Community Calendar

Presented by KNKX. With Back for Me, seven-times Blues Music Awards winner Janiva Magness continues to renew and redefine her widely celebrated relationship with the music on a powerfully engaging, emotionally rich collection. Produced by her longtime guitarist and collaborator Dave Darling, the album is a treasure chest of lesser-known gems by well-known artists (Bill Withers, Ray LaMontagne, Allen Toussaint, Doyle Bramhall II, Tracy Nelson) and deep-dive discoveries brought through Magness’ voracious, wide-ranging searches for songs that connect with the deep feelings embodied in her voice and music, cherished by her fans.

It’s the 17th album for Magness, who in addition to those awards (including being named B.B. King Artist of the Year in 2009), earned a Grammy Awards Contemporary Blues nomination for her 2016 album Love Wins Again. It follows the 2019 publication of her memoir, Weeds Like Us, a vividly portrayed account of both the traumas of her youth (her parents’ suicides and her often-nightmarish experiences in the foster care system) and the hard-earned triumphs that have fueled her growth as an artist and in life, inspiration also found in her 2022 album Hard to Kill.

Darling anchors the album’s core band, also featuring drummer W.F. Quinn Smith and bassist Ian Walker, with keyboardists Sasha Smith and Phil Parlapiano, guitarists John Schroeder and Robert “Chalo” Ortiz, Nick Maybury and blues harp player TJ Norton also appearing on various songs. And ace guitarists Joe Bonamassa, Sue Foley and Jesse Dayton put their stamps on their respective special guest appearances. It’s a powerhouse set moving from the Chicago-via-Texas churn of “Masterpiece” (written by Darling and featuring searing guitar from Bonamassa) to the aching gospel-soul-funk of Bill Withers’ “The Same Love That Made Me Laugh” to the haunting resignation of Bramhall’s “November” and Nelson’s torch ballad “Down So Low” to the sly release of “Hittin’ on Nothin’” (written by Toussaint and originally sung by Irma Thomas, here with Dayton’s blasting guitar).

Supported by KNKX. Award-winning, Hall of Fame Jazz Vocalist Greta Matassa has a new group these days and is featured in many of the areas best jazz clubs and concert venues. The new group features all new material and arrangements with a contemporary jazz bent. Although the songs may be new, there are classics such as George Shearing, Bill Evans, Chick Corea and Dave Brubeck. As well as jazz interpretations of Stevie Wonder, Sting, Bonnie Raitt, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny and Brazilian composers as well.

As always Greta’s concerts also feature tunes from her 11 recordings and many of the classic jazz standards as well.

Sponsored by KNKX. Métier Brewing Company and NW Folklife have partnered to host a monthly concert series, allowing NW Folklife to showcase our network of artists in a local business that celebrates the age-old craft of beermaking. MBC is all about strengthening community and creating a welcoming gathering space for families, friends, and those who appreciate exceptional beer. Located in the Central District, Seattle's Historic Black neighborhood, Métier is one of the few Black-owned breweries in the country. As part of last year's Cultural Focus, Metamorphosis, this partnership helps reclaim the dynamism of Folk as a way of life for people of all backgrounds, heritages, and traditions, not merely a stigmatized musical genre.

The series is every first Thursday.

Coming up April 3: Demarcus Baysmore is a skilled and engaging guitarist from Texas who is best known for his jazz, blues, and funk musical stylings. He began playing at age twelve and has since performed across the northwest in venues both large and small with a wide variety of talented musicians throughout his career. Demarcus studied guitar at Oklahoma Baptist University and the Navy School of Music before joining Navy Band Northwest, where he played and toured as their guitarist for four years. Upon moving to the Pacific Northwest in 2019, Demarcus quickly became immersed in the Seattle music community and has collaborated with numerous musicians and groups as a performer, writer, and recording artist. Influenced by musicians like Wes Montgomery, Mark Lettieri, and Tosin Abasi, Demarcus aims to inspire creativity in not only his listeners, but also fellow musicians and students through his music and teaching.

Stay tuned for more info about future concerts.

Northwest Folklife is truly excited to partner with Métier Brewing Company to share in our ethos that folk and craft is a product of and for Our Beloved Community.

For over 30 years, the Broadway Farmers Market has brought together the highest quality local growers, specialty food producers, hot food vendors, and artisans. There is something for everyone on Broadway, including weekly music. Come for lunch – Shop for dinner! The market is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Get more information here.

