“Simple, straightforward, swinging — and emotionally believable at every turn — Gazarek's the real thing.” Paul de Barros, Seattle Times

Photo by Andrea Canter

Just four years ago, Seattle native Sara Gazarek was deep in college studies at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California. Named by Downbeat as Outstanding Collegiate Jazz Vocalist, she soon found herself touring with Oleta Adams, Karrin Allyson, and Diane Schur, and a new client of the famed William Morris Agency. Last year, Gazarek, now 24, released her debut CD, Yours (Native Language, 2005) and toured the country to rave reviews. On Friday, July 21st, Gazarek will perform at Steamers in Los Angeles, at 138 West Commenwealth.

Ernestine Anderson

Ernestine Anderson will perforn on Saturday, July 8 at 9:15 pm. Anderson combines the extraordinary excitement and luscious sound of a fresh voice with the maturity and wisdom of her years in music, to create a compelling sound that makes her a favorite performer in the United States, Europe and Asia.

Poncho Sanchez is widely respected as one of the top American percussionists of our time. He performs frequently in venues varying in size from concert halls to local jazz festivals. His most recent CD, Do It!, features funk icon Tower of Power on two tracks.

On October 30th 1951 Poncho Sanchez was born youngest of eleven children in Laredo, Texas and raised in Norwalk, California. Sanchez was exposed to and influenced by two very different styles of music: Afro-Cuban music (mambo, son, cha-cha, rhumba, guaracha, salsa) by greats such as Tito Puente, and bebop jazz, including the works of Charlie Parker. Startign as a guitarist and vocalistm Sanchez went on to teach himself the flute, drums, and timbales before finally deciding to pursue conga-playing in high school.

Javon Jackson and Benny Green perform at the Jazz Bakery in Los Amgeles from June 22nd through June 25th. Javon helps to keep the legacy of Art Blakey and hard bop alive. Jackson was with the last version of the Jazz Messengers (1987-1990). His quartet appearance at Yoshi's, featuring Benny Green, Jeff Chambers and Carl Allen.

Javon Jackson was born in Carthage, Missouri and raised in Denver, Colorado. Sonny Stitt's music inspired Javon to pick up saxophone at a young age. Jackson began working professionally in local jazz clubs at age 16, playing with former Max Roach Quintet pianist Billy Wallace. During this time, Javon met and was befriended by Branford Marsalis, who encouraged Javon to attend the Berklee School of Music. Two of Javon's instructors at Berklee were saxophonist Billy Pierce and pianist Donald Brown, two former members of Art Blakey's legendary Jazz Messengers. One of the seminal groups of the hard bop movement of the 50's and 60's, the Messengers provided a training ground for the likes of Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, and Javon's early mentor, Branford Marsalis.