert of the Year for his “Acknowledgment of a Celebration,” Town Hall, Earshot Jazz Festival, November 8


Neil Welch and Chris Icasiano won 2009 NW Alternative Jazz Group for Duo

Eric Barber took the 2009 NW Instrumentalist of the Year Golden Ear Award for his performances on saxophones.

Andy Clausen & Sjenka won 2009 NW Emerging Artist or Group

Last, but not least, Marc Seales received  the 2009 Jazz Hall of Fame award from fellow University of Washington faculty member Coung Vu.

More pictures from the evening later.