J&J Music is your atmosphere and entertainment solution. Our goal is to work with you to ensure the success of your event through the correct choice of entertainment. We have provided musical entertainment for many successful venues and functions throughout the Greater Seattle Area. Your success comes from our balanced approach to business and music. Choose J&J Music and you are saying yes to incredible live music that will complement the unique tone of your event.
Click HERE for more information on J&J Music's services and what we can bring for your audience.
News
Jeremy Jones Xtet CD Release at The Triple Door
May 1, 2008
Review by Jason Parker
It was an evening of passion, energy and beautiful music last night at The Triple Door in Seattle. More than 200 music lovers gathered to celebrate the release of Awakening to Life, the new CD by The Jeremy Jones Xtet on Broken Time Records. J&J Music, Broken Time and Jeremy have been planning this show for months now, and when the night finally arrived everyone was ready to celebrate and lay down the positive vibes.
The night began with an opening set by another group with a forthcoming CD on Broken Time, The Josh Rawlings Trio. (In the interest of full discloser, it should be noted that Josh Rawlings is one of the “J’s” in J&J Music.) Josh on piano, bassist Nate Omdal and drummer D’Vonne Lewis played masterfully on four of Josh’s original compositions, including the Abdullah Ibrahim-inspired title track “Climbing Stairs.” The song’s performance included rainforest sounds courtesy of Josh and the audience. The chemistry between Rawlings and longtime bassist Nate Omdal was clear throughout the night, as the two young masters weaved their lines in and around each other in creative and exciting ways, all the while never stepping on each others’ toes. D’vonne Lewis (subbing for regular drummer Adam Kessler) brought the house down with his powerful solos and superb comping, all-the-while pushing and propelling the trio to thrilling heights. I’ve had the pleasure of hearing the CD from start to finish and I know you’re going to dig the record and Josh’s compositions. Stay tuned for news of the release date.
After a short break came the Jeremy Jones Xtet, starting with Jeremy alone on stage, laying down the beat to his composition “Flowin’.” Jeremy was joined one at a time by his killin’ band: Phil Sparks on bass, John Hansen on piano, Steve Treseler on tenor and Thomas Marriott on trumpet and flugelhorn. By the time the whole band was finally assembled and blowing, the energy flowin’ from the stage was palpable, and while the horns were out front and each member of the band was playing at an extremely high level, it was clear that this band belonged to the drummer.
Jeremy led the group through eight of his original tunes from the new CD with smiles, swing and some well placed bombs, switching all the while from sticks to brushes to mallets to bells and back again. He played every part of his kit; rims, heads, cymbals and stands. He marked the sections of his tunes with press-rolls, tom hits and stop-time. As the night wore on, Jeremy’s shining spirit emanated from the stage, filling the room with joy and washing over everyone in attendance with a contagious warmth.
Trumpeter Thomas Marriott was at his best when he was spitting out flowing blues lines on tunes like “Blues for PJ” and “Animalian”, his clarion tone jumping from the bell of his horn. He also displayed his buttery flugelhorn tone, particularly stirring on his feature “Reticence.” It is clear when listening to Tom play that he is among the top trumpeters not only in Seattle, but on the Jazz scene today. Tenorman Steve Treseler, who I had not heard before, really impressed me with his big, Dexter Gordon-like tone and ability to make clear and interesting statements on the horn. His solos were always well thought out and story like, never going on too long or meandering aimlessly. On “Sparkling McLean” (written in tribute to Jackie McLean) the lines poured from his soul as if he was channeling the late, great sax player. And while his sound reminded me of players from the 40’s and 50’s, his harmonic conception is decidedly modern. John Hansen, fresh back from a tour of Istanbul, was playing at his usual high level, pushing the soloists when comping and flying over the keys and through the changes when it was time for his solos. Phil Sparks held down the low-end all night, playing a couple of tasty solos and providing the rock-solid support to the soloists for which he is well known. He got a chance to shine on the intro to “Blues for PJ,” which he and Jeremy started as a duet before settling into the groove.
The band was joined by two special guests for the song “Awaken to Life” – Evan Flory-Barnes on bass and Michelle Khazak on vocals. Evan and Jeremy play together in The Teaching, and have an almost telepathic rapport. The two locked in from beat one and never let go of each other. And Khazak breathed amazing life into the lyrics, sung on the record by Jeremy himself. She took a vocalized solo on the tune that was haunting and beautiful.
After the band played the last notes of “Blues for PJ,” there was a slight pause before Jeremy punctuated the evening with a huge bomb, quite the fitting end to the set. It was like an exclamation point at the end of a sentence that you know was the climax of the story, but were thankful for the reminder nonetheless. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the touching and heart-felt explanation Jeremy gave for the title of the CD. He talked about his own awakening to the present moment, his yoga studies, and his wish that his music, both live and on CD, can act as an entry-point for his listeners to find, as Eckhart Tolle puts it, the “power of now”. He was also quick to mention that that part of the evening (the explanation) was optional!
Like Jeremy himself, the evening felt warm, passionate and full of life. I’m sure all who were in attendance left feeling filled with the beautiful spirit that resides inside of Jeremy and in us all.
>Jazz Alley preview in Earshot Magazine Pg. 1
>January Article in Earshot Magazine Pg. 1 | Pg. 2
>Seattle Jazz Scene Story
>Radio Plug for Jazz Alley Show on KCBS <LISTEN>
Calendar
Click HERE for a full listing of J&J Music sponsored events.
