big fun january 2009

4 THE MIX

Variety Entertainment

6 DINING & WINE

Carter’s Chocolates

7 Lori Newby’s

Wine & Chocolate

Pairings

The correct way to

taste Wine

8 ART & DESIGN

Jewelry Designer

Amy Johnson

9 NW JAZZ PROFILE

Vocalist

Virginia Ashby

10 BEST SINGERS

IN THE SOUND

13 WHAT’S NEW

Sax Man

Tracy Knoop

14 PROFILE

Q & A with

Kareem Kandi

INSIDE

JANUARY, 2010

EMAIL: [email protected] - 253-473-1866

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • JANUARY, 2010 3

PUBLISHER / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

DAVID JOHNSON

Accounting / Editorial Traffic: Rose Murphy

Proofreaders: Ce’Lene Sakellis, Larry Warfield

Photography: Sean Cummings, Walter Atkins, Richard Baker

Advertising Sales: [email protected] 253-473-1866

David Johnson and Gary Grape

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE is published 12 times a year. The views

expressed in BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE are those of their respective

contributors and are not necessarily those of its publisher, editors, or staff. All images in

advertisements and advertorials/special promotions are supplied by the advertiser. Advertiser

guarantee they have the legal right to publish all images supplied to BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT,

ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE.

Copyright 2010 BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE.

EMAIL: [email protected]

253-473-1866

5226 Tacoma Mall Blvd., Tacoma WA 98409

BIG FUN

ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE

9

13

4 BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • JANUARY, 2010

Jazz It Up!

With Special Guest

Jeff Kashiwa

Jazz It Up! is the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts

Council’s annual Arts Scholarship Program

fundraiser. Joining Jeff will be special guests

Doug and Sam Ried and the Shoreline School

District’s Friends and Faculty All Star Band.

Shoreline middle and high school jazz bands will

also be performing.

Jeff Kashiwa grew up in Shoreline and is a

graduate of Shorecrest High School. He became

one of the most dynamic live saxophonists in

contemporary jazz during his amazing decade long

tenure with The Rippingtons. He appeared on

many of the band’s classic recordings, including

Welcome to the St. James Club, Curves Ahead,

Weekend in Monaco, Sahara and Black Diamond,

as well as Live in L.A.

The Shorecrest Performing Arts Center is located

at 15343 25th Ave NE, Shoreline, WA 98155.

Tickets can be purchased online at

www.shorelinearts.net or by calling

206-417-4645. This concert is presented by The

Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council Presents

and made possible through the support of the

Shoreline Schools Foundation, Kennelly Keys.

THE MIX

Variety Entertainment

Najee

Jan 14-17

Dimitriou’s Jazz

Alley

Seattle , WA

Marc Smason

Free World

Jan 22

Gallery 1412

Seattle, WA

Dance

Theatre of

Harlem

Ensemble

Jan 29

Pantages Theater

Tacoma, WA

Gabriel

Iglesias

Jan 23

Moore Theatre

Seattle, WA

Star Machine

Every Thursday

PJ Pockets Casino Federal Way, WA

Norman

Connors

Darren

Motamedy

Jan 24

Muckleshoot

Casino

Auburn, WA

David Keys

Quartet

Jan 31

Marine View

Church

Tacoma, WA

Virginia

Ashby

Every Thursday

Vince’s Italian

Restaurant

Federal Way, WA

Saturday, January 23, - 7:30 p.m.

Shorecrest Performing Arts Center

JAZZ

POP

COMEDY

DANCE

CONTACT BIG FUN

[email protected]

253-473-1866

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • JANUARY, 2010


eattle has more than its share of show-

stealing chocolate shops and one of the best

is Carter’s Chocolates, just across the

water in lovely Port Orchard.

Af ter on ly

just over a year in

business, Matt

Carter’s exquisitely

decorated squares of

de li gh tful handmade

chocolates have found their

way into the Chocolate Box in

downtown Seattle, the dessert

menu at the Pike Brewing

Company in P ike P lace

Market, the Alderbrook

Resort, and soon, they will be

in the Westlake Whole Foods.

All this attention is for a very

good reason – Matt’s creations

represent the best that gourmet

chocolate has to offer. At the

2

nd

Annual Seattle Luxury

Chocolate Salon tasting - July,

2009, Matt Carter was among

some long es tabli shed

choco la tie rs, o ffe ring an

impressive selection from his

menu. He brought his dessert

wine truffles, flavored with Washington State

wines, plus some liqueur flavors and more.

Carter ’s Chocolates was rated by certain

bloggers as the best in the room, and took home

a prize in the Best Flavored Chocolate category.

What sets Matt Carter’s Chocolates apart from

the many other shops in the area is his use of

ingredients that reflect his desire to create the

very best, while maintaining his values.

Matt feels that “Eschewing industrial blends

in favor of single-origin chocolates brings more

flavor to our plate by ensuring proper treatment

of the cacao, which makes the end product

taste better - and also

ensures proper

treatment of the

workers, which

makes us feel

better.”

One of the organ ic

chocolates used by

Carter is from Swiss

company Felchlin,

grown on the ir

es ta te in the

D o m i n i c a n

Republic. It has a

bold fruity flavor

profile which pairs

wel l in the Grand Marnier truffle.

Another, one of the darkest truffles on the menu,

combines a 70% dark chocolate from Columbia

with Pike XXXXX Stout Ale made right here

in Seattle. That one is decorated with the Pike

logo, and is available on the dessert menu at

the Pike Pub, alongside the Kiltlifter and

Tandem Ale truffles, all paired with their

respective ales. The Kiltlifter truffle features

a 36% milk chocolate, also from Columbia, and

the Tandem brown ale combines a pure Criollo

dark chocolate with the milk chocolate, ending

up with a ma lty sweetness tha t works

surprisingly well.

One of the biggest trends in confectionery today

is the salted caramel, and, naturally, there are

a few offered by Carter’s. Squares of soft creamy

caramel are dipped in either milk or dark

chocolate then sprinkled with Fleur de Sel sea

salt for one of the most popular treats in the

country. But Carter is never happy following

the crowd. He has come up with a couple of

more interesting twists to salted caramels: one

with candied orange inside, enrobed in dark

chocolate with citrus salt on top; and a candied

pineapple and coconut caramel topped with pink

Hawaiian sea salt.

The Bananas Foster truffle, his newest creation,

is also currently the most popular with his loyal

customers and those of the Chocolate Box, but

he spends more time making pecan caramel

turtles than any other single item. And he always

seems on the verge of running

shor t. They are just too

adorable for words and don’t

seem to last long anywhere.

One more step taken that

reflects the values of the folks

at Carter ’s, is that the boxes

used to make up a nice selection

of chocola tes for the next

birthday or Chocolate Holiday

are made with recycled

cardboard. And the cellophane

bags around the turtles, the

barks loaded with nuts or dried

frui t - and al l your o ther

ch ildhood wishes - a re

biodegradable, made from plant

starch! I wonder if that means

that you can even eat the bags?

The shop where they mix all

these delights with love is located at 1700 SE

Mile Hill Dr #255, Port Orchard, WA 98366.

Email them at [email protected],

Their telephone number is 360-876-4424.

You can also order directly from

www.carterschocolates.com.

DINING & WINE

Flowers and Champagne May Set the Stage

But It’s Chocolate That Steals the Show!

Valentine’s Day Is On the Way

S

BIG FUN ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE GUIDE • JANUARY, 2010

What is Gold?

Gold is a chemical element (symbol Au) that is

the most malleable and ductile of metals, so that

a single gram of gold can be worked into a sheet

over three feet square. Gold is a very good

conductor of heat and electricity and is not

adversely affected by most chemicals or by heat,

water or gases. In particular, gold is resistant to

nitric acid which will dissolve most other metals

and gold’s resistance to nitric acid is the source

of the term “the acid test.” Interestingly, chlorine,

a chemical commonly found in laundry products,

swimming pools and hot tubs can, in higher

concentrations and long exposures, degrade the

structural integrity of alloyed gold as used in

jewelry.

Gold Alloyed for Jewelry. What’s in it?

Pure gold is thought too soft for most jewelry

uses and is usually “hardened” by alloying it with

other metals— typically a mixture of silver,

copper, and zinc. The ratio between these alloys

when they are added to 24k gold determine the

resulting color or tint of the gold with a higher

copper content, creating a “red or pink” metal

and more silver producing a “yellow-green” gold.

When alloying to create white gold for use in

jewelry, nickel is also added to this mixture as a

bleaching agent. For jewelry, the “quality” or

content of gold in a piece is measured in karats

with 24k (karat) being 100% pure gold, 18k or

750 designating 75% pure gold, and 14k or 583

showing 58% pure gold with the rest being

alloys.

Gold’s Past

Gold was among the first metals worked by early

humans and has been used for ornamentation,

religious and spiritual symbols and to represent

wealth since prehistoric times. Gold is described

in Egyptian texts as early as 2600 BC and the

earliest known map, known as the Turin papyrus,

shows the plan of a gold mine in Nubia together

with indications of the local geology. Gold is

mentioned numerous times in the Vedas of India,

the Old Testament or Torah and many other

scared tex ts and was importan t for both

monitorial and spiritual reasons to many ancient

civilizations around the world. In Europe,

Alchemists tried for centuries to transform more

common substances such as lead to gold. The

symbol these Alchemists used for gold was a

circle with a do t in the center “O” and,

interestingly, this same symbol also represents

the sun in western astrology, the sun in Egyptian

hieroglyphs, and is also an ancient Chinese

character representing the Sun.

