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Imagine Jazz

Imagine Jazz empowers young musicians to explore and create avant-garde music through performances and collaborative opportunities, fostering innovation in the jazz genre and supporting local composers.

Join Imagine Jazz for &ldquo;An Evening with John Stowell,&rdquo; at the Spokane Public Radio performance studio!&nbsp; An close-up concert with one of jazz guitar&rsquo;s most thoughtful voices 🎶. Experience the conversation between player and instrument as John explores standards, originals, and spontaneous moments. The evening will open with a solo guitar set, followed by a collaboration with the Imagine Jazz Quartet featuring Rachel Bade-McMurphy, Brendan McMurphy and Josh Skinner.&nbsp; About the artist:&nbsp;In 1983, John joined flutist Paul Horn, bassist David Friesen and Paul&#39;s son Robin Horn for a historic tour of the Soviet Union. This was the first time in forty years that an American jazz group had been invited to play public performances in Russia. In 1993, 1995, 1998 and 2012 John returned to Russia, playing in numerous cities. Two sold-out performances in Kursk may have been the first appearances there by an American jazz musician. With bassist David Friesen, John was featured of the soundtracks of two Academy Award Nominated short films (Will Vinton Studios, Portland, OR, and Bosustow Studios, Los Angeles, CA). &quot;Through the Listening Glass&quot; with David Friesen was chosen of the &quot;Ten Best Jazz Albums of the Decade&quot; by the Los Angeles Examiner.&nbsp; John was featured in Japan&#39;s &quot;Swing Journal&quot;, &quot;The Jazz Guitar&quot; (Ashely Mark Publishing, England), and the Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz (Leonard Feather and Ira Gitler).&nbsp; John had several appearances on BET Jazz Discovery and Guitar Series television shows.&nbsp; Recording/Performance Credits: Milt Jackson, Lionel Hampton, Art Farmer, Conte Condoli, Herb Ellis, Bill Watrous, Mundell Lowe, George Cables, Billy Higgins, Billy Hart, Richie Cole, Paul Horn, Tom Harrell, Don Thompson, Dave Liebman, Golden Delicious (Inner City, 1977), Through the Listening Glass with David Friesen (Inner City, 1978), Other Mansions with David Friesen (Inner City, 1980), Somewhere (Seraphon, 1995), Picture in Black and White with Uwe Kropinski (Acoustic Music, 1997), Elle (Jardis, 2000), Scenes (Origin, 2001), The Banff Sessions (Origin, 2002), Listen to This with Frank Haunschild (Acoustic Music, 2004), Resonance (Origin, 2005), Solitary Tales (Origin, 2009), Shot Through with Beauty with Michael Zilber (Origin, 2011), New York Conversations with Kendra Shank (TCB, 2013), Italian Conversation with Michele Campobasso and Viz Maurogiovanni (Terramiamusic, 2014), Anytime with Tomas Sauter (Catwalk, 2016), Cosmology with Rolf Jardemark (Guitarlandrecords, 2016), Night Visitor with Ulf Bandgren (Origin, 2017), Petite Fleur with Dave Liebman (Origin, 2018),&nbsp;Rain Painting (Origin, 2021).&nbsp; John maintains a robust live performance schedule touring in the Pacific Northwest, the United States, Europe, and Asia.About the Organization: Your registration helps celebrate&nbsp;jazz heritage and nurture creative progress through Imagine Jazz performances, workshops, and outreach in schools and community spaces 🎷. Reserve your seat, bring a friend, and be part of a growing jazz community.