Contact Us
Jason Parker and Josh Rawlings
Testimonials
"THANK YOU!!! You guys rock. We had many people tell us the music was perfect. Not too loud and not too soft - just right. They LOVED watching ya'll from the restaurant- the guests had a great time peeking into the kitchen. It was wonderful!"
-Lisa Dupar (Chief Creative Officer of Lisa Dupar Catering)
“I have been working with J&J music for about a year now. I know when I book a date with them my needs will be met with the utmost professionalism. They are an absolute pleasure to deal with.”
-Will Kane (Production Manager at The Triple Door)
“I am writing in regards to J&J Music’s outstanding efforts in booking our restaurant with great live music. Since the beginning of 2006 J&J has been booking our weekend music. They have done a good job bringing in a variety of musicians all of whom are talented, accountable and professional. Before J&J took on this task I had a difficult time both, finding good musicians and replacing them when they canceled, neither of these are a problem anymore. J&J’s services save me a lot of time; I would highly recommend J&J Music.”
-Jason Hampton - Bar/Entertainment Manager at The Repp (formally Sebastian’s)
J&J Music is the first professional music company I contact when my clients request live music at their event. Their excellent customer service, responsiveness to my client’s needs, and knowledge of the music industry makes working with J&J Music a positive and seamless experience. J&J Music often works with clients of mine who have very specific requests, and they consistently deliver the experience they seek.
-Lisa Yamasaki (President of Mona Lisa Events)
ToST has partnered with J&J Music on a number of occasions to book live music nights at our venue. Their professionalism combined with their connections within the music community result in successful nights filled with great music!
-Chris Lang (Owner of ToST Lounge)
As a performing artist, J&J Music will promote your music with absolute professionalism. These guys know your music is valuable, but also know what is important to the audiences you're trying to reach. First class, all the way -- I can't recommend them highly enough.
-Dave Anderson (Seattle Jazz Saxophonist)
Jazz Concert Series at Manresa Castle, Pt. Towsend
April 5th - June 21st from 8:00pm-11:00pm
The next concert on the schedule will be the Jason Parker Quartet. The group plays forward-thinking Jazz that is firmly rooted in the tradition. From fresh takes on standards from Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Thelonious Monk, etc. to their own original compositions they never waiver from their credo - to give the audience something fresh and fun. Featuring Parker on trumpet and flugelhorn and the busiest young cats on the scene today: Josh Rawlings on piano (Soul Kata, Pocket Change, Industrial Revelation), Evan Flory-Barnes on bass (Marc Seales, Threat of Beauty, The Teaching) and Golden Ear Award-winner D'Vonne Lewis on drums (Choklate, Hadley Caliman, McTuff). Listen and/or purchase Jason's debut CD, The Jason Parker Quartet, at http://www.brokentime.com/
J&J Music Presents: Dinner Jazz at Manresa Castle, Pt. Townsend. J&J Music is proud to present 6 evenings of Jazz at Castle Key Restaurant at the Historic Manresa Castle in Pt. Townsend, WA. Join us for the evening, or book yourself a weekend package and enjoy one of Washington's most romantic coastal towns. The Rik Wright Quintet kicked off the series last week in grand style. Dates to come are:
May 10 - The Jason Parker Quartet - Modern Traditional Jazz
May 31 - Kiko Freitas Trio - Jazz & Bossa Nova
June 7 - Mack Grout Trio - Piano Trio
June 14 - Isabella DuGraf Trio - Stunning Vocalist
June 21 - Marco de Carvalho Trio - Brazilian Guitar
All shows are 8-11pm with a $15 cover charge. Visit http://www.manresacastle.com/ for information on their specially priced packages for the shows.
Choklate at Sole Repair Shop
May 9th at 9:00 PM to 2:00 AM
Retail Therapy w/ Sole Repair Shop Present: A Special Evening w/ Choklate & Friends. Your cordially invited to join us in a homecoming celebration for Seattle's OWN homegrown Soul Singer Choklate as she returns home from her first Solo European Debut. Featuring an intimate, live performance by Choklate & Friends. Followed by soul dance party of the year w/ DJ Frances Jaye of Neo Soul Cafe
Sole Repair Shop
1001 East Pike Street
Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 979-7467 http://www.solerepairshop.com/
$20 before 10pm
21+ w/ id
Required Attire:
Ladies: Cocktail Dresses or the Equivalent
Gentlemen: Coats or Slacks
Space is limited. Doors will be closed at capacity. Early arrival is suggested.
Dave Anderson Quartet at Tula's
May 29th at 8:00 PM to 12:00 PM
J&J Music Presents: Dave Anderson Quartet return to Tula's. This will be the 2nd show at the venerable Seattle Jazz Club for saxophonist Anderson’s new band, featuring John Hansen on piano (Jay Thomas, Kelley Johnson), Chuck Kistler on bass (Jay Thomas, Milo Peterson), and Adam Kessler on drums (Jay Thomas, Ernestine Anderson, Jim Knapp). They'll play a mix of Anderson's original compositions and a few jazz standards. Join The Dave Anderson Quartet for this hot and hoppin' evening.
J&J Music values and supports music that is happening in our backyard. Are we trendsetters, culture mobsters? We sure hope so! Start enjoying live music today.