Gold’s Present

Because gold has been highly valued throughout

history, it is believed that perhaps 90% of the

gold produced historically is still in circulation in

some form or another. That missing 10% is

thought by some social scientists to explain the

relatively modern phenomena of older men

wearing shor ts and slowly wav ing metal

detectors over the ground. Today, gold is the

metal used by the International Monetary Fund

as the basis for a world monetary standard. Gold

is widely used in the electronics industry, in

medicine, in scientific research, the arts, for

coinage and, of course, for Jewelry. The largest

gold producers today are South Africa, Canada,

United Sates and Australia with additional mines

in Siberia, India and South America. The largest

refined gold bullion holdings in the modern world

are in the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank in New

York and at the U.S. Depository at Fort Knox,

which between them, have gold deposits

representing nearly 6% of all gold ever mined in

modern history.

Gold’s Future

Demand for gold has never been higher than it

is today. Gold ’s use in medicine and in

electronics continues to rise steadily. Perhaps

even more significant is the increased demand

for gold’s use in Jewelry due to the new global

affluence, particularly in such traditionally strong

gold markets such as India and China. Gold’s

future looks very bright, particularly when

considering the rising demand in India and China

wi th thei r combined bi llions of potential

consumers. Global growth in demand for gold,

which is used by national governments to

represent monetary wealth, in technology and

medicine, and of course in jewelry worldwide,

forecasts a steady rise in value for many years

to come. Looking forward, gold is likely to

continue to be seen and valued around the world

as a symbol of purity, value, commitment, wealth

and prestige well into the foreseeable future.

2009©RAY J ROUSSEAU

INSTITUTE OF SPIRITUAL SCIENCES

http://www.institutespiritualsciences.org

[email protected]

JEWELRY

Gold: Beyond the Glitter

By Ray J. Rousseau

Gold Nuggett

Wine

MILK

Terra Blanca Red Mountain Cabernet

Sauvignon - Washington

WHITE

R.L. Buller and Sons Muscat - Australia

DARK

Dark Horse Sonoma Zinfandel -

California

The Correct Way

To Taste Wine

BY LORI NEWBY

& Chocolate

Pairings

SWIRL

While holding the glass by

the stem, swirl the wine

with the glass flat on the

table.

SNIFF

With your nose in the

glass, take a big sniff. You

will actually be able to

separate the aromas on

your tongue.

SIP

Take a big sip and

vigorously swish it around

your mouth several times

before swallowing.

SPIT

When tasting more than

one wine, spit it out. You

can cleans your pallet with

a saltless cracker before

tasting your next wine.


JEWELRY

he process starts out with an idea, which

motivates someone to ask a jeweler, “how

can I have something I’m dreaming of, and

I want made just for me, but I don’t know how to

explain it?” The whole concept of custom design

is creating something for an individual, according

to their own unique tastes and desires, with

consideration of their budget, wear issues, and

schedule. There are few truly customizable

options readily available to consumers, and

jewelry ranks among the most personal.

The designers at Johnson Jewelers, of downtown

Puyallup, truly enjoy the challenging process of

creating custom jewe lry. Retailers and

manufacturers of jewelry, Johnson Jewelers has

been built by four generations of independent

thinking, experience, and artistic skills. The

founder, JG Johnson was a young Icelandic

immigrant to the US who in 1898 chose a career

in an industry that was highly competitive. He

flourished as an accomplished watchmaker and

skilled hand engraver. Over a century later, his

grandson Robert and great-grand-daughters Jodi

and Amy continue on in his footsteps.

According to the Johnsons, a custom jeweler must

listen to the emotional wants as well as the stylistic

preferences of the client. “Every commission is

different. Rather than expressing our own style,

what matters is, understanding what our client

really wants, and constructing it in a functional

way,” says Amy.

Some creations take more time than others. One

FINE & DESIGN

memorable commission was a 12.45 ct total weight

diamond and platinum ring. It took 10 months to

create, and involved many steps of sketches,

emails, and wax model approvals. The motivation

of this ring was to create something feminine,

unique, yet strong and precious – mirroring the

personality of the wearer, built around her 7.43ct

princess cut center diamond.

After extensive discussions with the client, Amy

Johnson started with scale drawings of all sides.

From this point, a basic model was produced for

approval, just to get a feel for the scale. Also a

gemologist, she then selected the diamonds for

the ring, which provided some interesting supply

challenges. The client wanted to use square

diamonds in areas of the ring with a traditional

pavé style setting method. This meant using a

very special cut, the “Flanders Brilliant” which

has beveled corners, but is not readily available

in small sizes in quantity. All of the 200 diamonds

were graded for quality – with 58 facets each,

that’s 11,600 surfaces to examine!

Platinum is a difficult metal to work with, and

required a highly skilled bench jeweler to create

this complex design. They chose to work with

their long time friend Reuben Teves, one of the

very few certified Jewelers of America Certified

Master Bench Jewelers (trademark symbol) in

Washington. To make the ring, he constructed it

Amy Johnson

in sections, most of which is covered in a

specialized setting method called “bright setting”

which has sharp angular surfaces cut around the

diamonds.

After completing the design, the Johnsons had

their local photographer Gary McCutcheon of

McCutcheon Studios shoot the ring. Gary had

fun shooting various perspectives of the piece, but

the best part was putting it on the client. An

intricate piece was made more beautiful with

human touch.

Amy Johnson - Johnson Jewelers

103 South Meridian, Puyallup, WA,

253-848-1332, www.johnson-jewelers.com

Custom Jewelry Designer - Puyallup, WA

7.43ct princess cut center diamond

Platinum is a difficult metal to

work with, and required a

highly skilled bench jeweler to

create this complex design.

They chose to work with their

long time friend Reuben

Teves...

12.45 ct total weight diamond and platinum ring

Reuben Teves working on the wax model

12.45 ct - scale view

T


Virginia Ashby

never chose to be a singer. I was supposed to be

a neurosurgeon. Although music has always been

my soul’s deepest solace; I’ve always been

compelled to sing, science was what I was really

good at. It was the only rational path for my future.

As a kid, I relished in all my years of vocal study

and rigorous musical training. I soaked up every

drop with the understanding that one day I would

turn in my musical practices for a medical one.

Med school is not something one does half way.

So when the time came, my head’s passion vetoed

my hearts and I did stop the music. What happened

next? I became the saddest girl anyone has ever

known. My broken heart encompassed the world

around me. An inescapable darkness tarnished

everything in sight. I woke up to the sad sickness

in my chest each morning. I carried it’s heaviness

throughout each day and I lay down to sleep with

it each night.

Sometimes we wonder if we’re on the right path

in life. Sometimes we wonder if maybe we were

intended for some other destiny. And then

sometimes we unequivocally know.

My father was disappointed at first. I’d been

warned for years by my music teachers; preached

to at nauseam about how the life of an artist is

inevitably filled with struggle and hardship. One

good look at my face and I knew my father

understood. There is no struggle or hardship

greater than that which fills a life without music

for me.

Funny, the music industry has actually been very

good to me! Music affords me anything I could

want for. It enables me to meet and work with

amazing people. I’ve traveled the world, tasted

other cultures and had irreplaceable, life-enriching

experiences through music. Best of all, I

wake up each morning and get to do the

thing I love to do. Good thing, considering

I never have had a choice in the matter.

The newest development with my career

is the achievement of international

distribution! My management team is

incredible. The album is not even

completed yet and they already have

some of the songs released as singles in

Europe right now! Once the music has a

chance to sink in, there is talk of a tour.

Details will be posted at

www.virginiaashby.com and

www.myspace.com /virginiaashby.

I am surprised by the direction my music

has taking creatively. It’s a lot bolder and

hits a bit harder than anything my

listeners are used to hearing from me,

but I think they’re ready for it.

It was important to me that this album

had plenty of songs that make people

want to move. It’s unapologetically

honest, edgy but affirming and I am

absolutely in love with it! Collaborating

with Hip Hop Producer, Robbie Clinton

is always amazing. These songs are

soulful with a “clubby” twist.

Love? I could talk all day and only scratch

the surface on love. I have an imminent

awareness of the uncertainty and tragic

brevity of this life. There is no bigger

crime than wasted time. I therefore

approach love with reckless abandon.

Fear and hesitation are a waste of time. I love

everyone –even the Jerk-offs. Sound crazy? From

what I understand, people who have a lot of love

in their lives; live longer, live healthier and live

happier than those who don’t. So who’s really

crazy?

I never pass up an opportunity to make someone

smile. When I’m gone, I believe people will

remember me for more than my music, they’ll

remember me as someone who made a positive

mark on this world.

NW JAZZ PROFILE

On Music, Love & Life

I

SANDRA LOCKLEAR

CEE CEE JAMES

KIM ARCHER

OGHALE AGBRO

VIRGINIA ASHBY

JOANNE KLEIN


Your next party or event will be a hit when you hire one of the BEST SINGERS available.

Here is a small sampling of the best professional singers who will deliver what you need.

A Roosevelt Vocal Jazz Ensemble Alumni trained

by the esteemed Scott Brown.

The recipient of the Bud Shank jazz workshop

scholarship 2 times in a row.

I’ve had the privilege to learn from and work with

such artist as Greta Matassa and Edmonia Jarrett.

Performed on stages like the Rialto Theater in Atlanta, GA and at Tula’s

Seattle WA,

My voice has been described as “Sultry and Original” and “Captivating

and Abstract”

Contact: 206-351-3180, www.oghaleagbro.com, [email protected]

If ever there was a perfect match of natural vocal

talent and commanding stage presence, it is

found in Kim Archer. The soulful, natural tones

that flow through her voice engage listeners, and

her smooth, passionate delivery evokes an

energy that brings people to their feet! Since her

first live performances in Washington in 2004 with her band, she has

brought her soul, funk, jazz, blues, classic rock and R&B influences to

thousands of listeners.