An Evening with John Stowell

Moyer Family Relief Concert Saturday, June 27 &middot; Doors at 6:00 PM Hamilton Studio &middot; 1427 W Dean Ave, Spokane $20 Suggested Donation &middot; 100% of Proceeds Benefit the Moyer Family On June 16, 2026, the Upriver Fire devastated the Spokane home of Chris and Andren Moyer. The Moyers are a family whose generosity, artistry, and deep roots in this community have touched countless lives. With only minutes to escape, they lost nearly everything: their home, a vehicle, and the professional musical instruments and recording equipment that represent both their livelihood and their life&#39;s work. The Spokane music community is answering the call. Join us for an evening of live music featuring some of our city&#39;s finest ensembles: MasterClass Big Band, Imagine Jazz Collective, The Dues Big Band, Members of the Hot Club of Spokane, and special guests, united in support of a family that has always shown up for others. Chris is a beloved music teacher who has given years of his life to mentoring young musicians. Andren is a tireless community servant, a legal aid provider, charity board member, and 30-year member of Sweet Adelines International. Their sons are the next generation of that legacy, and all three lost instruments and equipment essential to their futures and education. Among what was lost: an entire recording studio, university instruments, drums, an upright bass, guitars, keyboards, a piano, saxophones, and professional audio gear. Music gave the Moyers a way to give back to Spokane for decades. Tonight, we give back to them. A $20 suggested donation gets you a night of extraordinary live music. Every dollar goes directly to the Moyer family. To make an additional contribution, visit their relief fund at givesendgo.com/moyer-family-fire-recovery.

The Moyer Family Relief Concert at Hamilton Studio

Join us for an intimate evening with trumpeter and composer Ralph Alessi 🎺 at the Hamilton Listening Room, presented by Imagine Jazz. Experience his music up close in a space built for deep listening and conversation. Your registration supports Imagine Jazz&rsquo;s mission to celebrate jazz heritage while nurturing today&rsquo;s creative voices. Reserve your seat to be part of a growing community where jazz can evolve, connect, and thrive 🎶 Ralph Alessi will be joined by with Matt Mitchell, John Hebert and Tim Angulo Jazz Times magazine says Alessi has &quot;drop-dead trumpet chops&quot; and calls his music &quot;as clean and airy and sophisticated and disciplined as post-modern progressive jazz gets.&rdquo; Ralph Alessi was born in San Francisco, California. Rafael, the son of classical trumpeter Joe Alessi and opera singer Maria Leone. (Brother Joe Jr. is principal trombonist of the New York Philharmonic, and Ralph himself freelanced as a classical player as he was coming up through the ranks.) But after taking degrees in jazz trumpet and bass&mdash;he studied under the legendary Charlie Haden at CalArts&mdash;he lit out for New York, where he swiftly became an ubiquitous presence on the downtown scene. He&#39;s been a frequent collaborator of such notable musicians as Steve Coleman, Don Byron, Ravi Coltrane, Uri Caine, Fred Hersch, Drew Gress, Dafnis Prieto and Jason Moran&mdash;most of whom have also played and recorded in Alessi&rsquo;s own groups. Alessi has recorded five albums of originals which draw on everything from post-bop to neo classical. Jazz Times named This Against That&#39;s debut outing one of the ten best recordings of 2002, while All About Jazz dubbed its 2007 follow-up &quot;Look&quot; &ldquo;an outstanding work of intellect and fire.&rdquo; Ralph will release 2 new CDs in 2010, a quartet record featuring Jason Moran and another This AGainst That record.

Ralph Alessi at Imagine Jazz Spokane (Hamilton Listening Room)

The first full-length concert by the Imagine Jazz Big Band! Seventeen musicians performing new and experimental music by local composers. &nbsp;The Imagine Jazz Big Band exists to provide young musicians the opportunity to write and create avant-garde music. &nbsp; Join us at the Jam Pods - a new venue that specializes in practice space for bands and ensembles. &nbsp; Chair numbers are limited.&nbsp;&nbsp; Pre-purchase ticket-holders will get a reserved chair at the event. &nbsp; Tickets are available at the door, but once chairs are taken, remaining capacity will be standing room.&nbsp;

