Velocity

His Tacoma-based modern jazz band 322 became a favorite of New Cool fans since their beginnings as college kids at PLU. Five years later, the band's leader, saxophonist BrandonLee Cierley, moves in a new direction with his new release of jazz-meets-hip-hop, Here Comes a New Challenger.

This Saturday afternoon on The New Cool, you'll hear a few of the show's favorite albums of 2019. Snarky Puppy, Julian Lage, Theo Croker, Jeff Coffin's Dream Shanti all released terrific modern jazz this year. We'll also celebrate excellent new albums from Tacoma's Velocity and Seattle's Barrett Martin Group.

The New Cool is fired up to present Tacoma's modern jazz leaders Velocity at the Spanish Ballroom at the Elks Lodge in Tacoma Monday night, Sept. 30. It's a celebration of their new album, Magnetar, and also celebrates an exciting cultural movement around the band's home base of Tacoma.

With a new single and accompanying video just released, and more recordings nearly ready to share, Tacoma's progressive jazz quartet Velocity are shifting into a higher gear. I caught the band at Seattle's Seamonster Lounge earlier this week to ask them about the new release and their plans for the summer.