Contact: 253-298-5961, [email protected],

www.kimarcherband.com, www.myspace.com/kimarcherband,

www.facebook.com/kimarcherband, www.twitter.com/kimarcherband

“The Voice of the South Sound” –Douglas

Barnett (International touring artist/Composer)

Her fortes span Pop, Soul, Blues, and Jazz. She

is a dynamic performer and a favorite for private

parties and corporate events. A few of her

performances of note include: Olympic Stadium -

Beijing 2008, performed with blues legend, Curtis Salgado, first

choice for studio vocals, sang Billboard #3 Hip Hop Single with

Legacy and Too Short. She is renowned for her versatility and

performs 6 shows weekly including Muckleshoot Casino. And she also

writes and records original music for National and European

distribution.

Contact: [email protected], [email protected]

Constant comparison to Janis Joplin puts this

“R&B Independent Artist of the Year” award

winner in the same company with the best-of-the-

best blues belters. Cee Cee James, aptly dubbed

“The Vocal Volcano” by Robert Horn of the WA

Blues Society, is a must for the music lover that

likes it low down, raw and real. “…The real deal! Her performance is

electrifying!” - Rita Ashley, Examiner.com/Seattle.

Cee Cee is available worldwide.

CeeCeeJames.com / [email protected], 360-632-9901

A veteran of cabaret, musical theatre, and

concert, JOANNE KLEIN combines her diverse

talents to present an innovative blend of music,

theatre, comedy and lyricism. From jazz to pop,

swing to R&B, classics to originals, everything

she touches becomes a fresh look at the world.

Energetic, versatile and clever with a sophisticated flair, Ms Klein is

very musical, very zany, and above all,

totally entertaining.

...incapable of being anything other than dynamite... - Wayne Johnson,

Seattle Times.

Contact: www.joannekleindiva.com, [email protected]

Pianist-Singer

Solo to combo, Sandra performs fresh swinging

jazz and pop standards, sexy bossa novas,

riveting ballads and her own compositions. With

a natural gift for connecting with audiences, she

pairs a rich alto voice with elegant jazz piano

stylings refined over many years of playing venues in the Pacific

Northwest, Canada and Europe. For bookings, contact:

[email protected]. “Sandra brings class, spirit, and artistic

inspiration ...” - David Syre, CEO

For bookings, contact: [email protected].,

www.sandralocklear.com, www.youtube.com

Local Color

Specializing In Vocal Jazz

1606 Pike Place, Seattle, WA, 206-728-1717

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Egan’s Ballard Jam House

The Best In Live Music

1707 Market St., Ballard, WA, 206-789-1621

Sponsored By

SPECIAL PROMOTION

BECKI SUE

MARC SMASON

MAIA SANTELL

MERCEDES NICOLE

LEAH NATALE

STEPHANIE PORTER

SUSAN SIMS

LEAH STILLWELL


Style - Leah’s sultry vocals capture the artful

simplicity of American and Brazilian jazz

standards. “Natale’s delivery is playful, hip, sexy

and at times, coy.” - Earshot Jazz Magazine.

Credits - Leah’s debut album My Someday,

recorded with a 10 – piece jazz orchestra, can be heard on several

radio stations around the country and has been well received

throughout Japan.

Attributes – “Leah is quietly gaining a much deserved reputation

around town with her sultry voice and slick vocal styling” - Earshot

Jazz Magazine

Mercedes Nicole is a intimately explosive

performer with a voice that is warm, expressive

and soulful. She moves from a deep contralto to

a startling clear mezzo soprano with ease and

conviction. Although her voice is uniquely her

own, fans often hear hints of Sarah, Dinah and

Nina Simone. Mercedes definitely wears the title of ‘Sassy!” When

she swings, she swings hard, and when she serenades, be

prepared to surrender your heart! She connections on such an

emotional with her voice and personality that Jazz Lovers constantly

request information about the whereabouts of her next show! For

booking information, call: 206-235-0478 -

www.mercedesnicole.com, www.myspace.com/

mercedesnicolemakesmusic

Stephanie Porter ’s rich vocals, melodic styling’s

and original interpretations of jazz standards

give her a distinctly original sound. Locally, she

has headlined at Seattle’s top rooms including

Jazz Alley, The Triple Door, Tula’s and El

Gaucho’s Pampas Room. She has performed at

high profile galas and before international audiences. After the release

of her debut album “Mood Swings”, KPLU’s Nick Morrison describes

her as “One of the freshest new jazz singers he’s heard in quite some

time”.

Contact: (206) 407.4513 - [email protected]

A descendant of Seattle’s Jackson Street era of

jazz, Maia Santell is known as “The Pacific

Northwest Queen of Swing”. She is one of the

few Northwest female singer/bandleaders that

has managed to keep an ensemble of male

instrumentalists giggin’ for over two decades. Her

vocals are clear, warm and natural; totally free of contrived theatricality,

and her phrasing is impeccable. Maia leads a “Dancing With the Stars”

style combo, as well as a jazz and blues band.

Contact: www.MaiaSantell.com, [email protected],

[email protected]

Suze Sims 2009 WBS Best Female Vocalist &

2008 Performer of the Year international vocalist

composer with no tricks or tweaks. Daughter of

Jazz drummer Pete La Roca; Suze’s band - the

Red Hot Blues Sisters; tour US Europe Canada

as 2008 WBS Best Band & 2008/09 Blues Foundation IBC Semi-

Finalists. A truly unmistakably soul-shaking artist & musically healing

engaging headliner or support talent for WNBA, Mavis Staples,

Shemekia Copeland, Phoebe Snow, Joan Armatrading, Elvin Bishop,

Bobby Rush, Melissa Etheridge, Bernard Alison and Canned Heat. Not

to be missed! Contact: www.cdbaby.com/cd/rhbsisters3,

[email protected], www.bigsismedia.com/RHBS.html,

www.facebook.com/.../Red-Hot-Blues-Sister,

www.peacecoderecords.com/Red_Hot_Blues_Sisters.html

Trombonist/vocalist/composer, Marc Smason

learned, from his mother, to sing as a young

child in Texas and studied classical and jazz

trombone and voice in Seattle and Los Angeles.

He has performed around the world with such

luminaries as Big Joe Turner, the Funk Brothers,

Andy Statman, Perry Robinson, Sam Shepard, Julian Priester, Buel

Neidlinger, Sonny Simmons, Hadley Caliman, Jeff Johnson, Marc

Graham, Baby Gramps and the Ivar’s Clams, as well as music for film

and theater. His playing encompasses many styles including Jazz,

Latin, Brazilian, collective improv, Klezmer and R&B.

Smason’s vocals...are at once dry and emotional, lending a fresh,

believable quality. - Mike Dennis, Earshot

www.marcsmason.com, [email protected]

Fresh and alluring, Leah Stillwell is a classy

addition to the Seattle jazz scene. Her first CD, So

This Is Love, was released under the Pony Boy

Records label to rave reviews. “Her clear alto voice

radiates optimism and love of life.” -Heritage Music

Review. “A lways understated bu t vibrant-

exhilarating!” -Overton Berry. Her stylish vocals will make your occasion

an event to remember.

For performances and booking visit: www.leahstillwell.com

or call 425-239-3079.

Becki Sue, a Texas/Chicago style blues

belter, burst onto the NW scene in 2002 as lead

singer of Becki Sue & her Big Rockin’ Daddies!

A newcomer then, Becki Sue gained the status

of ‘Award Winning Blues Performer’ when

honored by The Washington. Blues Society with

“BB” Awards as “Best Female Vocalist” and “Performer of the Year” in

2007 ... and her band was voted “Best Blues Band” in both 2006 and

2007. This gal can flat out sing! ...and her onstage look and moves

leaves ‘em beggin’ for more every time!

Contact: www.bigrockindaddies.com, www.myspace.com/

bigrockindaddies, [email protected]

Michelle Burge

SPECIAL PROMOTION

DARRIUS WILLRICH

ALMA VILLEGAS

JACQUELINE TABOR

KEELY WHITNEY


In the past 5 years I have had the honor of

working with such clients as Microsoft, Tom

Douglas, Weber Thompson, and Northland

Communications. I understand the term

background music and always level my volume

to allow intimate conversations. I have

experience with MC’s and event planners. I

perform for such a variety of corporate clients and at more than 100

corporate events, celebrations, birthdays and weddings. If you want

experience and a touch of class please keep me in mind. I am

Jacqueline D. Tabor.

Contact: 206.890.6716, www.vocalsbyjacqueline.com

www.gigmasters.com/Singer JacquelineDTabor/

Alma Villegas’ lustful voice brings you an

exquisite and passionate selection of Latin

flavors focusing on the traditional bolero (Latin

ballad), cha-chas, bossa novas, mid-tempo

Latin jazz standards and a variety of Cuban

rhythms including son and salsa. Alma has

performed at venues and festivals in the

Northwest for over ten years. Join her on an excursion of soul and

tradition. Available as a trio, quartet or quintet.

For booking, visit www.almavillegas.com or [email protected]

Keely Whitney is Seattle’s best kept secret.

Having sung on many national recordings for

companies such as:

The Disney Channel, McDonald’s, Taco Bell,

Ben Bridge and Oldsmobile, has a reputation

for vocal excellence. In 2007 Keely won a

Soundie, a national award for excellence in

commercial recordings. With a powerful, soulful, sultry voice, Keely

can effortlessly soar into her 3½ octave range with the precision that

only a seasoned professional can achieve. Look for Keely’s debut

album coming out in 2010!

