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  • Jan 22 Saturday

    Coco Montoya

    Dimitriou's Jazz Alley
    $34.50
    Every week through Jan 23, 2022.
    Sunday: 07:00 PM - 09:00 PM
    Thursday: 07:30 PM - 09:00 PM
    Friday: 07:30 PM - 09:00 PM
    Friday: 09:30 PM - 11:00 PM
    Saturday: 07:30 PM - 09:00 PM
    Saturday: 09:30 PM - 11:00 PM
    Between his white-hot guitar playing and his soulful, emotional vocals, Coco Montoya has talent to burn. In a career that spans almost four decades, he’s gone from drumming for blues icon Albert Collins to holding the lead guitar spot in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers to leading his own band and touring worldwide. Montoya is revered for his ability to move from subtly melodic guitar playing to slash-and-burn pyrotechnics. Equally forceful are his deep, soul-baring vocals. Years of constant touring have earned him his position at the top of the contemporary blues world. And it all started with a chance meeting in the mid-1970s with legendary bluesman Albert Collins, who offered Montoya a spot in his band, where he stayed for the next five years. Coco was initially hired as Collins’ drummer and later—with Albert mentoring him on the guitar—became the band’s rhythm guitarist. A few years after leaving Collins’ band, British blues star John Mayall heard Coco jamming onstage and was so impressed that he hired him for the newly reformed Bluesbreakers. When Montoya launched his solo career in 1993, he already had an instantly recognizable burning-hot sound and style all his own. His debut album solidified his stature as the blues’ newest rising star. Over the course of his nine previous solo albums, Montoya has consistently delivered piping hot blues, rock and soul. His new album (his fifth for Alligator), Coming In Hot, is another instant classic. Montoya’s fiery, melodic guitar playing and passionate vocals fuel one memorable song after another. Guitar Player says Montoya plays “stunning, powerhouse blues with a searing tone, emotional soloing, and energetic, unforced vocals.” In 2000, Coco’s Alligator debut, Suspicion, quickly became the best-selling album of his career. Montoya’s fan base exploded. After two more highly successful and massively popular Alligator releases—2002’s Can’t Look Back and 2007’s Dirty Deal—Montoya signed with Ruf Records, cutting both a live and a studio album. Returning to Alligator with 2017’s Hard Truth, Montoya delivered another fan and critical favorite. “Montoya unleashes one career-topping performance after another.” declared Blues Matters, “the music immediately ranking among the best he’s ever recorded.” Now, with Coming In Hot, Coco Montoya again turns the burners to high and cooks from start to finish. According to Living Blues, “Montoya is a show-stopper…heartfelt singing and merciless guitar with a wicked icy burn…he swings like a jazz man and stings like the Iceman.” ~ Albert Collins.
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  • Jan 22 Saturday

    PuSh International Performing Arts Festival in Vancouver, B.C.

    PuSh Festival
    See website for schedule and ticketing information.
    12:00 AM - 11:59 PM, every day through Feb 06, 2022.
    The PuSh International Performing Arts Festival returns live in 2022! This year, PuSh will present 14 original works, including two world, and two Canadian premieres that will stimulate, entertain, inspire, and compel. The 18-day festival presents an emotionally honest, politically daring program of spell-binding dance, eclectic music, cutting-edge theatre and innovative multimedia extravaganzas.
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  • Jan 23 Sunday

    Mostly Nordic Chamber Music Series: Finnish Fanfare featuring Cascadia Brass

    National Nordic Museum
    $25 for Members; $30 general admission; $10 students
    02:00 PM - 04:00 PM on Sun, 23 Jan 2022
    Sponsored by KNKX. Finland's long-standing brass band tradition started with military bands, accompanying kings and czars or leading soldiers as they marched. It quickly evolved, however, into entertainment for the common people at folk dances and hunting parties, and later into the world of jazz. It even followed Finnish immigrants to America. The highly acclaimed Cascadia Brass returns to take us on a tour of the evolution of the Finnish brass ensemble, in a grand fanfare to welcome back our Mostly Nordic series!<br/><br/><br/><br/>
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  • Jan 31 Monday

