Entertainment News NW-March 2020

by Osa Hale For a decade, the Sudden Valley Dance Barn has hosted creative minds, performers, and audiences. Now, in its tenth season of Sudden Valley Jazz, the cozy venue will welcome back several of the community’s favorite musicians from past seasons.

The 2020 season opens on April 25 with Pearl Django, accompanied by Gail Pettis. Pearl Django is a troupe that is deeply inspired by the “Gypsy jazz” created by Django Reinhardt and singer who critics describe as one of the most important musicians in the current generation of jazz in Cuba…and beyond. His solo appearance at the Dance Barn will feature a piano performance that is sure to be mesmerizing. some of the most prestigious stages in the world. Her bright, unpredictable sound blends jazz and pop music to create songs that stick in your head and make your heart race. Biali’s show in Sudden Valley is a special stop in her West Coast tour; she will take a break from the large concert halls for a more intimate evening. Her set will likely include soulful classics as well as some of her own original songs.

Named 2007 and 2010 Northwest Vocalist of the Year by Earshot Jazz Society, Gail Pettis’ rich, warm vocals and understated phrasing have been described as “deliciously soulful” by Cadence Magazine.

Pearl Django is one of the most highly regarded Hot Club style bands today.

Multi award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter and pianist Laila Biali has headlined festivals and venues spanning five continents including Carnegie Hall.

The passion, inspiration and melodious sound you savor when you have the privilege of experiencing Josephine Howell perform is birthed from a life of challenging struggles and immense victories.

Visit www.ennw.info to view Entertainment News NW on your computer, smartphone or tablet 3 After a summer break, the jazz will be back on September 26 with Josephine Howell. Howell has been singing since childhood, and she has been performing with her band for more than 12 years. Drawing from a well of faith and compassion, she sings to inspire and to entertain. Her catalog includes jazz standards, pop, and soul, and her incredible voice has allowed her to grace the stage with such acts as Madonna and Queen Latifah. Howell’s return to the stage in the Sudden Valley Dance Barn will be particularly exciting, as she was the performer most requested by the community in a recent poll.

Finally, the season will finish out with a performance by Laila Biali on October 31. An award-winning pianist and singer, Biali started in Canada and has performed on Stephane Grappelli. This genre, also known as “hot club jazz,” takes the brass and drums out of the jazz ensemble and introduces a highly rhythmic guitar to serve as the heartbeat of the music. Pearl Django uses this lively style in an impressive repertoire that includes Gypsy jazz standards, traditional classics, and original compositions.

The deft string work of Pearl Django is well suited to pair with the vocal stylings of Gail Pettis. Her rich, soulful singing has enchanted audiences throughout the country. The crowd at the Dance Barn can expect to be more than idle listeners; Pettis is known to involve the audience. As she sings, her warmth and openness is impossible to resist.

The next performance in the 2020 Sudden Valley Jazz Season will be on May 16. Jorge Luis Pacheco hails from Cuba, and is globally recognized for his “flying hands.” Pacheco is a mega-talented pianist, composer, percussionist, and The first three shows of the season will begin at 3pm on their respective dates. The final show will begin at 2pm, and will finish up in time for the traditional Halloween Party in the Dance Barn. Tickets for any of the shows can be purchased in advance at Village Books in Fairhaven, Gate 2 of the Sudden Valley Association Office, or online at the Friends of the Southern Whatcom Library: https://mkt.com/friends-of-the-suddenvalley-library. They can also be purchased on the day of the show at the door of the Dance Barn. Tickets are $20 per show, or $70 for the season. Hailing from Havana, Cuba, Jorge Luis Pacheco is one of the leading pianists of the new generation of jazz.