Contact: website: www.keelywhitney.com, [email protected]

Seattle’s soul-singer-songwriter Darrius Willrich

drips a sensuous interplay of soul, jazz, and inner

city longings. Sure to engage your all your

senses, with the look, sound and fee l of

yesterday’s soul-today. The spirit of Stevie

Wonder, D’Angelo, and Herbie Hancock, season

the musical stew that is Darrius...Sweet Urban

Soul. Being a trained jazz pianist, a soulful singer, and an intelligent

songwriter, with love for hip-hop, Darrius Willrich delivers feel good

music drawn from a wide skill spectrum.

Contact: www.dar riuswi llrich .com, www.myspace.com/

darriuswillrich, [email protected]

SPECIAL PROMOTION


PERFORMANCE CAREER

I am beginning a weekly jazz gig at a new

club in North Bend called Boxley’s which I

am very excited about. I also recently have

been contracting a venue in Spokane which

brings in major acts such as Bernadette

Peters, Don Rickles and many others.

RECORDING CAREER

I have one CD in the can and the last Sunday

in January I will be recording LIVE from

Boxley’s.

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS

I continue to be inspired by great old friends

like Bill Ramsay, Jay Thomas and Bob

Hammer, to name a few. My peers, such as:

John Hansen, Larry Holloway and Greg

Williamson continue to work constantly to

create venues for jazz players.

THE STATE OF THE MUSIC BIZ

It saddens me to see the state of live music,

real music, slowing. When I first moved back

to Seattle in 1992 gigs were plentiful and

lucrative. Of course as the economy slows,

live music is affected. With that said, I think

musicians have to create their own venues

and opportunities...such as all age venues.

[And we need to be] able to explore avenues

that appeal to a broader audience.

PERSONAL LIFE

My teaching career is wonderful...lots of

great young students...and almost more than I

can handle! After teaching privately for 17

years, I’m thrilled to announce the launch of

my new teaching program that will be offered

online coming in January 2010. Please check

out my website www.tracyknoop.com to learn

more about it.

FAMILY LIFE

With my wife’s photography business

(www.parkavenuephotography.com) and my

musical career we are extremely busy raising

our 3 boys, Parker (9), Cole (6), and Bennett

(2) who are the greatest joys in our lives.

Despite the occasional chaos, we have some

new projects in the works for both of our

businesses [that we will] launch [this year].

Stay tuned!

PERSONAL GROWTH

My original goal was always to practice,

perform, and record the music I love....and I

continue to work towards that every day!

GIG SCHEDULE

Boxley’s every Sunday in January, 7-10PM,

with a live recording of the last session of the

month.

Contact: www.tracyknoop.com,

Email: [email protected]

Tracy Knoop

Woodwinds / Private Instruction- Tacoma, WA

NW JAZZ PROFILE


areem, you seem to be working

everywhere with quite a few bands.

What’s your secret for staying so busy?

Hard work and a love of music. For my own

group, I am constantly trying to book more

shows and projects to keep the band busy. As far

as other bands go, I do a fair amount of sideman

work, but the bulk of my time is spent

performing with The Paperboys from Vancouver

B.C.

You are approaching virtuoso-status with

straight-ahead jazz; how long did it take you

to become proficient as a professional

musician?

Years. I am still working on several aspects of

my playing and composing that I feel need

improvement. There isn’t enough time in my

day to practice all the things that I’d like to

attend to.

Which international jazz stars have you

worked with?

I’ve had the opportunity to perform with several

great jazz artists through the years, including

Bill Watrous, Jon Fedchock, Pete Christlieb,

Andy Martin, Bill Ramsey, Julian Priester,

Hadley Caliman, Jay Thomas, Miguelito

Valdes, Greta Matassa, Ali Jackson, Don

Lanphere, Red Holloway, Marvin Stamm, Tracy

Knoop, and Herman Green.

You are also quite busy with teaching. Where

do you teach?

Currently, I am teaching as an artist in residence

at The Tacoma School of the Arts. I also conduct

the jazz Big Band at Pierce College, and work

with forty private students a week. Throughout

the year, I’ll also do workshops at several of the

schools around the area.

What is your average weekly schedule like?

Very busy. About thirty hours of my week are

devoted to teaching music. The rest of the time

is spent performing, practicing, composing,

booking shows, promoting, and running a band.

Usually, from the time I wake up until the time I

go to bed, I am working on something musically

related.

With such a busy schedule, what do you do to

stay physically fit?

Kareem

Kandi

Saxophone

Tacoma, WA

I don’t really have a set exercise routine, but I

do try to take care of myself by taking the dog

for long walks, eating healthy, and getting a fair

amount of sleep. This doesn’t always happen,

but I try to stay aware of my health because I

don’t have time to be sick.

Do you ever get a chance to break away and

just chill out? If so, what do you do for

relaxation?

In rare moments of spare time, I like to read,

listen to music, go for walks, and enjoy the

company of friends and family. I find these

things to be the most relaxing and they seem to

provide a nice disconnect from my busy

schedule.

What do you want people to remember about

you and your music?

Hopefully, I’ll leave a positive impact both

through my actions and my music. I’d like this

to occur as often as possible. It doesn’t always

happen, but that is my goal.

NW JAZZ PROFILE

K


BIG FUN

IS SEEKING

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[email protected]

SELECTED ARTICLES FROM 2009

BLUES

BLUES

Randy Oxford - ‘Bone Man’

Randy Oxford - trombonist, Blues Performer

of the Year, and notorious wild man- has been

honored more than 25 times since returning to

his home state of Washington several years ago,

following a European Tour of duty with the U.S.

Army band. He has won multiple Best Horn

awards, Entertainer of the Year, Keeping the

Blues Alive, as well as induction into the

Washington Blues Society’s Hall of Fame.

Randy plays the trombone as a lead instrument,

inventing a path through the chord progressions,

sometimes mimicking the guitars around him,

and sometimes taking them with him on one of

his wild rides. Symphony conductors have

admired his tone, but he also knows how to rip

a sound or turn it into an animal call. Randy

has become a Northwest favorite—hosting

popular invitational jams at various venues in

the area and also leading his very successful

band.

Randy has appeared on more than 30 CD’s,

including four of his own. One of these, the

lively Memphis to Motown, gained recognition

as a finalist at the International Blues Challenge

in Memphis, Tennessee. His growing popularity

nationally has resulted in a regular gig as Jam

Host on the Legendary Rhythm and Blues

Cruise.

The Randy Oxford Band reflects the energy and

talent of its leader, showcasing top-notch

musicianship, daring arrangements, and an

eclectic style Randy calls urban blues. The six-

piece band features Jada Amy on vocals, Eliud

Atondo on bass, Asial Gutierras on drums, and

two gui ta ris ts—Jho Bleni s and Rafael

Tranquilino. The two guitarists back each other

during solos and, with Randy’s killer trombone,

give the band its characteristic big, rich sound.

The in terp lay between these performers

prov ides the audience wi th something

entertaining to watch, as well as to hear. For

more in formation about Randy, v is it

randyoxford.com.Asial Gutierras

BLUES

Becki Sue: My life without Tom would

not be the life I thought I’d have. I always

dated musicians but then married a guy who

had absolutely no musical bones in his body.

Then I met Tom and my whole world changed,

everything finally “felt” right. Music or not, he

completes me.

Tom Boyle: My life without Becki Sue

would be very lonely. Whether we play

music together or not, I need Becki in my daily

life in a big way.

Becki Sue: I chose to sing

because…well, I don’t believe I chose

to sing; I believe I was chosen to sing. It

is my passion, always has been, and always will

be! I can’t go anywhere without humming a

tune. I remember, in high school, I was always

driving my friends crazy because I would sing

along to nearly every song played on the

radio—no matter what channel we

listened to.

Tom Boyle: I chose the guitar

because my parents

wouldn’t buy me drums.

They said a drum set would be

too loud and would drive my

dad crazy. So, they bought me

an electric guitar and an amp.

What were they thinking?

How long had you been

in the entertainment

industry before Becki Sue

& her Big Rockin’

Daddies! was born?

Tom: I played in my f ir st

professional blues bands in 1981,

but the story really starts before then. I was two

years into a four year Navy stint in 1976. That

was the year that, although I had played some

guitar before then, I really got serious about

becoming a professional guitarist. I was 22 years

old and not happy about my Navy “career” and

I had not yet entered “show business.” I got out

of the Navy in 1978, headed to Boston to study

Jazz Guitar at The Berklee College of Music,

met guitarist Ronnie (Earl) Horvath at a Sugar

Ray & the Blue tones gig (where he was

performing), and ended up taking blues guitar

lessons with Ronnie for about a year. I credit

that period, 1978-1979, as the biggest growth

spurt in my musical development. I moved back

to the Northwest in late 1979, and attended

Evergreen in Olympia from 1980-1982, where

I formed my first band as a school project, The

Harmonic Tremors, before moving to Seattle in

1982 after graduation. Once in Seattle, I helped

to form The Slackmasters with John Hodgkin,

Tim Sherman, Tom Brim and Nick Morrison;

Drivin’ Wheel with John Hodgkin, Howard

Hooper and Les Merrihew; rekindled Nitelife

with Mike Lynch, Mark Dalton, Ron

Weinstein, Larry Harris

and a

host of others; I also joined The Led Jaxson

Band with Doug Lynn, Kirk Tuttle, Michael

Grondin and a revolving cast. I moved back to

Olympia in 1997 and formed The Steamers

with Perry Sanders, Fred Kellogg and Smoke,

before forming The T-Boy Neal Band in 2001,

which morphed into Becki Sue & her Big

Rockin’ Daddies! in 2002. The band includes

the current all star blues line-up of Becki Sue

on vocals, Jim King on sax, harp, and vocals,

Les White on upright bass and vocals, and Jeff

Hayes on drums. We play blues, baby!