    SuperBlue: Kurt Elling featuring Charlie Hunter

    The Triple Door
    $36 Advance // $40 Day of // $45 Premium Seating
    07:30 PM - 09:00 PM, every day through Feb 02, 2022.
    Presented by KNKX. Renowned for his singular combination of robust swing and poetic insight, two-time GRAMMY winner Kurt Elling has secured his place among the world’s foremost jazz vocalists. The New York Times proclaimed Elling, “the standout male vocalist of our time”. Over a twenty-five year career of touring and recording, Elling has won three Prix du Jazz Vocal (France), two German Echo Awards, two Dutch Edison Awards, and has been nominated for a GRAMMY award fifteen times. He has had a 14-year run atop the DownBeat Critics and Readers polls, and has won twelve Jazz Journalists Awards for “Male Vocalist of the Year”.<br/><br/>For his self-titled 1993 debut CD, Hunter played a seven-string guitar for the duality effect, locking down the bottom with drummer Jay Lane and mixing melodically with saxophonist David Ellis. But on his trio's sophomore 1995 release, Bing, Bing, Bing, Hunter unveiled his custom-made Novax eight-string, the guitar that finally allowed him to realize his capacity.<br/><br/>
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  • Feb 11 Friday

    Noir City Seattle

    SIFF Cinema Egyptian
    See website for schedule and ticket prices.
    12:00 AM - 11:59 PM, every day through Feb 17, 2022.
    Sponsored by KNKX. Based on “Czar of Noir” Eddie Muller's recently re-published book "Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir," the 2022 program will include films from all the finer Dark City neighborhoods—Shamus Flats, Knockover Square, Vixenville, Blind Alley and Hate Street, with stops at The City Desk, The Psych Ward, Losers' Lane, The Big House and other dark alleys. Eddie will be at the Festival in person, February 11-13.<br/><br/>
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  • Feb 25 Friday

    JazzVox House Concert: Tierney Sutton, Serge Merlaud & Bill Anschell on Bainbridge Island

    Jazz Vox House Concert
    $43
    Every week through Feb 27, 2022.
    Sunday: 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM
    Friday: 07:00 PM - 08:30 PM
    Saturday: 08:00 PM - 09:30 PM
    Season 15 begins with a stellar lineup of performers! Next up: Tierney Sutton w/ Serge Merlaud & Bill Anschell! Nine-time Grammy nominated vocalist Tierney Sutton is known for her imaginative treatments of The Great American Songbook. Heralded for her abilities as both a jazz storyteller and her ability to use her voice as an instrument... we are so excited to have Tierney Sutton joining the JazzVox line-up this season! She will be joined by French guitarist and composer Serge Merlaud who was an integral part of Tierney's recording "Paris Sessions". She also requested to have Seattle's own treasure Bill Anschell on piano - someone with whom she has had a long musical history. Can't wait to hear this trio together!<br/><br/>
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  • Mar 12 Saturday

    Peter Sagal

    Pantages Theater
    $29, $35, $52, $65
    07:30 PM - 09:00 PM on Sat, 12 Mar 2022
    Presented by KNKX. As the host of National Public Radio’s Wait Wait ... Don’t Tell Me!, Peter Sagal is heard by more than 3 million people every week. Sagal attended Harvard University and subsequently embarked on a lively career as a literary manager for a regional theater, stage director, actor, extra in a Michael Jackson video, travel writer, essayist, ghostwriter for a former adult film impresario, and staff writer for a motorcycle magazine. He is the author of numerous plays that have been performed in large and small theaters around the country and abroad. In his current role with Wait, Wait..., Sagal leads guest panelists in a satirical romp through the week’s news. He will talk about this experience in his Tacoma Arts Live appearance, offering both colorful commentary on current events and a behind-the-scenes peek at the funniest show on radio.<br/><br/>
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  • Jan 23 Sunday