July through September, join KNKX for First Thursday Music, and we invite you to stop by the KNKX booth which will be set up in front of our Tacoma studios on Broadway.

DogEar is BIMA’s festival of all things related to artists’ books and printmaking, and a joyous celebration of our major artist’s books exhibition, Power of the Presses.

This three-day festival will feature:

Presentations by Elizabeth Ajunwa, Mare Blocker, Jenie Gao, and more!
Bushwick Book Club Concert (Paid ticket)
BIMA's 2nd Edible Book Competition
Letterpress Printing with Amos Kennedy Jr.
[BIMA STORE SALE]
Storytime with Mare
Drop-in Art Projects
St. Rita’s Traveling Bookmobile
Black Box Video Room: "What is an Artist's Book?"
Self-serve Typewriter Poetry
Film
Music
AND MORE!

Sponsored by KNKX. Legendary California jazz-funk revivalists The Greyboy Allstars first played together at San Diego’s Green Circle Bar in 1994, when DJ Greyboy assembled an all-star combo of local players to join him onstage. With Greyboy as producer, provocateur, and namesake for the new group, they honed their take on the revolutionary funk of Grant Green, Idris Muhammad, and James Brown’s infamous J.B.’s. While Greyboy himself moved on to other projects, the band preserved his visionary spirit, with each Allstar contributing a legacy of their own. Saxophonist and flutist Karl Denson first turned heads playing on essential Lenny Kravitz albums Let Love Rule and Mama Said, then led Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe. He’s toured as a member of The Rolling Stones since 2014 and appeared as the Sexual Chocolate sax player in Eddie Murphy’s iconic Coming to America. Guitarist Michael Andrews—or Elgin Park, if you prefer—is a noted film composer whose work on Donnie Darko (with his signature cover of Tears for Fears’ “Mad World”) remains central to its cult status. Keyboardist Robert Walter leads Robert Walter’s 20th Congress, and plays with Mike Gordon from Phish. Bassist Chris Stillwell and drummer Aaron Redfield are in-demand session standouts, with credits alongside Sia, Elton John, CeeLo, and Charli XCX.

April is Literacy Awareness Month! Rally in support of lifelong learning by registering for the first ever Literacy is a Big Dill Pickleball Tournament. Whether you’re a seasoned competitor or new to the game, join the fun-filled weekend featuring both competitive and recreational brackets for players of all skill levels to participate.

This unique tournament brings community together for two days of fun, exercise, and philanthropy. Just as athletics promote physical and mental well-being, literacy and library programs foster cognitive development, curiosity, and discovery.

Tacoma Public Library Foundation believes libraries are vital to building strong, compassionate, and prepared communities, and that learning is a human right. Through outreach and philanthropy, the Foundation strengthens Tacoma Public Library’s vision to be a radically welcoming, trusted community hub where all people can find joy, compassion, and inspiration.

Garfield High School Jazz celebrates the life and legacy of Quincy Jones (Class of 1950), highlighting his unique library of work and collaborations with Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald.

Quincy Jones is recognized worldwide as a titan of music, but he is especially near and dear to us in Seattle, the Central District, and at his alma mater, Garfield High School. After graduating from Garfield in 1950, Jones went on to become a prolific arranger, composer, and bandleader. This performance will highlight a period from 1958 to 1966, during which Jones released several albums featuring arrangements for the Count Basie Orchestra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra. A key moment in this collaboration was the 1966 Las Vegas residency, with Jones leading the Count Basie Orchestra as they backed Sinatra. A live album, Sinatra at the Sands (1966), recorded at the Las Vegas Sands Hotel and Casino, captures this iconic moment in history. We will also perform many of Quincy’s most popular compositions from self-titled albums.

Jones passed away this past November at the age of 91, leaving behind a legacy of over seven decades in music. His career includes 28 Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Tony Award, and seven Academy Award nominations, along with four Golden Globe nominations. Following the 2008 remodel of Garfield High School, the auditorium was renamed the Quincy Jones Performance Center in his honor.

Under the direction of Jared Sessink, the Garfield Jazz Program continues a tradition of musical excellence, celebrating the big band works of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Quincy Jones, and others. Garfield Jazz has participated in the Essentially Ellington competition and festival 20 times, starting in 1999. The program currently serves over 90 students across three big band ensembles and a vocal jazz ensemble. Garfield High School, located in Seattle's Central District, is a public school that attracts students from a variety of backgrounds.