In what direction was your life headed

six months before you met Becki Sue?

Becki: I think I was heading in a positive

direction when I met Becki. We were both

working for the state of WA at the time, in about

2001. I don’t think Becki would have been

interested in me had I not been heading in an

upward direction already.

What were your plans for your life six

months before you met Tom?

Becki: Trying to land a job with the State. It

was December of 1999 and I had just been hired

at DSHS temporarily and was going on several

interviews a week trying to get on permanently.

It was May of 2000 when I got a call from a

former co-worker of my mom’s from Labor

and Industries. I knew when I got that call

that the job was mine, just had to get

my mom to make her famous “spinach

balls” to seal the deal! My plans

from there were to try to get my

husband (at the time) a job as

well. We had a little baby at

home at the time, and things

were rough between us.

Then, I met Tom…

Tom, how and

where did you meet

Becki Sue, and

what led to the

creation of Becki Sue

and her Big Rockin’

Daddies!?

Tom: As I mentioned, I met

Becki at work. We knew each

other for a couple of months

before I knew that she liked to

sing Karaoke. She was already

aware that I played in blues bands.

She invited me out to hear her sing and I was

really blown away by her vocal quality, but was

not too keen on the Karaoke play list. So, I made

a cassette with about 20 of my favorite blues

songs on it. Much to my surprise, Becki had

every song nailed within about two weeks! She

has a great set of pipes for blues!

Which internat ional ly respected

performers has the band shared the

stage with?

Tom: As a band ,we have performed with Sean

Carney, a great guitarist from Ohio who won

the International Blues Challenge in Memphis

Becki Sue

Tom “T-Boy Neal” Boyle


&

BLUES

Photoby Piera & Maurizio

the same year that we competed—in 2007. We

also backed world class boogie-woogie piano

man, Mitch Woods, on a couple of gigs. The

great guitarist, Peter Dammann, not only joined

us on stage, but also recorded with us. We have

had various “special guests” over the years and,

at the moment, I am drawing a bit of a blank.

Individually, I have performed with Larry Davis

(who wrote SRV’s “Texas Flood”), Jimmy

McCracklin, Sugar Ray & the Bluetones,

Ronnie Earl, Cash McCall, Mark Dufresne,

and... ohh... I’m leaving out somebody really,

really big, I’m sure. Haha!

Did you ever dream you would be

fronting such a successful group? Did

you feel that something was coming that

would change your life?

Beckie Sue: It was always my dream to be in a

band and I always craved attention, so I wasn’t

going to let anyone not notice me. I think that’s

a huge part of what makes us successful, we

always look like we’re having fun, even if we’re

not. We’re doing this for the fans, and we want

that to show—we want THEM to have a good

time. When people are smiling and dancing to

the mus ic, i t d rives me to enhance my

performance. I always have fun no matter what,

it’s just more fun when others join in.

Tell us about your newest/

latest recording. Who

produced it? Where was it

recorded? Who’s on i t?

What’s unique about it?

Include release date and

label.

Becki: A new CD recorded by

Nick Moon at Supernatural

Sound in Oregon, with overdubs

cur rently being recorded by

Jason Lackie at Fastback Studios

in Seattle, is in process and is

yet to be titled. It will feature

several originals by Jim, Les, Jeff

and Tom, and is be ing co-

produced by Steve Murray, from

Portland, and Tom Boyle. Our

latest, already released CD, is

“Big City Blues” which recorded in 2007 on

our own Root Note Records; it was produced

by Tom Boyle, recorded and mixed at Fastback

Studios by Jason Lackie, and features several

originals by Les, Jeff and Tom. The CD has been

favorably reviewed by Blues Review Magazine

and Alligator Records founder, Bruce Iglauer,

won several regional awards and still sells

surprisingly well. It really represents what we

do “live,” while still being a studio album with

extra instrumentation. Special guests include

Candye Kane, Mitch Woods, Ron Weinstein,

Peter Dammann and Two Scoops Moore.

What were some of the obstacles you

had to overcome to make the project a

reality?

Tom: Money and Time.

Tell us about the inner workings of your

production company. Who does what?

Becki Sue: Jeff and Tom do most of the band

business.

To date, what are your most significant

achievements as performers?

Tom: Being able to balance the rigors of playing

in a band together that travels just about every

weekend it seems, both of us working full time

day jobs, and being married and trying to find

balance and making sense of it all. It can be

mind boggling!

Becki Sue: Be ing recognized outside of

Washington State is a huge achievement. We

won Portland’s Cascade Blues Association

award for “Best Regional Band.” To me, being

honored with that award was like “we’ve

arrived.”

What personal growth have you

experienced during the last year?

Tom: We got married so that was a big, GOOD

change for me!

Becki Sue: Becoming a respected singer among

singers. Over the years, I’ve come to know Duffy

Bishop, Candye Kane (thanks to Les J) and

Janiva Magness. When a musician of their

caliber asks you to share their stage, you know

you’re doing something right. In a non-musical

light, marrying Tom was a huge step in the right

direction of life.

What are your thoughts concerning the

state of the music/entertainment

industry?

Tom: We “live” musicians are a dying breed.

Describe yours “Gig from Hell.”

Tom: Any of them where I got stiffed on the

money. Fortunately, it hasn’t happened in a long

while!

Becki Sue: We played a birthday party at a

country club and some girl got drunk and

belligerent and was screaming about how

horrible of a singer I was, and how her “friend”

was so much better. Her husband apologized

for her behavior, although she couldn’t even be

thrown out of the club because she pays dues

and had a “right” to be there.

Other than performing on stage, which

activities do you enjoy as a couple?

Tom: Just hanging out at home in Olympia with

our wiener dog, Frankie, and spending time with

family, especially my daughter Adriane, my son

Alex, and their brother, Elliot and Becki’s son,

Colin.

Becki Sue: I enjoy hanging out with Tom, going

skiing, and just being a couple.

You have been on the scene for many

years. Is the scene healthier now than it

was 20 years ago?

Tom: The scene is always so mobile with bands

and clubs coming and going. There has always

been more good bands than there are places to

play. Twenty years ago, we had Isaac Scott,

Dave Conant, Tom McFarland, and a host of

other REAL bluesmen. There are still some left,

but most of the really great ones—original

Seattle blues pioneers such as like Mike Lynch,

Mark Dalton, Kirk Tuttle, Brian Butler, Jack

Cook, Dav id Brewer, Mark

Whitman, Ron Ussery, Steve

Bailey, John Lee, John Stephan,

and many more—just do not get

their due respect in this area like

they should.

When did you two tie the

knot?

Beckie Sue: August 30

th

, 2008.

What are the keys to

balancing the di fferent

facets of your professional

life with your family life?

Tom: A certain level of insanity

and immaturity. Hell, I don’t

know.

Becki Sue: Knowing where the

band ends and where our marriage begins.

Sometimes that line gets crossed and it can be

tough to deal with, but we DO deal with it!.

What do you know for sure?

Tom: I love Becki with or without the music.

Becki Sue: Tom and I will always be together

whether we’re in a band or not.

What do you want people to remember

about you and your music?

Tom: That I was a bluesman with an original

voice, a good husband, a good dad to Adriane

and Alex, and a positively contributing member

of my family and of society... not necessarily in

Continued on page 28

BLUES

“I chose a career in music because I had a

desire to play guitar like John Denver.”

Why is music such an important part of

being human?

Music, as I see it, is an important part of culture.

It is the essence of documenting the human

experience with an emotional attachment. I

think a culture without music to share their

human experience would be dead.

Describe your style of music. Why are you guys

always working when some other bands can’t

find gigs? Why are you guys so hot?

Our music is a combination of John Denver,

John Mayer, Dave Matthews, and Eric Johnson.

Our gigs consist of Blues Jams three nights a

week and then the weekend gigs. Our weekend

gigs consist of different material than our jam

nights. Most people seem to like our jams

because, having a different special guest each

Billy Shew

week, each gig is an attempt at something new

with a different special guest each week. I think

that when people come out to our jams they have

a different mindset; they are there to either jam

or just listen to the music and, of course, have

a great t ime. Our weekend g igs a re a

combination of acoustic rock, funk, classic rock,

and modern rock. We have a great line up of

players that play in the

Billy Shew Band: Hank

Yanda on bass and vox, Jay

Douglas on drums, Ivan

Pla on keys and then

there’s me on guitar and

vox.

What’s happening with

the Bi lly Shew Band

right now? Any good

news?

At this time in our career,

we just released a new CD.

I am real excited about it.

The late Tom Pfaeffle,

from the Tank Studios in

Covington, engineered and

produced this CD. I found

it be some of my best work

to date. You can find our

CD through our web page,

iTunes , Ver izon, and

various other web pages.

We are also working with

the folks at A& R Select

in Ho llywood who are

he lp ing us find

distribution points for this

CD, amongst other help.

Tell us about your new/

la test recording. Who

produced it? Where was it

recorded? Who’s on it?

What’s unique about it?

Include release date and

label.

The musicians that are on the CD are Jay

Douglas on drums and percussion, Hank Yanda

on bass, Tom Pfaeffle on background vox, Bryan

Lee on slide guitar, Diggy Bell on keys, Ivan

Pla on Hammond B organ, and myself (Billy

Shew) on guitar, vox, and a snoopy harp on

“How about Now.”

What were some of the obstacles you had to

overcome to make the project a reality?

