By a quirk of fate and booking, two outstanding visiting big bands will play opposite each other in Seattle on two nights next week. From New York, The Captain Black Big Band led by Orrin Evans will be at The Royal Room, and from New Orleans, Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra will be at Dimitrious Jazz Alley.
Both will play Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Their musical styles may be very different, but both bands represent their hometowns with a powerful punch. The Captain Black Big Band will be showcased this week on Jazz Northwest.
Also on this week's show is a remembrance of the late Waldo King who was founder of high school jazz band programs at Garfield, Franklin and Roosevelt High Schools in Seattle. These jazz programs have developed into world-renown programs. Garfield led by Clarence Acox, and Roosevelt led by Scott Brown are again performing and competing at the Essentially Ellington national competition at Lincoln Center in New York in May. The Roosevelt Jazz Band is heard on this week's showin a 2008 performance at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy.
Jazz Northwest is recorded and produced by host Jim Wilke and airs Sundays at 2 p.m. Listeners may also subscribe to the podcast at KNKX, NPR, Apple, Google or Spotify.
