Jul 02 Thursday
Enjoy a free summer evening of live jazz outdoors in Bellevue on June 18, June 25, and July 2. Bring friends, relax outside, and enjoy great music in a welcoming community atmosphere. Feel free to bring food or snacks and make an evening of it.
Swing Arts Foundation, in collaboration with the Bellevue Programming Fund, is hosting a free outdoor series featuring live jazz from 7–9 PM. A free beginner swing dance lesson will be offered from 6:30–7 PM, followed by social dancing and live music. A short swing dance demonstration will take place during the band break, but everyone is welcome whether you want to dance, listen, or simply enjoy the music.
The series features Jon Lee and the High Tune Antiques on June 18, Christian Pincock and his band on June 25, and the Jumpin' Jennies on July 2. Admission is free and all are welcome.
It’s the jukebox musical nobody asked for! First there was Mamma Mia!, then Jersey Boys, then Beautiful: The Carole King Musical—and now, at last, there’s We Ain’t Ever Gonna Break Up, the bio-musical that charts the fictional lives of the most famous folk duo that never existed, chock full of the absolute best songs from their completely fictional catalogue.
From their earliest days performing Christian folk through an unforgettably muddy performance at Woodstock to their hysterically misguided children’s television show, Saul Hymon and Bart Parfunkel have lived (and sung!) through it all. Expect an evening of ear-to-ear smiles and belly-laughs as Hymon and Parfunkel—in tour-de-force performances by writers Gregg Hammer and Louis Pardo—satirically skewer the jukebox musical while playing every role (and every instrument!) in this brand-new feel-good buddy show.
Will the perfect fictional folk duo find superstardom, or will they break up? You’ll have to come see to find out!
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.”
Alex Dugdale is very excited to celebrate the release of his second album with his funky project DecaDance. This ten piece funk inspired ensemble features seattles top jazz and soul talent. Welcome to the Party!
Alto/Tenor Saxophone/vocals - Alex DugdaleTrumpet-Mike MinesTrumpet-Walter CanoTenor/Baritone Saxophone - Jory TindallTrombone-Audrey StanglandGuitar- Demarcus BaysmoreHammond Organ/Vocals - Melissa MontaltoKeyboard- Reshard RadfordDrums-Max HolmbergBass-Marina ChristopherVocals- Yusef Seevers
book by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutruxoriginal concept and direction by Floyd Mutruxinspired by Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkinsdirected by Emily A. Rollie
December 4, 1956. Sun Records. One legendary night. When a twist of fate brings Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins into the same Memphis recording studio, music history is made. Inspired by the true story of that once-in-a-lifetime jam session, Million Dollar Quartet is a Tony Award-nominated high-octane rock ’n’ roll musical packed with heart, history, and hit after iconic hit. From “Blue Suede Shoes” to “Great Balls of Fire,” this electrifying celebration of talent, fame, and raw sound takes you inside the night that changed music forever.
Jul 03 Friday
Born in the UK | Forged in the USA | Triple Grammy nominated | 30+ years at forefront of contemporary jazz
For more than three decades, the triple Grammy-nominated Acoustic Alchemy have pushed the limits of the potential of the acoustic guitar by embracing a spectrum of musical styles ranging from straight-ahead jazz to folk to rock to world music and beyond. Since their earliest recordings – despite a tragic setback in the late 1990s and the inherent challenges of the 21st century music industry – the group has assembled and sustained a vast and loyal following that stretches well beyond their U.K. origins. Through it all, the overriding mission of Acoustic Alchemy has been to reach the broadest possible audience by pushing the potential of instrumental music to embrace a broad spectrum of styles without being limited to any specific genre.
A PREMIERE WEST COAST EXPERIENCE
The Vancouver International Jazz Festival is held in multiple locations across the beautiful city of Vancouver. Framed by mountains and the ocean, this idyllic location is the perfect place to get your musical fix.
Featuring- Tomoki Sanders Quartet with Todd Stewart Trio, The Ex with Grdina/Lillinger, Keyon Harrold “Foreverland and Songs For Miles,” Voodoo: The Music of D’Angelo, Isaiah Collier “Collier Plays Coltrane” and many others.
In celebration of its 30th anniversary, the Washington State Historical Society invites you to explore the history of building the State History Museum. 30 Years and Counting: The Making of the Washington State History Museum is a special exhibition that uncovers the vision, effort, and community spirit that brought this iconic Tacoma landmark to life.
Discover the bold ideas and architectural ingenuity that shaped the museum’s distinctive look. From early sketches to final blueprints, see how the building’s design reflects both innovation and reverence for Washington’s past. Go behind the scenes of the museum’s construction. Through photographs and artifacts from the building process, witness how a dream took shape—brick by brick, beam by beam.
Staff Picks: 30 Objects for 30 Years
In a special feature area, museum staff share their favorite objects from the collection—each one a personal reflection on the power of history to inspire, surprise, and connect us.
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.
This is a permanent exhibition. Since time immemorial, Tribal nations have existed in this place we call Washington. This Is Native Land invites visitors to understand Washington State through the lived experiences and voices of its Native people.
Tribal nations are sovereign nations. Today, Native history, culture, and community thrive in our state. Through everyday acts of sovereignty – big and small – Indigenous peoples demonstrate they are still here, they have persevered, and they will always be here.
This Is Native Land is guided by three teachings:We are of the land and watersWith knowledge comes responsibilitySovereignty protects people, lands, and waters
These teachings are shared through multimedia, artwork, and interactive objects designed for guest engagement. They represent a contemporary continuation of Tribal stories and traditions.
Over 100 Native contributors from more than 60 Tribes shaped the exhibition’s stories and content. We thank the Native Advisory Committee and all community participants for their contributions.