    Pink Martini

    Pantages Theater
    $35, $59, $85, $110
    07:30 PM - 09:00 PM on Sun, 23 Jan 2022
    Presented by KNKX. Featuring a dozen musicians, with songs in 25 languages, Pink Martini performs its multilingual repertoire on concert stages and with symphony orchestras throughout Europe, Asia, Greece, Turkey, the Middle East, Northern Africa, Australia, New Zealand, South America and North America. Pink Martini made its European debut at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997 and its orchestral debut with the Oregon Symphony in 1998 under the direction of Norman Leyden. Since then, the band has gone on to play with more than 50 orchestras around the world, including multiple engagements with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, the Boston Pops, the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center, the San Francisco Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, and the BBC Concert Orchestra at Royal Albert Hall in London. Other appearances include the grand opening of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall, sold-out concerts at Carnegie Hall; the opening party of the remodeled Museum of Modern Art in New York City; the Governor’s Ball at the 80th Annual Academy Awards in 2008; three sold out shows with the Sydney Symphony at the Sydney Opera House; multiple sold-out appearances, and a festival opening, at the Montreal Jazz Festival, sold-out concerts at Paris’ legendary L’Olympia Theatre in 2011 and 2016; and Paris’ fashion house Lanvin’s 10-year anniversary celebration for designer Alber Elbaz in 2012. In 2014, Pink Martini was inducted into both the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame and the Oregon Music Hall of Fame.<br/><br/>Pink Martini has released 11 studio albums on its own independent label Heinz Records (named after Lauderdale’s dog), selling over 3 million albums worldwide. In 2018, Pink Martini released a special 20th Anniversary Edition of its seminal debut album <i>Sympathique</i>, the album which catapulted them onto the international stage.<br/><br/>
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  • Jan 25 Tuesday

    Marissa Licata--Strings on Fire

    Royal Room
    $15
    07:30 PM - 09:00 PM on Tue, 25 Jan 2022
    New York and Boston based, Honduran American violinist, Marissa Licata, is a star powerhouse soloist. Her electrifying passion and vibrant presence have been featured on world-renowned stages across 4 continents. With over 15 years of classical violin training, and her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the New England Conservatory of Music, Marissa proved her natural versatility and quickly became high in demand as both a soloist and recording artist on violin and viola — collaborating and performing on national and international tours with Jethro Tull, Alicia Keys, Wyclef Jean, H.E.R., James Montgomery, Mario Frangoulis, Ben Harper, Ringo Starr, K. Michelle, Dave Stewart of Eurythmics, Gloria Estefan, Pras of the Fugees, and many more.<br/><br/>Ms. Licata has continued to remain active within the orchestral, chamber music, and Broadway scenes, guesting at festivals throught the Northeast, performing with the Boston Ballet, The Radio City Music Hall ‘Christmas Spectacular’, and holding the concertmistress position for the musical theater world premieres of, most notibaly, Alanis Morisette’s ‘Jagged Little Pill’ , and Dave Malloy’s ‘Moby-Dick: The Musical’.<br/><br/>Marissa has appeared on ‘Good Morning America’, ‘The View’, ‘The Latin Grammys’, and ‘Jimmy Kimmel’, launching the violinist into the solo spotlight once again — headlining a sold out debut appearence at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston, and many return dates over the years. Most recently, in September of 2021, she made her long awaited debut at the famed Birdland! in New York City’s Times Square (originally scheduled for March of 2020), presenting ’Strings On Fire’.<br/><br/>Her dazzling intensity on stage has been mesmerizing audiences, fellow artists and fans everywhere. With a resume of global accomplishment, drawing on World music influences from Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East – ‘Strings On Fire’ is Marissa’s unique Gypsy fusion, highlighting universally familiar melodies with contagious rhythmic energy – a relentlessness presented with tremendous passion, heart, joy, and a stylish flair all her own.<br/><br/>For this show, Marissa will be joined by Greg Fulton-Guitar, Dave Pascal-Bass, Shannon Ford-Drums, and guest vocalist Alexandria Henderson.<br/><br/>
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  • Jan 29 Saturday