Imagine Jazz Big Band at the Jam Pods

Join Imagine Jazz as a member and help keep this music alive, heard, and evolving. 🎷 Your membership supports live performances, artist workshops, and school outreach that introduce jazz to new ears. As a member, you&rsquo;re part of a growing jazz community that connects musicians, long-time fans, and curious newcomers. Together we celebrate the history of jazz while giving emerging artists room to explore new sounds. 🎶

Join Imagine Jazz as a member and help keep this music alive, heard, and evolving. 🎷 Your membership supports live performances, artist workshops, and school outreach that introduce jazz to new ears.As a member, you’re part of a growing jazz community that connects musicians, long-time fans, and curious newcomers. Together we celebrate the history of jazz while giving emerging artists room to explore new sounds. 🎶

Imagine Jazz's Memberships

Experience the Jared Hall Quartet up close in the intimate Imagine/SAJE studio.&nbsp; Join us for an evening of creative, forward-leaning jazz that still honors the deep roots of the music. &nbsp;Jared Hall plays a mix of original compositions and jazz standards that is sure to delight.&nbsp; The Creative Music Development Center at 1309 W 14th is the Imagine Jazz and Spokane All City Jazz Ensembles studio in the educational annex behind Amend Music on 14th. &nbsp;Plenty of parking with a lot behind the building near the main entrace or park in front of Amend and use the entrance on the far west of the building.&nbsp; $20 suggested donation to cover the musicians and a portion going back toward the studio and our programs.&nbsp; Your registration helps Imagine Jazz continue its mission of celebrating&nbsp;jazz heritage, supporting local artists, and offering workshops and jam sessions for students and community members. Thank you for being part of this creative music community.

