Seattle vocalist Jennifer Kienzle The setting is Shuga Jazz Bistro. The occasion is a special jam session celebrating the birthday of Seattle pianist Eric Verlinde. Jennifer Kienzle has stepped up to the mic. I’m always struck by her cool finesse and sophisticated ease. She exudes a classic jazz singer aura, all the way down to the little black dress, which she rocks hard I might add. But beneath this impeccable elegance is an underlying sassiness, with a nip of growl. Within…
The first time I heard Jimmie sing was at the Royal Room, where he was doing a duo performance with Seattle pianist Tim Kennedy. His sweet and breathy tone, his patient, intuitive phrasing and his overall lovely presence immediately mesmerized me. I was also captivated by the wide-open honesty of his original compositions. Jimmie Herrod had my heart in an instant. While some would try to Kung Fu fight me for the honor, I am quite certain that I am Jimmie’s biggest fan. By…
The infamous voiceover that started each episode of Star Trek called space the final frontier. Of course, that particular reference was about outer space, with planets, moons, galaxies and all of that cosmic stuff. Certainly, there are many ways to think about space and the concept has been the center of many lively metaphysical discussions throughout the history of mankind. When I think about it relative to our creative lives, space is the ultimate frontier. This could be a slightly goofy ride, but hang…
