Sep 29 Monday
The period from the 1870s to the 1900s, known as the Gilded Age, saw the rise of the railroad, textile industry, and production. It also saw a rise in migration to US cities, providing workers to fill low paying jobs producing many of the fashions of the era. This era marked a turning point in fashion as new technologies and changing cultural norms transformed the ways in which people dressed.
Explore this history and enjoy the rare chance to see clothing, notions, and artifacts of the period from the Washington State Historical Society collections.
Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music unveils the profound legacy of Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul artists who shaped the soundscape of American culture and used their music as instruments of resistance, identity, and representation.
Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul embody the profound influence of African American music on culture and history. From the spiritual foundations and transformative movements of Gospel hymns to the revolutionary improvisations of Jazz, the Blues’ Southern roots rising from the Mississippi Delta, and Soul’s powerful amplification of the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements, these genres have defined the unique sound and undying spirit of a nation that continues to echo through contemporary Black music today.
Got some singing chops? Come on down to our taproom every Monday night and show us what you've got! Sign ups start at 5pm and must be in person.
Just watching? Enjoy the show from 6-9pm.
Shows will take place in our covered heated outdoor patio weather permitting and indoors when weather is not!
It’s almost like being in love! Dance your way back in time to one of the most romantic musicals ever written, Lerner and Loewe’s Brigadoon. Americans Tommy and Jeff are hiking the Scottish Highlands, when out of the mists they stumble upon the enchanting village of Brigadoon, which appears for only one day every 100 years. But this dreamlike place is far more than it seems—and those who fall in love there might never be the same.
From the writers of My Fair Lady and Camelot comes this soaring love story, full of glorious ballet and favorite tunes like “Come to Me, Bend to Me,” “The Heather on the Hill” and “Almost Like Being in Love.” This production features an exquisite new adaptation, which enhances all the romance and magic that makes Brigadoon a truly timeless masterpiece.
Welcomed by KNKX. Frank Vignola is one of the most extraordinary guitarists performing before the public today. His stunning virtuosity has made him the guitarist of choice for many of the world’s top musicians, including Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, John Lewis, Tommy Emmanuel, Lionel Hampton, the Boston Pops, the New York Pops, and guitar legend Les Paul, who named Vignola to his “Five Most Admired Guitarists List:” for the Wall Street Journal.
His dynamic genre-spanning music has brought him to 21 countries on three continents – and still growing – performing in some of the world’s most illustrious venues, including the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, New York’s Lincoln Center, The Blue Note, and the world’s oldest indoor concert hall, Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Italy.
Pasquale Grasso - It was the kind of endorsement most rising guitarists can only dream of, and then some. In his interview for Vintage Guitar magazine’s February 2016 cover story, Pat Metheny was asked to name some younger musicians who’d impressed him. “The best guitar player I’ve heard in maybe my entire life is floating around now, Pasquale Grasso,” said the jazz-guitar icon and NEA Jazz Master. “This guy is doing something so amazingly musical and so difficult. “Mostly what I hear now are guitar players who sound a little bit like me mixed with a little bit of [John Scofield] and a little bit of [Bill Frisell],” he continued. “What’s interesting about Pasquale is that he doesn’t sound anything like that at all. In a way, it is a little bit of a throwback, because his model—which is an incredible model to have—is Bud Powell. He has somehow captured the essence of that language from piano onto guitar in a way that almost nobody has ever addressed. He’s the most significant new guy I’ve heard in many, many years.”
In Concert for Cancer’s 14th Annual Benefit Show brings star power to Seattle’s legendary Jazz Alley on Monday, September 29, 2025, celebrating the iconic music of Stevie Wonder while raising funds to support cancer patient families, cutting-edge treatments, and lifesaving research.
This year’s all-star lineup features a one-of-a-kind gathering of music luminaries:
• Kenny Lattimore – GRAMMY-winning singer and R&B Hall of Famer• Mindi Abair – Two-time GRAMMY-nominated saxophonist, singer, and songwriter• Danny Seraphine – Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and founding drummer of Chicago• Judith Hill – GRAMMY-winning singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist• Tony Grant – Acclaimed vocalist, actor, and lead singer of The Temptations
These five powerhouse performers unite for a one-night-only celebration of music and hope, taking the stage to uplift, inspire, and support those affected by cancer.