Jared Hall Quartet at Imagine/SAJE studio

Jazz-Swing-Pop-Rock!&nbsp; Classic, old-Hollywood swagger meets modern entertainment energy with the No Vacancy Orchestra at the Listening Room! A 10-piece big band orchestra plays in the style of Frank Sinatra, the Rat Pack, Michael Bubl&eacute;, and Harry Conick Jr.&nbsp;This professional orchestra plays venues all over the world, lead by vocalist and frontman, Dave Damiani.&nbsp;&nbsp;The band also covers popular pop/rock artists from Adele, to Michael Jackson,Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, and many crowd pleasing tunes in between.Re-imagined Great American Songbook standards, classic pop/rock crossover covers, and original tunes with Dave Damiani &amp;Maiya Sykes backed by a powerful 10-piece jazz orchestra!&nbsp;About The Guest artists: Maiya Sykes is a classically trained vocalist, producer, vocal arranger and entrepreneur. She studied independently with Nina Simone and Betty Carter. After graduating from Yale University, she went on to further her musical education at The Musicians&rsquo; Institute.Sykes has provided back-up vocals for for The Black Eyed Peas, Macy Gray, Fantasia, Joss Stone, Michael Buble, Leona Lewis, and Rita Ora. She was a featured backup singer for Macy Gray in her live show for more than five years. She recently provided backgrounds and was featured in the Oscar award winning film La La Land.As a recording artist, Sykes released a dance single with DJ Manny Lehman, &ldquo;Body Rock,&rdquo; recorded under the pseudonym Oceana, which reached number 1 on the Billboard Dance Charts in 2009.Shortly after her for chair turning debut on season 7 of The Voice, Sykes began working with YouTube sensation Postmodern Juxebox. Her featured videos with Postmodern Juxebox have received over 3 million views and have been mentioned in Time Magazine and the Huffington Post. Dave Damiani&nbsp;is the President of No Vacancy Entertainment which was formed in 2004. &nbsp;After graduating with a Masters Degree in Commercial Music, Dave embarked on an event company to do music for high profile clients. &nbsp;By 2010, No Vacancy Entertainment was grossing over 1 million dollars a year and had done events for: &nbsp;Relativity Media, Paramount Pictures, Rick Caruso, Leonardo DiCaprio, Apple Computers, Microsoft, EHarmony, Rupert Murdoch, Mar-A-Lago, Wilshire Country Club, The Four Seasons, The Ritz Carlton and Marriott Hotels.&nbsp; Dave Damiani is a world renowned music producer and has produced for such artists as: &nbsp;HALEY REINHART, BOBBY RYDELL, RENEE OLSTEAD, AUBREY LOGAN, BENNY BENACK, MAIYA SYKES, JOE PISCOPO, AGT WINNER - LANDAU MURPHY JR &amp; SAL &quot;THE VOICE&quot; VALENTINETTI. Marriott became one of the main clients for No Vacancy Entertainment and they were hired to produce such events as ALIS, The Association Masters, The Americas, and The Golden Circle Awards. &nbsp;No Vacancy Entertainment has programmed entertainment and events for over 20 different Marriott hotels nationwide. &nbsp; In the process of doing this, Dave Damiani and the No Vacancy Orchestra used the profits to produce jazz albums and began to perform at ticketed events across the country. &nbsp;They formed an alliance with Frank Sinatra Enterprises and produced the Sinatra 100 Event at Rick Caruso&#39;s The Grove in October of 2015. &nbsp;Performing with Dave&#39;s orchestra were: &nbsp;George Benson, Jane Monheit, Renee Olstead, America&#39;s Got Talent Winner - Landau Murphy Jr, and Oscar and Grammy winner Johnny Mandel. &nbsp; Dave and the No Vacancy Orchestra went on to perform at Resorts Casino Atlantic City, Ocean Resort Casino Atlantic City, Wynn Casino Las Vegas, Hard Rock Casino Biloxi, Feinstien&#39;s San Francisco, Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood, Herb Alpert&#39;s Vibrato in Bel Air, and countless other clubs across North America. &nbsp; Check out Dave Damiani on INSTAGRAM &amp; FACEBOOK. &nbsp;Dave has produced, recorded and performed PLATINUM RECORDING ARTISTS such as Bobby Rydell, Joe Piscopo, Benny Benack, Haley Reinhart, Sal &quot;The Voice&quot; Valentinetti, George Benson, Landau Murphy Jr, Steve March Torme, Casey Abrams, Bobby Caldwell, Tom Wopat, Maiya Sykes, Spencer Day, Kate Flannery, Renee Olstead, Molly Ringwald, Tony Orlando, and many more.&nbsp; Consider becoming a VIP Blackbird or Nightingale member to get access to all of our shows! &nbsp;Current members of at all levels receive a discount. &nbsp; Imagine Jazz 2026-2027 Ticket pricing structureAdvance purchase:&nbsp;$45 - Advance Purchase ($40 early bird)&nbsp;$35 -Member reserved seat (current member any level in zeffy)$25- Student$10 - student members (student member in zeffy)$0 - Front row reserved: VIP Season ticket holders: Blackbird or Nightingale level (current year) Day of (Door) Prices:$49 - Adult Day of&nbsp;$35 Member (current year)$29 - Student Day of$10 - student members*Donation, Pay what you can option may be at the door, limited to available seating

