Big Jazz Weekend Throughout the State

This weekend features two big jazz festivals on each side of the mountains.

Starting tonight, Jazz Port Townsend kicks off with club performances and mainstage concerts by national and regional talent. Performers this weekend include Eric Reed Trio, Benny Green Trio, with special guest Gary Smulyan, Dena DeRose, The Centrum Big Band performing the music of Johnny Mandell, Terell Stafford, Wycliffe Gordon, Matt Wilson and many more.

You can also head East to Ellensberg for Jazz In The Valley which runs Friday through Sunday. The format is similar — mainstage concerts and jazz in the clubs — but featuring many of the top regional talent and the programming is a bit more adventurous. Performers include legendary Portland drummer Mel Brown, Total Experience Gospel Choir, John Moawad’s All-Star Big Band, QED Trio, Barry Bergstrom, Little Blue and the Bluenotes and more.

If you are staying in town this weekend, you can catch the Stephanie Porter Quartet (Friday) and Peter Daniel Quartet (Saturday) at Tula’s Jazz Club and legend Ramsey Lewis will be at Jazz Alley.