The obstacles for me was finding the time to

get in the studio. Since I am gigging so much,

there was a time when I would go to the studio

record and the jet towards my next gig. There

was a time when I recorded all night and slept

in the apartment above the studio. The Tank is

an incredible and affordable studio with the

luxuries of going big time. Regardless, I

wouldn’t change anything. I got to hang out with

Tom and his family and enjoy the artistic spirit.

Are you a 24/7 musician? What else do you

do to keep the home fires burning?

I play music full-time, teach guitar, and teach

mathematics part-time at Gig Harbor High

School.

Other than choosing a career in music, what is

the most adventurous or dangerous thing you

have ever done?

I served in the military for six and half years; I

was a cook in a field artillery unit. I spent a lot

of time cooking in the field.

You guys have been performing at Dawson’s

Bar and Grill in Tacoma, Washington for some

years now. What’s so cool about Dawson’s that

keeps you guys there, year after year?

The song that comes to my mind about this bar

is “ I Love This Bar” by Toby Keith. We love

the people and environment. We all ways feel

at home there and the people are very friendly;

they like to party and have a great time. They

are always encouraging and they’re always

willing to listen to new music and except it for

what it might be. If it’s got a beat, makes your

foot tap, and makes you feel good, then they’re

all about that. Moreover, Kenny Bender, the

owner, has always managed to keep good music

in the club four nights a week.

What does success mean to you?

Living your dream and being happy. I like

money too; It does take a little of that to do

both.

Performance Schedule

Jam Every Monday at the Firecreek Grill in

Kent from 7-11

Jam Every Wednesday at the Halftime Saloon

in Gig Harbor from 8-12

Jam Every Thursday at Dawson’s in Tacoma

from 8-12

10/16: Druid’s Glen in Covington from 8-11

10/23: Tacoma Exec. Party in Fircrest

10/31: Jazzbones from 8-11

11/13: Druid’s Glen in Covington from 8-11

11/28: The Barrel Tavern in Burien from 9-1

www.billyshewband.com


Guitar, Vocals - University Place, WA

BLUES

I chose a career in music because music has

always been an integral part of my life. My

mother played piano, my brother played guitar,

and my grandfather was first chair trumpet in

the Marine Corp Band under John Philip Souza.

I wanted to be creative and reach out to people,

knowing that music is a universal language all

over the world. Songwriting to me is a challenge

and is menta lly s timulating . My love is

collecting guitars— each with a unique sound

and personality of their own. I could not imagine

a world without music. I have passed my love

for music on to my children—my son plays

drums and guitar and my daughter plays the sax.


being human?

It is a perfect way to release your emotions and

beliefs, reaching out to other people and maybe

making a difference in the world. The Musicians

Trust Fund is something I am deeply involved

in. Musicians are always being asked to perform

at benefits for free for people in need, which

we love to do. Now, we have started the

Musicians Trust Fund and we have benefits to

reach out and help our own local musicians that

may be having financial or medical problems.

Describe your style of music. Why are you

guys always working when some other bands

can’t find gigs?

Why are you

guys so hot?

I love playing all

styles of

mus ic—Blues ,

Rock, Latin, Jazz

and even a little

bit of Country

Rock! The Tim

Hall Band has

been together for

over twenty

years and has

played countless

fest iva ls and

shows, so we

have had the

opportunity to be

heard and to play

a lot more often.

We work to get

our mus ic out

there jus t like

anyone else and

our love of

playing keeps us

going.

W h a t ’ s

happening with

the band right

now? Any good

news?

We are in the

process of

recording our 4

th

CD and we plan on spending

the winter months to finish it.

Tell us about your new/latest recording. Who

produced it? Where was it recorded? Who’s

on it? What’s unique about it? Include

release date and label.

Runnin’ with the Blues was our 3

rd

and last

recording. I produced the CD and it was

recorded at Outlaw Studio. At the time of

recording, we had Tim Hall on guitar and vocals,

Chris Cardinal on bass, Doug McKinnon on

drums, Ronnie Wahl on keyboards, and specials

guests Mike Skansie on guitar, Pete Lira on

saxophone and Greg Marinacci on keyboards.

It was released in 1999 and Seaport Records

was the label. It’s been a while and our fans

are constantly asking when our next CD is

coming out, so we are excited about our new

project.

What were some of the obstacles you had to

overcome to make the project a reality?

Writing the right songs, coordinating times for

everyone to record, making sure the mix is

perfect and then there are always the finances

that come along with recording a CD. A lot of

hours are put in to produce a good product.

Are you a 24/7 musician? What else do you

do to keep the home fires burning?

Yes. I currently host two legendary Blues Jams:

every Sunday night at Dawson’s in Tacoma and

a new one at O’Callahans in Key Center every

Thursday night. I try to keep the Tim Hall Band

working every weekend, whether it is local or

out of town gigs, personal parties or festivals,

and I teach guitar lessons to anyone who has

the fire and wants to learn to play.

Other than choosing a career in music, what

is the most adventurous or dangerous thing

you have ever done?

Flying to Mexico (just kidding), but seriously,

it was pretty adventurous when we were

younger traveling around and doing rock

festivals everywhere. You never knew what to

expect, or when I was living on the Sunset Strip

in Hollywood as a starving musician for several

months. If you want to talk dangerous, I live

that every time I drive home from my gigs at

2:30 in the morning!

You guys have been performing at Dawson’s

Bar and Grill in Tacoma, Washington for

some years now. What’s so cool about

Dawson’s that keeps you guys there, year

after year?

The owner, Kenny Bender, is an avid supporter

of live music and gives us the total freedom to

be ourselves and play the kind of music we love.

The atmosphere is “come as you are and fun”

and reminds you of the old TV show “Cheers,”

where everyone knows your name. The staff is

great as well as the food and drinks. People

now know that they can always come to

Dawson’s and hear good music.


Being able to make a living by doing what you

love, remaining healthy and enjoying time with

family and friends. Of course a hit record

couldn’t hurt!!

Guitar, Vocals - Tacoma, WA

Tim Hall

Website: www.TimHallBand.com


BLUES

MUSIC AND HUMANITY

It’s not a part of being human to us performers;

it is what makes us human, period.

WHAT’S NEW

Oh, my. I have so many fun things going on in

my life. I am in rehearsal as we speak, with my

new show called 3-Dames. This will be a

ret rospec tive of three divas; Ms. Are tha

Franklin, Mavis Staples

and Etta James (hence the

name 3-Dames, A for

Aretha Frankl in, M for

Mavis Staples and E for

Etta James). I also have just

landed a gig at Cafe Amore

5th & Bell Seattle, Friday

nigh ts at 9:30pm

to12:30am.

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

CIRCLE

I have had the honor of

working with some of the

greats: Mr. BB King, John

Popper from Blues

Travelers, Roy Orbison,

Mary Wells, etc. (more on

this at ljporter.com)

TRAVEL

I’ve worked only in the

United States and Canada.

They love big black soul

singers in Canada.

RECORDING

We are in the process of

doing a new project as we

speak. The new CD will be

ca lled 3-Dames a

Retrospective. My music

director Kenny Cole (my

piano player) and I will be

producing it at my studio here in Seattle. I have

my wonderful back up singers—Susan Apple,

Megan Smith and Anne Leatherman—and my

band, of course—Kenny, Tom Erak, Jon

Hanford, Ben Smith and Rodney Duncan. This

is unique because of the immense talent of these

ladies. Being compared to them all my life has

been really cool, so, when I was asked to do

this tribute, I was pretty excited. People always

ask me, “Where did you get that name for the

show 3-Dames?” Well, I always liked the

concept of 3-D, so, while I was driving along

one day minding my own business, I started

thinking about my church Ebenezer AME and

voil a, 3-Dames was born. It was divine

intervention, I think.

THE GIG FROM HELL

When I was a little younger, I accepted four gigs

in 36 hours in two states. What was I thinking?

We had a gig way up north of Seattle by a couple

of hours. Then, I had to go to Oregon and had

two outdoor festivals in two different cities.

LJ Porter

Vocalist

Then, I had to get back for an awards show.

This was the craziest couple days of my life.

Who knew?

ADVENTURE AND DANGER

Falling in love is pretty adventurous! Dangerous

too, but, I managed to stay out of jail!!

WITH BILL GATES’ MONEY

I would certainly take care

of the hungry people in the

US. I was on the internet

today and saw that people in

Detroit had to have police

take them to the grocery

store under armed guard

because people are hungry

and have no means of getting

food. I am originally from

New Orleans so don’t even

get me started. It upsets me

that we take care of the rest

of the world before we clean

our own back yard. I think

this needs to stop. America

should not have to be the

police for the rest of the

world (in my opinion of

course).

SPIRITUAL ASPECT

For me there is [a spiritual

aspect]. I started in church.

Most of the people I perform

with also did. I think I am in

spiritual mode all the time.

God put me on this earth to

sing and that’s what I do.

ON LJ PORTER,

W E B S T E R ’ S

DICTIONARY WOULD

SAY

See Sassy, Feisty & Soul

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Debuting 3 Dames sometime in late fall (so,

technically that gives me till December 20

th

).

Keep looking for the new show at

www.ljporter.com. It’s going to be a fabulous

tribute to some very talented ladies.

BLUES

BLUES

Preston Miller

Michal Miller Band

I was born in Alabama but I never called

that home. A big Influence when I was a

kid were Yazoo Records of old Blues 78’s

with that nice scratchy sound KA-

CHUNCK they’re all on Cd’s now.

Michal Miller Band has been sent twice to

the IBC in Memphis. With

luck a little juice and a lot of pain maybe

we can go again. The Blues Rollon...


Becki Sue & her Big Rockin’ Daddies!