Dave Damiani, Maiya Sykes & The No Vacancy Orchestra at the Listening Room

Experience the Jeremy Pelt Quintet up close at the listening room! Back again with a stellar line-up of up and coming talent Jeremy Pelt will make you feel like you have been transported to New York for an evening of high intensity World-class Jazz. &nbsp; Having been called a &quot;Technical Marvel&quot;, Jeremy Pelt is one of the leading voices of his generation. &nbsp;He honors the tradition of post-bop jazz legends like Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard but remains true to his own unique sound. &nbsp;As a band leader, he has consistently produced a steady stream of new compositions and recordings, with over 25 albums as a leader. &nbsp;As a sideman, he has worked with some of the most historic names in jazz including Wayne Shorter, Roy Hargrove, Mingus Big band, Frank Foster, Cedar Walton and Louis Hayes among others.&nbsp; Pelt&#39;s touring line-ups includes up and coming talent that keep his product fresh and innovative. &nbsp;Step into the world of modern Jazz and&nbsp; Jeremy Pelt, trumpetJalen Baker, vibraphoneMykhailo Mendelenko, guitarLeighton Harrell, bassDana Hawkins, drums 2 Sets available:&nbsp;6pm and&nbsp;8pm with an option to purchase both sets. &nbsp; Your ticket purchase is not just a concert. &nbsp;It supports our nonprofit work: celebrating&nbsp;jazz heritage, nurturing creativity and enhancing local living through the arts by offering workshops, jams, concerts and festivals.&nbsp;&nbsp;Join us for an evening of focused listening, deep swing, and shared community around the music. 🎶 Consider becoming a VIP Blackbird or Nightingale member to get access to all of our shows! &nbsp;Current members of at all levels receive a discount.&nbsp;&nbsp; 2026-2027 Ticket pricing structureAdvance purchase:&nbsp;$45 - Advance Purchase ($40 early bird)&nbsp;$35 -Member reserved seat (current member any level in zeffy)$25- Student$10 - student members (student member in zeffy)$0 - Front row reserved: VIP Season ticket holders: Blackbird or Nightingale level (current year) Day of (Door) Prices:$49 - Adult Day of&nbsp;$35 Member (current year)$29 - Student Day of$10 - student members*Donation, Pay what you can option may be at the door, limited to available seating

Jeremy Pelt Quintet at the listening room

Get all 3 Fall shows for one low price!&nbsp; Dave Damiani, Maiya Sykes &amp; No Vacancy Orchestra: October 9th&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;-Jazz-Swing-Pop-Rock! &nbsp;Classic, old-Hollywood swagger meets modern &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;entertainment energyJeremy Pelt Quintet: October 28th&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;-Classic Post-bop jazz by the best in the business! Innovative and &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;modern, but rooted in tradition.&nbsp;Duende Libre: November 14th&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;-A special blend of modern jazz with generous helpings of traditional&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; rhythm from Cuba, Brazil, and the Mediterranean. Save $15 and get a reserved seat for all 3 shows!&nbsp; This option is available for a limited time only!&nbsp; Your attendance helps sustain concerts, festivals, workshops, and jam sessions that welcome students and community members of all ages. Come share in the fellowship, hear new voices, and support live jazz that keeps our local scene growing. 🎶 2026-2027 Ticket pricing structureAdvance purchase:&nbsp;$45 - Advance Purchase ($40 early bird)&nbsp;$35 -Member reserved seat (current member any level in zeffy)$25- Student$10 - student members (student member in zeffy)$0 - Front row reserved: VIP Season ticket holders: Blackbird or Nightingale level (current year) Day of (Door) Prices:$49 - Adult Day of&nbsp;$35 Member (current year)$29 - Student Day of$10 - student members*Donation, Pay what you can option may be at the door, limited to available seating