    Rise Up: The Music of Hamilton and Broadway

    Royal Room
    Shows at 5 and 8 p.m. $20 advance, $25 door
    12:00 AM - 12:00 AM on Sat, 29 Jan 2022
    Don’t throw away your shot to see Rise Up! Rise Up is an ensemble of top Seattle vocalists and musicians that performs the music of <i>Hamilton</i> and other Broadway hits including <i>In the Heights</i>, <i>Dear Evan Hansen</i>, <i>Rent</i>, <i>Wicked</i>, <i>Waitress</i>, and more.<br/><br/>Rise Up delivers a performance that captures all the sophistication, detail and emotion of the music of <i>Hamilton</i> and Broadway. Rise Up has performed throughout the Northwest at venues including The Triple Door, Benaroya Hall, Washington Center for the Performing Arts, Alberta Rose Theater (Portland), Rialto Theater (Tacoma) and many others. Rise Up was runner up for Seattle Weekly’s Best of Seattle 2018 Best Musical Act, and was named Kirkland Performance Center’s 2019 Artist of the Year.<br/><br/>
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  • Jan 30 Sunday

    Julius Caesar

    Eastvold Auditorium in Karen Hille Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
    $5-17
    03:00 PM - 05:00 PM on Sun, 30 Jan 2022
    PLU Opera presents Julius Caesar by G. F. Handel. Legends collide in Handel's operatic masterpiece. The love story of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar is fraught with murder and political intrigue. Performed with chamber orchestra in Italian with English supertitles. Conducted by Jim Brown and stage directed by Barry Johnson. The concert will be livestreamed via the following link: SOAC Webcast The School of Arts and Communication guidelines for all performances open to external audiences: Proof of COVID-19 vaccination (or proof of negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of the start time) prior to entry into the performance venue. Those younger than 12 are excluded from this policy. Mask wearing for the audience throughout the entire performance. PLU community members (those with a PLU ID) are exempt from showing additional proof of vaccination status, since these have already been submitted and reviewed.
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  • Feb 09 Wednesday

    Ladysmith Black Mambazo

    Neptune Theatre
    $35
    08:00 PM - 09:30 PM on Wed, 9 Feb 2022
    For 60 years, South Africa’s five-time Grammy Award winners, Ladysmith Black Mambazo has warmed the hearts of audiences worldwide with uplifting vocal harmonies, signature dance moves and charming onstage banter. It was Paul Simon’s 1987 Graceland album that introduced Ladysmith Black Mambazo to the world. The late former South African President Nelson Mandela designated the group “South Africa’s cultural ambassadors to the world,” a title the members carry with them with the highest honor. In 2018 the group received not one but two Grammy Award nominations for two separate albums, a first in the history of World Music. These two nominations brought their career total to 19 Grammy Award nominations. One of these albums, Shaka Zulu Revisited, won Best World Music Album. This was the group’s fifth Grammy Award win, the most for any World Music group. In 2019, Ladysmith Black Mambazo collaborated for the third time with the famed Steppenwolf Theatre Company on a production entitled Lindiwe and released an album with songs from the show.<br/><br/>Ladysmith Black Mambazo has performed for millions of people, singing a message of peace, love and harmony.<br/><br/>
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  • Feb 13 Sunday