100% of proceeds from the show will benefit Seattle Children’s Hospital and the Cancer Vaccine Institute at UW Medicine—providing financial support to cancer patient families and advancing groundbreaking cancer research and treatments.
With three GRAMMY wins and a chart-topping debut album already under her belt, 24-year-old Samara Joy makes her case to join the likes of Sarah, Ella, and Billie as the next mononymous jazz singing sensation recorded by the venerable Verve Records. Her voice, rich and velvety yet precociously refined, has already earned her fans like Anita Baker and Regina King and appearances on the TODAY Show, The Tonight Show w/Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show w/Stephen Colbert, CBS Mornings, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, and more, in addition to millions of likes on TikTok — securing her status as perhaps the first Gen Z jazz vocal star. The New York Times praised the “silky-voiced rising star” for “helping jazz take a youthful turn” while NPR All Things Considered named her a “classic jazz singer from a new generation.”
In Concert for Cancer is a music-driven nonprofit that presents world-class benefit concerts and unique music experiences to uplift and support everyone touched by cancer. Its mission-driven programs raise awareness and critical funding to support families facing cancer, fuel medical innovation, and advance transformational research.
The organization is embraced and supported by GRAMMY Award-winning musicians, business leaders, and top cancer researchers.
Few figures in jazz history have experienced the kind of meteoric success that vocalist Samara Joy has, especially at such a young age. At just 25, her career is nothing short of sensational.
With five Grammy Awards to her name, including a Best New Artist win as well as an NAACP Image Award, Joy has achieved the kind of profile typically reserved for pop celebrities. Her visibility has made her a steady presence on network TV and a favorite among younger music fans, particularly on platforms like TikTok, where she’s helped introduce timeless American music to new generations. Her performance history reads like a who’s-who of the most legendary venues and events in jazz, with appearances at the Newport, Monterey, and Montreal Jazz Festivals, as well as iconic stages like the Apollo, Carnegie Hall, the Village Vanguard, and Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Joy’s rise has been accompanied by rave reviews. DownBeat called her breakout Verve Records debut Linger Awhile “a beautiful recording,” hailing her as “a silky-voiced star,” while The New York Times described her as a “rising star.” NPR referred to her as a “classic jazz singer from a new generation.” With each performance, she has earned a reputation as a masterful interpreter of jazz standards, drawing comparisons to her legendary jazz heroines, including Sarah Vaughan, Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln, and Carmen McRae.
Sep 30 Tuesday
How far can an apron, a bowl, or a book take one small Chinese girl with a passion to cook?
The Downtown Issaquah Association (DIA), in partnership with the Issaquah Library, returns the interactive Story Stroll™ to the windows of Olde Town businesses with the light-hearted dreams of a young Chinese chef. This year’s stroll features the inspiring and light-hearted tale of a young Chinese chef whose dreams would change America’s culinary landscape. All ages will delight in reading the historic tale while engaging with local businesses from Sept. 5 through Oct. 5, 2025.
Carrie Clickard’s delectable rhymes tell the story of how Joyce Chen, a girl born in Communist China, immigrated to the United States and popularized Chinese cooking. Illustrator Katy Wu brings this inspiring story beautifully and deliciously to life.
“This uplifting story will delight young children and their parents and grandparents,” said DIA President Christina Bruning. “We are taken on a journey that delights both palate and soul.”
The Story Stroll™ complements the city of Issaquah’s annual Culture Fest event on September 5, 2025, at the Issaquah Community Center. The celebration honors the area’s rich cultures from around the world. The free, family-friendly event spotlights the community’s cultural diversity. Festivities include music, world dances, interactive art, Henna art, resource booths, and food trucks.
Visitors are encouraged to experience both Culture Fest and the self-directed Story Stroll™, two engaging opportunities to celebrate our community’s diverse cultural heritage, discover ways to get involved locally, and support Issaquah’s unique small businesses.
