Hot Java Cool Jazz - Coming Soon!

Get a fresh jolt of jazz while supporting music education in Seattle schools by attending the Starbucks Hot Java Cool Jazz benefit concert at The Paramount Theatre Friday, March 19.

Hot Java Cool Jazz is part of Starbucks' ongoing commitment to supporting the local youth arts community. The benefit show, now in its 15th year, shines a spotlight on Ellington Festival award-winning jazz bands from five top area high schools: Garfield, Roosevelt, Edmonds-Woodway, Mountlake Terrace and Newport. All proceeds from ticket sales go to the music program of participating schools. Your attendance will help fund budgets necessary for these amazing programs to continue.



Tickets for the big-band extravaganza are available now at select Starbucks stores, The Paramount Theatre box office or online. Treat yourself to a night out while giving a boost to music education.

Thanks in advance for your support.



Photos Courtesy of Young Lee

Zakir Hussain in Seattle!

Zakir Hussain - Tabla Master Class from STG Presents on Vimeo.

Yesterday evening, tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain lead an outstanding masterclass at the Moore Theatre with 15 local percussionists and drummers representing music traditions from all corners of the globe. Zakir broke down the complex Indian rhythmic system into sizeable chunks for participants, no doubt giving each musician a new perspective on their own rhythmic system. At the beginning of the masterclass, Zakir spoke about how he feels a special connection to Seattle, developed during his time as a Visiting Artist in the UW Ethnomusicology Program.

Local artists on stage included Jane Hall & Erik Brown from House of Tarab, Stan Shikuma and Lika Roberts from Seattle Kokon Taiko, Sinae Cheh on Korean janggu, Monica Rojas on cajon, Ernesto Pegiangco on congas, Chavdor Jirov on Macedonian tapan, African drummers Siya Manyakanaka-Kelley and Etienne Cakpo, and tabla players Manoj Biswas, Annie Penta, Anil Prasad, Ravi Albright, and Apurva Kansara.

In the audience observing were musicians from local Indian and South Asian arts organizations Pratidhwani, Ragamala, and the Anindo Chatterjee School of Tabla, and also students from the UW Ethnomusicology Program.

Thanks to all who were present, and our heartfelt thanks to Zakir Hussain for providing this unique and memorable educational experience.

Zakir Hussain performs with Masters of Percussion at The Moore Theatre tonight, Thursday, March 4th, 8pm. A few tickets will still be available for purchase at the door!

Global Dance on Tour Yo!

Last weekend, STG Education and Community Programs brought about 50 teens to Orcas Island to perform Global Dance Party, our young artist show featuring talented teens performing dance from across cultures. The show featured performers from DANCE This and More Music @ The Moore. The trip was such a great opportunity for the teens to bond, perform the show again, learn about touring - and it was great for Orcas to experience cross cultural dance (through master classes and the show!).



In the morning we loaded up the bus and headed over to Orcas by ferry. Our Indian dance group, Urvasi, even learned some hip hop from choreographer Nick Golla on the ferry!

Global Dance Party Heads to Orcas Island from STG Presents on Vimeo.

We teched the show all day and performed 2 shows in the evening! The Orcas audience was dancing out of their seats...

Orcas Island Loves Global Dance Party from STG Presents on Vimeo.

All the performers signed autographs after the show - The Eriam Sisters even got to meet a fan club that came to both shows!



After the performances, we made our way to the YMCA Camp Orkila—staying in cabins on the water of beautiful Orcas Island. The teens all bonded and then crashed! Even the STG staff bunked it up....





What an AWESOME TRIP! We love Orcas Island. Thank you Orcas Center staff and friends, Barbara Courtney, YMCA Camp Orkila and everyone that helped with this experience. WE LOVE ORCAS!!

Think About Life - New Video!

"Havin' My Baby"




Think About Life will be at The Crocodile on March 29th at 9pm. Tickets are on sale now!

Here's another little piece about them on Seattle Weekly's Reverb blog. Go!

Hootenanny For Haiti = Success!

Photo Credit: Laura Musselman

A Hootenanny for Haiti happened this past Sunday at Showbox at The Market and featured some of Seattle's finest: Duff McKagan, Mike McCready, Kim Virant, Kim Warnick, Kristen Ward, Mark Pickerel, Star Anna, Chris Friel, Gary Westlake, Jeff Rouse, Justin Davis, Ty Bailie and more friends.

It was a stunning, star-packed event all to benefit the people of Haiti - it couldn't have been better. You can read an in-depth review here. There are also a ton of videos from the evening posted here, courtesy of Outlaw Digital. And finally, some beautiful photos are up on Flickr - click here and search "Hootenanny for Haiti" to see them all.

Thanks again to everyone for coming out and supporting this event.

311 Takes Over 2nd Ave!

311 is performing at The Moore Theatre tonight, and they've just rolled into town...taking up ALL the parking down 2nd Avenue with their five tour buses!



Let's hope openers The Wailers are somewhere in there too!

Doors open at 6:30pm tonight - tentative set times are as follows: The Wailers from 7:30pm - 8:30pm, and then 311 from 9:05pm - 10:55pm.

Northern Departure mp3 - Listen Now!

Northern Departure is one of the super talented groups performing at this year's More Music @ The Moore on March 12th.

Listen to one of their tracks now - and then don't miss them on the 12th at The Moore as they perform with hip hop, ska, Jamaican, Zimbabwean marimba groups and more!