Jane Bunnett & Maqueque at Jazz Alley

On May 12 and May 13, Jazz Alley, in Seattle, welcomed Jane Bunnett and Maqueque to the stage. Band members the Canadian bandleader Jane Bunnett (sax/flute), Dayme (percussion), Yissey (drums), Danae (piano), Celia (guitar/bass) and Magdelys (batas/congos). Except for Bunnett all members of the band are from Cuba.

Ester Rada at the Stroum Jewish Community Center

On May 3, 2015, Israeli-Ethiopian vocalist Ester Rada led her band into the Stroum Jewish Community Center Arts Stage, on Mercer Island. 

Earlier this year, BBC News described her as follows:

“Ester Rada is an arresting young singer-songwriter with a rich musical heritage. Her Ethiopian roots are clearly audible in her music. But so is the influence of Israel where she grew up and now lives.

“Her EP, Life Happens, released in 2013, was a confident debut showcasing her powerful, soulful voice and seductive combination of Ethiopian Jazz, funk and R&B.”

After experiencing her performance, I'm buying the BBC News description, only adding that African American female vocalists, perhaps especially Nina Simone, also strongly inform her approach.

Delfos Danza Contemporanea at Olympic Sculpture Park

On April 11, 2015, Delfos Danza Contemporanea, from Mazatlán, México, presented a pop-up performance in the Olympic Sculpture Park. The dance company was in Seattle as part of the University of Washington World Series performance program. The Olympic Sculpture Park is a campus of the Seattle Art Museum. The dancers performed amidst a new installation by artist Sam Vernon.

Willie Jones III Quintet at Jazz Alley

On April 8, 2015, the Willie Jones III Quintet performed a scintillating set at Jazz Alley, in Seattle.

Willie Jones, III - drums

Eddie Henderson - trumpet

Ralph Moore - sax

Eric Reed - piano

Buster Williams - bass

Sam Vernon Installation at the Olympic Sculpture Park

In March, 2015, Sam Vernon sited a new installation, How Ghosts Sleep: Seattle, in the pavilion of the Olympic Sculpture Park. Assisting Vernon in the installation process was graphic designer Loide Marwanga. Consisting of stark black-and-white wall graphics and fabric ceiling hangings, Vernon’s work will be on view through March 6, 2016. The Olympic Sculpture Park is a campus of the Seattle Art Museum.

Sam Vernon

Sam Vernon & graphic designer Loide Marwanga