Fall 2026 Pass Pelt, Damiani, Duende Libre

Duende Libre serves up a special blend of modern jazz with generous helpings of traditional rhythm from Cuba, Brazil, and the Mediterranean. Duende Libre means &ldquo;free spirit.&rdquo; Weare a Seattle-based trio who play a unique blend of &ldquo;powerfully alluring&rdquo; original music that combines jazz virtuosity with roots rhythms fromCuba, Brazil, and the Mediterranean. Jazz Virtuosity Dazzling instrumental technique meets soulful groove and palpable on stage chemistry formed throughyears of touring. Each having apprenticed with direct descendants and master musicians of these traditions, we consider ourselves disciples of our teachers. The result: A euphoric new jazz that honors its historical roots, pushing open the boundaries of genre to invoke a powerful sonic freedom. <ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" id="isPasted" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Alex Chadsey: Bandleader, pianist, and keyboardist.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Farko Dosumov: Electric and acoustic bass player.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Jeff &quot;Bongo&quot; Busch: Drummer and percussionist.</li></ul>ALEX CHADSEY - KEYS / BAND LEADERAlex is a Seattle-based jazz pianist, composer, and educator with over 20 years of professional experience. During his formative years he apprenticed with master musicians including the GRAMMY award-winning band Quetzal, legendary bassist Joe &ldquo;Timba&rdquo; Santiago, reggae icon Clinton Fearon, and Mexican son jarocho artist Laura Rebolloso. His studies included trips to Ghana, Mexico, and Cuba, where he had a lesson with Chucho Vald&eacute;s at his home in Havana. In 2020 he graduated from the University of Washington with a Masters in Music where mentors included Marc Seales, Cuong Vu, and Steve Rodby. As an educator and writer he is focused on developing a pedagogy that draws on the unique power of music to catalyze personal growth and social change. His work in this area is influenced by his own personal experience as a musician and organizer, combined with the work and ideas of mentors including MacArthur fellow Martha Gonzalez, Quetzal Flores, and Ed Sarath.This presentation is supported by Spokane All city Jazz Ensembles, with financial support from Creative West. Select student performers will perform as the opening act before the concert.&nbsp; JEFF BUSCH - PERCUSSIONJeff is an exuberant drummer/percussionist, vocalist, and composer whose passion for soulful music of varied traditions has led him to perform with jazz, blues, and gospel groups as well as calypso, samba, and Cuban jazz ensembles. Between 1988-96, Jeff studied fine art and music in Leeds, England. He studied percussion and drum set with Dave Hassel, calypso with steel drum master Dudley Nesbitt, and later Brazilian percussion with Jesse Bannister. In 1997, Jeff spent six months in Brazil and studied with a variety of percussionists. Busch enjoys a cult following and continues to perform with a variety of groups in the Seattle area in addition to Duende Libre, including the Jovino Santos Neto quinteto, Cuban jazz groups Rumba Abierta and Tumbao, the well-known FIRST AME church, and Cuban dance band Mango Son. FARKO DOSUMOV - BASSFarko was born and raised in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Farko and his identical twin Feodor began playing the classical guitar when they were ten years old. After winning the green card lottery in 1999 Farko moved to New York City to pursue a career in music. Farko later attended Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle and specialized in jazz bass. Since then, he has played with many talented artists and groups throughout the world: Feodor Dosumov, Michael Shrieve&rsquo;s Spellbinder, Carlos Santana, Jonny Lang, Roger Fisher (Heart), Lee Oscar, Joe Doria, Danny Godinez Band, James Howard Band, Randy Oxford Band, Brooke Lizotte, Istvan Rez, Jazzukha, Pura Fe, Tetrabox, Acoustic Fantasy, Marriott Brothers, Flowmotion and others. Consider becoming a VIP Blackbird or Nightingale member to get access to all of our shows! &nbsp;Current members of at all levels receive a discount. &nbsp; Imagine Jazz 2026-2027 Ticket pricing structureAdvance purchase:&nbsp;$45 - Advance Purchase ($40 early bird)&nbsp;$35 -Member reserved seat (current member any level in zeffy)$25- Student$10 - student members (student member in zeffy)$0 - Front row reserved: VIP Season ticket holders: Blackbird or Nightingale level (current year) Day of (Door) Prices:$49 - Adult Day of&nbsp;$35 Member (current year)$29 - Student Day of$10 - student members*Donation, Pay what you can option may be at the door, limited to available seating

Imagine Jazz

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Jared Hall Quartet at Imagine/SAJE studio

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Dave Damiani, Maiya Sykes & The No Vacancy Orchestra at the Listening Room

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Jeremy Pelt Quintet at the listening room

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Fall 2026 Pass Pelt, Damiani, Duende Libre

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Duende Libre at the Listening Room

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