This performance is a fundraiser supported by the Garfield Jazz Foundation, the non-profit, all parent volunteer organization that provides the resources to nurture, sustain, and develop the Garfield High School Jazz Program. One hundred percent of your donations go directly to the advancement of our student musicians.

Combining evening performances with daytime in-school workings, The Westerlies created Westerlies Fest in 2018 to engage students and audiences in Seattle and surrounding underserved areas to give back to the city that raised them. To date, Westerlies Fest has presented over 30 artists including Celisse, Haley Heynderickx, Samora Pinderhughes, Sarah Kay, Phil Kaye, Kate Davis, Theo Bleckmann, Robin Holcomb, Troy Osaki, and more.

Wednesday, April 9th • 7:30pm
The Past Delivers: Music for Ballet
The Chapel Performance Space

Thursday, April 10th • 7:30pm
Songbook, Vol. 3: Live Recording
Fremont Abbey

Friday, April 11th • 7:30pm
The Westerlies play Bill Frisell
The Royal Room

Supported by KNKX. Multifaceted American jazz pianist and composer Emmet Cohen is one of his generation's pivotal figures in music and the related arts. Leader of the Emmet Cohen Trio and creator of the Masters Legacy Series, he is an internationally acclaimed jazz artist, a dedicated educator, the winner of the 2019 American Pianists Awards, and a finalist in the 2011 Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition. Cohen headlines regularly at Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Village Vanguard, and Birdland, and has appeared at the Newport, Monterey, and North Sea jazz festivals. His artistry has taken him to venues and festivals in over 30 countries. Cohen's entrepreneurial energies led to his developing "Live From Emmet's Place," a live-streamed "Harlem rent party" that unites a worldwide audience via tens of millions of internet views.

Person, whose influences include Gene Ammons, Illinois Jacquet, Harold Land, Hank Mobley, and Sonny Stitt, has for many years booked his own gigs and produced his own records. Veteran jazz singer Etta Jones, best known for her 1960 hit “Don’t Go to Strangers” on Prestige, was the featured vocalist with Person’s combo from 1973 until her death in 2001. He produced numerous albums by Jones for the Muse and High Note labels, as well as discs for Ernie Andrews, Charles Brown Joey DeFrancesco, Charles Earland, Red Holloway, David “Fathead” Newman, Richard Wyands, and others.

BirdFest offers a major birding event in the wild and untamed Olympic Peninsula, hosted at the new facility of the Dungeness River Nature Center. The North Olympic Peninsula comprises a strip of coastlines and forests between the million-acre Olympic National Park and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The steep rise of the mountains allows birders to sample coastal, riparian, forested and montane habitats in close proximity. The Dungeness River Watershed, for example, drops from 7800 feet to the sea in only 32 miles. The central location of the Dungeness River Nature Center puts all these habitats within reach of birders.

Participants can choose to visit Neah Bay near the northwesternmost point of the continental United States in the territory of the Makah Tribe, or to walk the longest natural sand spit in the nation at Dungeness Spit, now under management by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe. The Elwha River, freed in 2014 by the largest dam removal project in the United States, offers riparian birding. Other field trips will explore Sequim Bay, Port Angeles Harbor, Dungeness Bay, Ediz Hook and wooded areas and fields.

The April dates of Olympic BirdFest allow birders to catch wintering birds such as harlequin and long-tailed ducks, along with spring migrants such as the rufous hummingbirds that arrive in this area with the blooming of red-flowering currants in early April.

Whether you’re a seasoned birder, a nature enthusiast, or simply curious about the diverse ecosystems of the Dungeness River Watershed, we invite you to enjoy the birds and landscapes of the North Olympic Peninsula with us!

In addition to the field trips, birders may participate in presentations, workshops and a banquet (with great food, a speaker and a raffle of birding-centric items).

Sponsored by KNKX. Blues legend Taj Mahal joins Leyla McCalla in a not-to-be-missed concert inspired by Afrobeat, Brazilian Tropicalismo and American roots music.

Taj Mahal has recorded dozens of records, won numerous awards and has been inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame. In Black Banjo, he joins forces with Leyla McCalla, a Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist who first gained renown as a member of The Carolina Chocolate Drops alongside bandmate Rhiannon Giddens, and has now created a distinctive sound all her own.