Known for his signature stingin’ Texas and

Chicago blues style, Tom “T-Boy Neal” Boyle is a

5-time winner (‘03, ’05, ’06, 0’7, ’09) of the WA

Blues Society’s “Best Electric Guitar” BB Award.

He is a founding member of one of the Pacific

Northwest’s hottest blues acts, Becki Sue & her

Big Rockin’ Daddies!

www.bigrockindaddies.com - www.myspace.com/tboyneal

[email protected] - Cell: 360-790-6105 - Fax: 360-357-5454

Kimball Conant

Kimball Conant & the Fugitives

Credits: Bumbershoot, 2005

Fisherman’s Restaurant last 3 summers, Seattle

Sunbanks Blues Festival 2006 & 07

Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival 2006, 07, 08

New Orleans Creole Restaurant, Seattle

Interbay Golf Course “Jazz on the Green” 2007, 08, 09

Everett Waterfront Festival 2007, 08, 09 EMP Seattle Center, 2006

Styles: Jazz, Blues, R & B Standards, Samba, Rhumba, Salsa, Tex-Mex, Polka, Cumbia,

Rockabilly, Country and Western, Western Swing, Folk, 50s/60s/70s Rock ‘n Roll Hits.

Booking: www.kimballconant.com www.stickshiftannie.com 206-661-7177

Mike Wright

Guitarist Mike Wright began performing as a

young man when he was in the Air Force, and he

continued playing professionally until he was

thirty-one years old. He took a hiatus to raise a

family, and after twenty four years he came back

in full swing, rediscovering his love for an old

friend, his guitar. He carefully reworked his 1970

Les Paul Custom “tuxedo”, revitalizing this fine

instrument that he plays today. Mike says he is

grateful to the South Sound Blues Association and the other blues

organizations for keeping the blues alive, and for welcoming and

encouraging musicians to participate in this great art form, called

“the blues.”

Billy Shew

Billy Shew Band

Billy has played in many diverse bands, which

include Blues, Jazz, Rock and Concert Bands.

He has performed in various clubs and festivals

throughout the Midwest and West Coast including

Big Reds in Amarillo Texas, Hwy 99 club in

Seattle, Dawson’s in Tacoma, Jazz Bones

Tacoma, Halftime Saloon in Gig Harbor, The

Firecreek in Kent, The Bite of Seattle and the Taste of Tacoma just to

name a few. Contact info: www.billyshewband.com, myspace.com/

billyshewband and email: [email protected].

Rafael Tranquilino

Randy Oxford Band

Rafael Tranquilino, of the Randy Oxford Band, is

one of the hottest young guitar-slingers in the

region. His style is spirited and energetic, a

skillful blend of Blues with Jazz, Rock, Funk, and

Latin. He has a smooth, soulful voice and a

knack for writing songs that speak to the heart, whether the words are in

English or Spanish. Rafael has several side projects, including an

up-coming CD and his own band, Jesse the Wolf.

Al Alto

Maia Santell and House Blend

Intense and edgy, and sometimes over the top.

Al Alto’s guitar playing is finger pickin’ wild, with a

tone and style that give him ranges of expression

that few others come close to. He owes his claim

to fame “redneck jazz” finger-style to guitarist

Danny Gatton. Like many musicians he was a fan

of BB King and Jimi Hendrix, and studied

Hendrix’s unique style, rooted in blues. Like Hendrix, Alto is a multi-

stylist, often playing four or five styles in one - jazz, blues, rock, funk

and country. To check out Al with Maia and the rest of the band see:

www.MaiaSantell.com

There are usually four main elements that

come together to make a hot blues band. Of

course there are the vocals, the bass and the

drums, but the average blues band just

wouldn’t be able to deliver that in-your-face,

burning urgency without a guitarist who’s

really laying it down. When you’re ready to

hear some great blues, and dance your butt

off, use this guitarist showcase as your guide

to the areas hottest blues bands. See you at

the show.

You Can Be In

Guitar Slingers!

Coming In February, 2010

CONTACT BIG FUN TODAY TO

RESERVE YOU SPOT.

253-473-1866 - [email protected]


being human?

It can instantly mark time with an

emotion and mark it for the rest of your

life.

What does the blues mean to you?

The Blues means you get to feel! The

Blues takes you completely and does not

mind roll ing you on the g round or

making you dance.

Tell us about your new/latest

recording.

‘Red On Blue’ from Peace Code Records

in 2008. It was self-produced by the Red

Hot Blues Sisters—Teri Anne Wilson

and myself. It is now distributed in Japan

Canada and Europe. We focused on

capturing our live show talent and

energy. It was completed in eleven days,

from click to mix, at The Tank with Tom

Pfaeffle.

What’s new with your music career?

We are looking for a new producer. The

only Red Hot Blues Brother -Tom

Pfaeffle was shot and killed on July 17,

2009. We had twenty years with him

and his sweet family. He’s simply the

best. Teri and I are sorting nearly forty

tunes this October. Our release of ‘Red

On Blues’ to Japan is new, and we will

return to Europe again in Spring of 2010

with our US band.

What is your most significant achievement

as a performer?

Each time I am asked to perform, and setting a

12K attendance record in Switzerland.

What is the difference between peace and

satisfaction?

Peace requires stillness. Satisfaction requires

grease.


Success is the ability to pay-it-forward—passing

on knowledge, opportunity, or techniques.

What are the obstacles you have to overcome

when searching for gigs?

Finding touring musicians who are willing to

do homework for their instrument. I don’t like

to teach tunes; I prefer to rehearse the show.

Which tour will you remember forever?

SUSAN SIMS

BLUES

“The one thing you must realize

about the business of the blues is…

it never stops and it always tells you

the truth. Everybody is presumably

ballsy in this genre. Get ready for

that and don’t take it personally.”

This ‘09 tour was pretty mind-blowing. We

played Memphis, changed personnel, moved,

lost Ted after Europe; lost Tom in July, and

toured every song recorded with Tom at

extraordinary shows.

What is your valuable attribute?

My voice has characters/textures I use for each

song, melody or story.

Other than singing, what is the greatest love

of your life?

Fishing, football, and telling stories until

you pee.

What turns you off?

Realizing I am too loud. Having to tell

the band they’re too loud.

What turns you on?

Kissing with your eyes in a public place.

Who would you like to work or tour

with?

Brickhouse of Vancouver BC, Mia Dyson

and Wes Mackey. I’d like to record at

Abbey Road with the above and Annie

Lennox, Bettye Lavette, Chrissie Hynde,

Joan Armatrading, Bonnie Raitt and with

god-brother/engineer, Brian from LA.

Performance schedule

12.13.09 Forecasters Redhook

Brewery

12.18.09 Japan Release of ‘Red On

Blue’

Discography

Available at shows and at

cdbaby.com/cd/rhbsisters3

Red On Blue Nov ‘08

Feel the Burn Aug ‘07

Hot Off the Press ‘06 EP

Flood in the Basement ‘04 EP

www.peacecoderecords.com/

Red_Hot_Blues_Sisters.html

Email address: [email protected]

Lead Vocalist for Seattle’s

Red Hot Blues Sisters

Eight years ago, Seattle veteran jazz and blues

singer Maia Santell married Gary Grape, native

Tacoman and entertainment buyer

for the Tacoma Events

Commission. Little did she know,

she’d soon become part o f a

vibrant, thriving South Sound

dance scene — a community of

dancers hungry for live music and

a dance band a la “Dancing With

The Stars.”

Thanks to the old Brickyard Bar

and Grill (on 56

th

Street in South

Tacoma), Santell and her band,

“Maia Santell and House Blend,”

es tabl ished a fan base that

flourished in 2002 with swing and

ballroom dancers. Fans traveled

from as far north as Arlington and

as far south as Chehalis to shake a

leg and cut a rug to the mix of

rhythms and tempos that her band

offered up.

Today, seven years later, Maia and

her band are part of a network of

dance events and productions

around the Northwest that pairs up

with top-notch dance coaches and instructors.

Among the many dance events they perform for

(USA Dance Tacoma, USA Dance Olympia,

Seattle Singles Yacht Club, Northwest Dance

Network, Sonny Newman’s, Seattle Sunday

Swing at China Harbor), Maia’s favorite (held

in her own backyard) is Studio 6 Ballroom in

Tacoma’s Entertainment District — founded

and operated by master dance coach, Natasha

Thayer.

MAIA SANTELL

Swingin’ On Sixth Avenue!

Kimball Conant

The one thing you must realize about blues

is…it’s anything but sad.

What’s in the magic

potion that makes you and

Stickshift Annie such a

successful team?

Even the lousiest gig beats

watching TV.

Other than choosing a

career in music; what is

the most adventurous or

dangerous thing you have

ever done?

Live in Paraguay for four

years.

What do you want people

to remember about you

and your music?

I played my ass off.

Stickshift Annie

The one thing you must

realize about blues is…that it is not about

making people sad or blue. Blues is really about

making people feel better by sharing their

experience and saying, “ I understand how you

feel and I have been through that too.”

What’s in the magic potion that makes you

and Kimball Conant such a successful team?

It is respect, from my perspective. I respect

Kimball’s craft; he is an excellent guitar player

and musician. I think we have a great time

performing together, and we share a common

respect for the songs we perform, the other

musicians we perform with, and the people that

come to see us play. We enjoy what we do and

have become good friends with many of the

folks that come out to see us. It gets back to that

previous statement about the blues.

Other than choosing a career in music, what

is the most adventurous or dangerous thing

you have ever done?

Bronze casting.

What do you want people to remember about

you and your music?

I hope they can see and hear that I truly love

making music, and that I am always striving to

learn and improve. There is always somewhere

else to go.

