Parker Gambino

Busking Seattle – Nedy Johnson, Ballard Farmers Market  –  September 15, 2024

Unfortunately, I came upon Johnson near the end of her set, and did not get much of a sense of her oeuvre, other than a sweet voice.

Nedy Johnson

Busking Seattle  –  Jeffrey Childs  –  September 6, 2024

After departing the Linda From Work gig at Westlake Park and heading back to the parking lot, Dennis & I came upon Childs set up on a Pine Street sidewalk: electronic drums, a modest PA, drumming along, mostly to Motown.  Dennis humored me with a 15-minute slot, just about all I need.

Jeffrey Childs

Linda From Work – Westlake Park  –  September 6, 2024

LFW got an automatic favorability head start solely based on the band’s name.  A bit of prior research was helpful in ensuring that earplugs were brought for protection, and there is no pretense of lyrics awareness or careness.  Since I know the venue, and its capacity for accomodating watercolor work, my intention was to come loaded for bear.  Upon arrival, two realizations: sketchbook, check; water, check; paper towels, check; paints, NEGATIVE!  Thusly downgraded to the colored pencil set.  The second realization was that there was also an opening band (Black Ends), with a similar profile of lyrics potential.  So, the shorter sets all around wouldn’t have made for the best watercolor circumstances anyway.  Funny how things work out.

Linda From Work

Black Ends

Sparkle Shark String Band – 1000 Washington  –  August 14, 2024

One more new venue, one more new band.  Sparkle Shark covers a lot of bases.  The obvious bluegrass-oriented canon for sure (Ghost Riders), and the adjacent Dead/NRPS (Glendale Train), John Hiatt.  But why stop there, why not the Doors, or (wait for it…) Paula Abdul for the closer!  All three in front taking turns with vocals, and instrumental virtuosity all around.  The venue was a rooftop across from the convention center.  I came loaded for bear (watercolor), and was pleased to have plenty of elbow room, an extra chair and a stool to let me spread out the tools of trade, a pleasant contrast to the usual balancing act on my lap in the wind.  Focus, grasshopper!

Website:  https://sparklesharkmusic.com/

Sparkle Shark String Band

Busking Seattle – Ballard Farmers Market  –  August 4, 2024

This date saw two combos and an anonymous soloist.  I don’t approach kids this young for anything, high shcool age OK, and better if there is a group.  For the younger, I prefer to deal with parent/guardian who might be hovering.  It seemed there was a mother while I was sketching, but she was gone by the time I was ready to annotate.  Oh well.  On to my second high school jazz combo of the summer, this one from Lincoln High School.  No faculty in tow, but there was a mother who wanted to buy the portrait of her son on the spot.  I declined and offered my card so we could have more of a discussion later, never heard back.  Oh well.  She threw me $10 anyway!  Half of which I gave up to the final trio, of adults.

Sketcherfest – Edmonds & Vicinity –  July 21, 2024

Unlike last year, my Sketcherfest attendance was limited to a single afternoon.  I had greater ambitions for The Cottage bakery, but not everyone could get on the same page, so there was only the one.  After that it was usual suspects: musicians performing, and a few sundry people.  The players, from nearby Mount Lake Terrace High School listened pretty good to each other, not bad for high school!

The Cottage – bakery

Mount Lake Terrace High School Jazz Combo

Springs Eternal

David

The Tacoma Twister – Sunset Hill Community Hall  –  June 29, 2024

Our neighborhood association has gotten itself converted into a non-profit entity with a new name (Sunset Hill Community Hall, as above), and the summer barbecue/party was the final event under the old Sunset Hill Community Associate moniker.  Live music was provided by didgeridooist Carroll, among others.  The line of kiddie customers for balloon artist Davis, “an independent provider of inflatable wonders”, seemed to be non-stop for the entire hours-long event.

The Tacoma Twister

Tyler Carroll

Concert Truck  –  Washington Park Arboretum  –  June 28, 2024

The final concert in the series, devoted to Romance, took us to yet another previously unvisited venue; music and setting quite pleasant.  Four hands on the piano (Concert Truck co-hosts Nick Luby and Susan Zhang) closed it out with a stirring rambunctious reading of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.

https://www.seattlechambermusic.org

https://www.seattlechambermusic.org/concert-truck/

http://sterlingelliott.com           https://www.rachelleepriday.com/

Rachel Lee Priday

Sterling Elliott

Concert Truck  –  Seward Park  –  June 23, 2024

Our first visit to Seward Park, and a bald eagle flew overhead.  The theme for this concert was Song; from experience we approach with caution, trepidation about it not being so much for “our taste”.  But not to worry, some selections were instrumental arrangements that did not involve actual singing.   For those that did, vocalist Pohl presented introductory interpretive remarks for each selection that greatly enhanced our appreciation and fullest enjoyment.  She is very much in demand in PNW opera circles and beyond; her roles have included Stella in André Previn’s adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire, which I didn’t even know existed!  Presumably it is not the same as the musical treatment of the same play given in a Simpsons episode, with Marge as Stella!

https://www.seattlechambermusic.org

https://www.seattlechambermusic.org/concert-truck/

https://www.allisonpohl.com/       https://nathanchan.com/

Allison Pohl

Nathan Chan

Concert Truck – Wedgwood Presbyterian Church – June 20, 2024

This concert marked the return of Seattle Chamber Music Society’s Concert Truck sponsorship.  The theme was Dance (with some improvisations among the interpretations), and ain’t nothing better than Bartok’s Romanian Folk Dances.  But the program threw down plenty of competition: Piazzolla (Oblivion), John Adams (Short Ride in a Fast Machine), and capped off with Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre.

https://www.seattlechambermusic.org

https://www.seattlechambermusic.org/concert-truck/

https://www.kronbergacademy.de/en/person/evan-johanson

https://www.portlandpercussiongroup.com/mari-yoshinaga/

Evan Johanson

Mari Yoshinaga