At the Jazz Center of Bellingham, all of the board members are professional musicians in their own right.
King Dahl, who plays bass in the Jerry Steinhilber Trio with Josh Cook on saxophone and fellow board member Jerry Steinhilber on drums, said for those who appreciate supporting the arts in one’s own community, the Jazz Center strives to fulfill that component. Dahl is also a member of the Jazz Explosion, the In Motion Quartet, and other groups in the area.
“We, as an organization, are not in it for the money, but spend countless hours doing what we do because we believe in the wholesale benefits to our city that can only come from a vibrant, diverse, musical and artistic scene,” Dahl said.
For those who want to know more about the Jazz Center’s music and its mission, an open house will take place at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6 at the FireHouse Arts and Events Center in Fairhaven. The event will feature live jazz, refreshments, a raffle for season tickets, merchandise and other ways to support the nonprofit organization (originally named Whatcom Jazz Musician Arts Center).
Dahl said that since presenting the first open house last year in the new venue, they learned a season kickoff event helps solidify their approach to building the jazz community.
“It’s a wonderful way to spread the word about our mission,” he said, “while offering a free evening of great jazz, food, drinks, and raffle items. Who doesn’t like free stuff?”
In the past, concerts have been held at several venues around the city, including The Majestic and Unity Church. The Jazz Center found a permanent home in 2022 at the FireHouse.
Board member John Butorac plays Latin percussion — including conga, bongo, guiro, shekere and more — with Latin jazz ensemble Bilongo and the Brazilian drum ensemble Batucada NW. He said that what separates the Jazz Center from other jazz clubs is that all performances are in a concert environment. This means no clinking glasses or audience chatter.
“The musicians really love playing here and it shows,” Butorac said. “The audiences are knowledgeable and appreciative. We love our new venue.”
Steve Jones, the board chair, plays percussion with Bilongo, Trío Sueño, Jerry Steinhilber’s Jazz Explosion and occasionally Arête Quartet. He said audiences seem to be evolving. Part of the organization’s mission is to increase the attendance of younger attendees in the hope of preserving jazz for years to come.
Butorac agreed. He said the concerts have always appealed to an older demographic, but they are starting to see more young people — perhaps because there’s a half-price discount for students. For the organization’s combo student members, the concerts are free.
This fall’s concert lineup includes the Jon Sheckler Quartet, the Cory Weeds Quintet, the Benjamin Hunter Quintet, Chuchito Valdés, the Mike Allen Quartet, the Bill Anschell Trio, the Noah Simpson Quartet, the Jose ‘Juicy’ Gonzales Trio, Marina Albero’s Gaia and the D’Vonne Lewis Triage.
Drummer Jerry Steinhilber wants to get the word out about the concerts, which occur on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, September through June, in a performance space he said rivals most places he’s played in a 40-year career.
“The acoustics are wonderful,” he said. “It’s cozy and intimate.”
Education programs
The Jazz Center offers two main components of its education program. Jazz Center students are mentored by professional Pacific Northwest jazz musicians in a combo class setting from the beginning of October through the end of June.
“Much more than just creating excellent musicians, this type of study fosters in students a high level of discipline and creative thinking,” Butorac said.
Another component is Jazz Camp, a five-day jazz performance intensive experience for students of high school age and older. Instructors are professional musicians. Students rehearse in a combo setting and receive instruction in jazz theory, improvisation, small group performance and jazz history.
“The Jazz Center of Bellingham enriches and inspires our community through jazz, a celebration of humanity, by providing affordable programs — educating and mentoring aspiring musicians, and presenting the best regional, national and international artists,” Butorac said.
Quoting fellow board member Jerry Steinhilber, he said, “jazz is a struggle.”
“Since the beginning,” Butorac said, “we have been primarily focused on survival and thanks to our many contributors within the community we are starting to build a stronger foundation. It’s what being a nonprofit is all about — community building around a social cause. Art — and, in this case, jazz — matters.”
To find out more about the Jazz Center, go to jazzcenterofbellingham.org.