BLUES

On Wednesday, Sept 16

th

, Studio 6 Ballroom

and the Sixth Avenue Business Association

present the f if th month ly

Progressive Dinner — a restaurant

wa lk that fea tures delectab le

samples and ample portions of

food from restaurants along the

avenue, followed by live music by

Maia Santell and House Blend.

After feasting on tasty fares, the

satisfied crowd joins up at Studio

6 Ballroom (2608 6

th

Ave, Tacoma)

for dessert, coffee, tea and live

blues, swing, Latin, jazz standards

and contemporary favorites. You

can dance or just kick back and

listen on comfy sofas and floor

cushions. If it’s just dancing

you’re interested in, arrive early

for a dance lesson by Natasha or

one of her g rea t team of

instructors. Once you’ve sampled

a delicious cuisine, paired with the

talents of music and dance, you’re

sure to come back for refills!

For booking and information on

upcoming performances contact Maia at

[email protected]

or see: www.MaiaSantell.com

These seasoned pros have known and

respected each other for many years. They

finally came together to perpetuate the classic

and not-so-classic Hammond Organ, Guitar

and Drums trio sound that was established in

the 1950’s and 60’s.

Jho Blenis, on guitar, is a well-known player

of all styles and a much sought after

instructor. He deserves his award-winning

“icon” status.

Michael Slivka, on drums and percussion, has

worked most venues and festivals with many

of the best since coming home to the greater

Pugetropolis.

Clifford ‘Buck’ England, on the Hammond B-

3 Organ, was “taken” by the Hammond

Organ! While appearing at most local venues

and traveling around the west, most of his

energy has gone into performing with the

traditional (and not-so-traditional) Hammond

Sound.

The group is determined to make their whole

greater than the sum of its parts and won’t be

sidetracked by their individual projects which

only serve to sustain the band. HIPBONE

is their passion.

Be on the lookout for HIPBONE’S first self-

produced recording which will be coming

soon.

You can find out more about the band and

contact them at:

www.myspace.com/hipbonestrio,

www.buckengland.com, [email protected]

The group is determined to make their whole

greater than the sum of its parts...

ARTIST PROFILES

VENUE SPOTLIGHT

How did Merende come to be?

While Ian was attending culinary school in

Florence, Italy, we discussed opening something

Italian together. This is especially important to

us because of our Italian heritage. We searched

for about two years for the perfect location; with

each space, the concept changed. When we

walked into our current space, with its brick

walls, it just lent itself to become the perfect

Trattoria.

What was the most challenging aspect

of preparing to open for business?

Remodeling and, of course, everyone agreeing

on the same thing. This is especially hard when

you are family and have to go home and eat

together. In the end, we were very happy with

the results.

What makes Merende unique among

other restaurants in Tacoma?

‘Merende’ is an Italian tradition of eating small

meals in between lunch and dinner. The word

literally translates into “small bit es.” We

wanted to expand on this concept by offering

smaller portions that could be shared with

friends, perhaps a bottle of wine, and pleasant

conversation.

We also try to be as ‘local’ as possible and draw

from the farmers such as Westover Farms and

Zestful Gardens in the surrounding area.

Nothing beats the taste of fresh produce being

integral to the dishes you are creating. We feel

tha t we represent the Itali an S low Food

movement here in Tacoma.

The atmosphere is easy and relaxed.

How do you classify the decor?

It’s pleasantly upscale and still maintains an

inviting and warm environment. It’s perhaps a

bit eclectic. It’s exposed brick walls, the

beautiful slate covered bar hand made by Ian,

and the overall feel of that wonderful little

Italian Trattoria you found in Firenze.

Tell us a bi t about your chef ’s

background.

Jeff went to culinary school in Maryland. After

culinary school he went overseas to Guam,

working in the hotels there, then he spent time

refining his trade in Thailand and Australia.

After returning to Washington he worked at

Fircrest Golf Club, Palisades, and Stanley &

Seaforts.

He then found a home and spent four years at Il

Fiasco on 6

th

Avenue and Brix 25 in Gig Harbor.

Just prior to Merende, Jeff was working at

Sound Food Café on Vashon Island.

Chef Bishop has worked closely with us to

develop a wonderful menu containing a wide

variety of Merende items, flat breads, pasta

il Trattoria di Merende

Tacoma, WA

“The one thing you must realize

about starting a restaurant is, it

requires that you have a love and a

passion for what you are doing. We

are so fortunate that we get to work

not only with our family, but also with

a great group of people everyday. It’s

a delight to walk through the front

doors just to find out what’s going to

be on the menu. “

Julia Martin-Lombardi

dishes and other delicious lunch and dinner

entrees. We hope to offer a recipe book in the

near future.

Describe some of your signature dishes

and pair them with a wine.

Pan-seared U-10 scallops with roasted garlic mash, arugula salad, and Nueske”s Bacon.

Fig & Prosciutto Flatbread & La Caudrina

Moscato di Asti

Crispy grilled flatbread, topped with house-

made fig & onion jam, thinly sliced prosciutto

and creamy gorgonzola cheese, then baked to

perfection. You won’t want to pass up this salty

& sweet creation. A slightly sweet sparkling

wine may seem at odds with this flatbread, but

it plays off the sweet notes perfectly and offsets

the saltiness of the prosciutto and blue cheese!

Lemon Rosemary Chicken & Scurati Siciliana

Bianco

We start with an 8 ounce chicken breast, pan

sear it, then roast it in the oven to a golden

brown. Marsala wine, fresh rosemary, chicken

stock and heavy cream finish the pan sauce to

accompany the chicken and mashed potatoes.

We recommend the Scurati Siciliana Bianco.

This bright, clean white wine from Sicily

compliments the lemon and rosemary flavors,

and balances out the depth of the Marsala wine

in the sauce.

Tagliatelle all Bolognese & Fillipo Gallino

Barbera

Tender strips of egg pasta, tossed in a ragu meat

sauce of ground lamb, pork, veal, garlic,

tomatoes, finished with fresh cream and shaved

Reggiano cheese. Bordering on a full-bodied

red, the Fillipo Gallino Barbera offers balanced

tannins, and makes a wonderful pairing with

the layered flavors of the Bolognese sauce.

How often do you change your menu?

Some parts of the menu, wine and desserts and

daily specials in particular change regularly.

These changes are often based on the

availability of fresh local produce, fruits, berries

and other items. We also have large seasonal

menu changes in spring, fall and winter.

Merende features live jazz every

Thursday evening. How are your

customers receiving your music

program?

We feel that the response to Thursday Jazz with

Ed Taylor has been great. The number of people

coming to enjoy the music continues to grow

every week. This continues to be a great

opportuni ty for people to enjoy th is

entertainment in a very personal venue. Based

on feed back from customers, we are very happy

with the music nights.

Will you be adding music on Friday or

Saturday nights?

We would like to focus on Thursday nights for

now as our music night. Perhaps as the

Holidays approach, we can look at expanding

into other evenings or different offerings in

addition to Ed Taylor. We are just seeing the

positive effects of the word spreading about our

Thursday Music and really want to solidify this

program first.

Which is your most challenging daily

activity?

Tasting the different specials daily (yes, that

part is the fun) and paring down that selection

to the couple I should Tweet about on that day.

That’s tough to do with only 140 characters.

What is your business doing to give back

to the community?

We will continue to be involved in a number of

community activities—donating our time and

food to assist with the theatre, Art walk, several

local youth programs, as well as offering a

number of local jobs. Tap into T-Town, local

charities and school auctions have been some

of the events we participate in.

How do you define success?

When the dining room fills up with people, it

creates this sound like the music of happiness;

I still remember the wonderful feeling I got the

first time this happened here at Merende. It is

such a gratifying feeling to know that we have

created this wonderful place for people to enjoy

their food and time together.

il Trattoria di Merende - 253-722-1993

813 Pacific Ave Nw, Tacoma, WA 98402

Website:www.merenderestaurant.com

BIO BRIEF

Karen Hollowell graduated with a B.F.A. from Syracuse

University in Syracuse, New York. Her blues series ran as

a solo exhibition at The Delta Blues Museum - home of the

legendary “crossroads” in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Her

paintings hang in private collections throughout the U.S.

and Canada.

She is currently exhibiting her jazz paintings in New

Orleans, Louisiana at the Steve Martin Fine Art Gallery and

at Capones Jazz Club in Vancouver, Canada.

THE WORK

“My work is currently focused on exploring the fluid

relationship between music and images. My paintings strive

to capture a moment within sound: a wailing guitar solo or

a haunting trumpet riff. I hope people are attracted to my

paintings the same way they are to a good song.

“There are parallels between creating a song and a painting;

a song begins with a simple beat or a phrase and a painting

begins with a bold stroke. Both artist and musician lay down

the bones to create a foundation. I begin with bold shapes.

After much layering, I add colorful geometric organic shapes

throughout the canvas to form unique patterns and textures.

Eventually, elements of heightened realism appear through

cloudy forms of expressionism. There is as much

significance found in the seen as there is in the unseen.

“In recent years, I have pushed myself creatively through

exploration of musical themes and variations on musical

genres including jazz, rock and blues. I hope my canvases

encourage people to not only decipher any message I may

convey, but to also spark thoughts or feelings on their own.

“I have just returned from my first trip to New Orleans. It

felt so amazing to immerse myself in that culture—both in

the music and the food. I am represented there at the Steve

Martin Fine Art Gallery, 624 Julia Street, New Orleans,

Louisiana, 504-566-1390. This is where I have half a dozen

recent canvases on display.”

You can see more o f Karen’s work at

www.karenhollowell.com

Karen Hollowell

Fine Artist

ART SPOTLIGHT

big fun january 2009

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