    Organ Series: Mark Brombaugh

    Lagerquist Concert Hall in Mary Baker Russell Music Center
    $5-17
    03:00 PM - 04:30 PM on Sun, 13 Feb 2022
    Come see Mark Brombaugh play on one of the most highly regarded mechanical action organs in the country! The School of Arts and Communication guidelines for all performances open to external audiences: Proof of COVID-19 vaccination (or proof of negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of the start time) prior to entry into the performance venue. Those younger than 12 are excluded from this policy. Mask wearing for the audience throughout the entire performance. PLU community members (those with a PLU ID) are exempt from showing additional proof of vaccination status, since these have already been submitted and reviewed.
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  • Feb 13 Sunday

    Tangoheart: A Piazzolla Valentine

    Royal Room
    $20
    07:00 PM - 09:00 PM on Sun, 13 Feb 2022
    Come celebrate Valentine’s Day a day early with the passion and high drive of Astor Piazzolla’s iconic Nuevo Tango repertoire, played by Seattle’s foremost authentic Argentine tango quintet “Tangoheart”. Led by the Argentine bandoneon of Bertram Levy, the group features Andy Carr on piano, Ruthie Dornfeld on violin, Dorothy Shapiro on viola, and Todd Gowers on bass. For Piazzolla fans, this is a real Seattle event. Previous Royal Room Tangoheart Valentine specials have sold out, so reserve early!
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  • Feb 20 Sunday

    Mostly Nordic Chamber Music Series--From Sweden With Love: A Cultural Exchange

    National Nordic Museum
    $25 for Members; $30 general admission; $10 students
    02:00 PM - 04:00 PM on Sun, 20 Feb 2022
    Sponsored by KNKX. In an exciting collaboration with The Sound Ensemble and internationally recognized composers Marie Samuelsson and Sarah Bassingthwaighte, we are pleased to celebrate the incredible offerings being made to contemporary classical music by composers from both the United States and Sweden. Highlighted in this program of chamber music from both countries and performed by some of the best chamber musicians in our region, world premieres of works by each collaborating composer will be presented again by KammarensembleN in Stockholm later in the year.<br/>
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  • Feb 20 Sunday

    Artist Series: Erik Steighner

    Lagerquist Concert Hall in Mary Baker Russell Music Center
    Free
    03:00 PM - 04:30 PM on Sun, 20 Feb 2022
    Come see renowned PLU faculty Erik Steighner and Oksana Ejokina on the saxophone and piano in this Concert Series Event. Featured performer, Erik Steighner, has credits ranging from the San Antonio Symphony to Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra and more. For School of Arts and Communication Guest artists/lecturers (class, performance, or masterclass) and all non-PLU participants at enrichment events: Proof of COVID-19 vaccination (or proof of negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of the start time) prior to the event. Those younger than 12 are excluded from this policy. Mask wearing throughout the event (exceptions as noted below). At the discretion of the respective faculty member or performance director, masks may be removed by students (and faculty/director) when actively engaging in rehearsal and/or performance of university sponsored performances, productions, and events as well as for similar discipline-specific performance-based classes in music, theatre, and dance.
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  • Feb 25 Friday

    Global Rhythms: Kiki Valera y su Son Cubano

    Town Hall Seattle - The Great Hall
    $15-$20
    07:30 PM - 09:00 PM on Fri, 25 Feb 2022
    Son Cubano is a musical genre that originated in the mountains of eastern Cuba and rose in popularity throughout the 20th century. With its Spanish and African origins, call-and-response format, and infectious percussion beats, Son Cubano was a major influence on many other forms of music, from mambo and salsa to jazz and cha-cha-chá. But you can’t talk about Son Cubano without talking about Kiki Valera. Born the oldest son in the famous multigenerational musical family, La Familia Valera Miranda, Valera quite literally grew up living and breathing the deep-rooted musical traditions of eastern Cuba. Valera, like most of his family, is a virtuoso. A multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, sound engineer, and producer, he’s best known as one of the world’s greatest players of the Cuban cuatro, a mid-size, 8-stringed guitar. Today, Valera directs, composes, arranges, and performs internationally and performs and teaches in Seattle, where he contributes to the vibrant music scene of the Pacific Northwest.
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