Set within the beautiful natural surroundings of Fort Worden State Park, JAZZ PORT TOWNSEND is a 7-day immersive experience of learning, performing, and absorbing jazz. We welcome instrumentalists and singers 14 years old and above. With a faculty of diverse, world-class teaching artists fully engaged in inspiring your growth as a musician, you will learn and listen alongside approximately 160 other participants. About half of our participants are under the age of 20 and come from all over the US with varied backgrounds but a shared love of jazz.
“It’s my favorite part of the year, year after year…The music is always world class, the instruction is great, the setting is great, the people are great. It’s a very unique experience that I don’t find anywhere else.” — 2024 Jazz PT participant
Experience Jazz
Artistic Director
Dawn Clement
Pianist, vocalist, and composer Dawn Clement is a joyful and formidable force in the landscape of modern creative music. For over two decades, Clement has served as both a torchbearer of the jazz tradition and as a trailblazer in fresh sonic explorations. “In all this world of jazz, there are very few individual voices, no matter what the instrument, but Dawn has come up with a voice that’s unique...” says legendary jazz trombonist Julian Priester.
Artist Faculty
Ben Allison
Faculty
Bass
In a career that spans over 30 years, bassist, composer, producer and educator Ben Allison has developed his own instantly identifiable sound. Known for his inspired arrangements, inventive grooves and hummable melodies, Ben draws from the jazz tradition and a range of influences from rock and folk to 20th century and a broad range of music from around the world, seamlessly blending them into a cinematic, cohesive whole.…
Pat Bianchi
Faculty
Piano/Organ
Pat Bianchi has never been afraid to take the concepts of “Jazz Organ” into new directions. His playing draws from a wide range of musical influences including organists Dr. Lonnie Smith and Joey DeFrancesco (both who mentored Bianchi in his early years) but also encompasses other instrumentalists and approaches that stretch beyond the Hammond B-3 world.…
George Cables
Faculty
Piano
When George Cables was going to school in New York City he used to walk the streets at night, taking in the cosmopolitan sights and sounds, mentally recording his encounters with “so many different kinds of people.” In his musical career as well, Cables has prowled side streets and main thoroughfares in relative anonymity, absorbing countless influences into his personal style.…
George Colligan
Faculty
Piano
George Colligan is not only one of the great jazz pianists of his generation, but he has earned an international reputation as a multi-instrumentalist (drums, trumpet, organ, keyboards), composer, accompanist, teacher, and bandleader, as well as popular blogger(jazztruth.blogspot.com). Winner of the 2015 DownBeat magazine Critics Poll (Keyboard), he has had a long association with living jazz legend Jack DeJohnette; recent touring took Colligan around the U.S.…
Quincy Davis
Faculty
Drums
Currently Associate Professor of Jazz Drum Set at the University of North Texas, QUINCY DAVIS was born in Grand Rapids, MI, and comes from a very musical family. He began taking piano and drum lessons at age 6. In his elementary and middle school bands, he also played trumpet and tuba.…
Jeremy Dutton
Faculty
Drums
Moving in a matrices of sound, Houston born drummer Jeremy Dutton weaves a netting of intention, comprising explicit and implied articulations, steady and emergent pulses. (Bluenote Records) A resident of New York for the past 9 years, Dutton is the rhythmic force behind some of the most critically acclaimed jazz records including “Kingmaker” (Joel Ross Bluenote), “Who Are You?” (Joel Ross Bluenote), “Flight” (James Francies Bluenote), “Purest Form” (James Francies Bluenote), and “Magdalena” (Maria Grand Biophilia).…
Chuck Easton
Vocal Accompanist & Music Theory
Guitar
Guitarist Chuck Easton is a long time Olympic Peninsula resident who teaches and plays locally. He plays bass in the Pt. Townsend Symphony Orchestra and owns a few other instruments as well. Chuck is a graduate of the Berklee College of music in Boston.
Shane Endsley
Faculty
Trumpet
The child of symphony musicians, Shane Endsley grew up immersed in the sound of trumpet and flute practice and surrounded by stacks of vinyl records. This early classical instruction served him well in terms of technique and tone production. Then using his father’s Bix Beiderbeck and big band records as a springboard, Shane began pointing his horn in a more experimental direction as he grew older.…
Trevor Ford
Vocal Accompanist
Bass
Trevor is from Bend, Oregon where he grew up enjoying the outdoors, caring for the goats on his family farm, and honing his skills in the performing arts. He’s had a passion for music from a young age, and would fall asleep to the sound of his parents practicing cello and piano. Eventually, he picked up violin and cello to study classical music.…
Sara Gazarek
Faculty
Vocalist
Born and raised in Seattle, WA, GRAMMY Award® winning jazz vocalist Sara Gazarek reigns as one of the most creative voices of her generation, and one “who may well turn out to be the next important jazz singer” (Los Angeles Times). Collaborating with jazz legends Fred Hersch, Billy Childs, Kurt Elling, and more, and with 6 critically-acclaimed albums under her belt at the age of 40, Gazarek often tours internationally as a soloist/band leader, and as a co-founder of the vocal collective, säje, whose debut album earned a GRAMMY Award® for Best Arrangement Instruments and Vocals.…
Michael Glynn
Faculty
Bass
Born in Seattle, Michael Glynn began playing bass at the age of 11. Beginning his jazz studies with former Count Basie and Louis Armstrong bassist Buddy Catlett, Michael starting working professionally while still a student at Garfield High School, where he played for four years in that school’s renowned jazz band. After two years in engineering school at Columbia University in New York City, Michael returned to Seattle where he graduated summa cum laude in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of Washington, where he studied under Doug Miller and Barry Lieberman.…
Randy Halberstadt
Vocal Accompanist and Music Theory
Piano
Randy Halberstadt has been a major figure on the Pacific Northwest jazz scene for many years. A pianist, arranger, composer, lyricist, and author, Randy enjoys an international performing career playing with musicians at the top of their game, including Herb Ellis, Terry Gibbs, Buddy de Franco, Matt Wilson, Pete Christlieb, Bobby Shew, Joe LaBarbera, and many others.…
Jon Hamar
Faculty
Bass
Jon Hamar is a versatile bassist who is comfortable in virtually any musical situation. Born in Kennewick, Washington he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Double Bass Performance from Eastern Washington University and a Master’s degree in Jazz and Contemporary Media from the Eastman School of Music.
In 2001 Jon relocated to Seattle and was busy as a freelance bassist.…
Christine Jensen
Faculty, Big Band Director
Saxophone
Canadian Saxophonist and composer Christine Jensen has led a distinct voice to the creative jazz scene for the last twenty-five years with her large and small ensembles. She is set to release her third jazz orchestra album Harbour (2024) on Justin-Time Records. It features her Montreal-based orchestra, along with guest soloists NY-based Ingrid Jensen on trumpet and electronics, Gary Versace on piano, Chet Doxas on tenor saxophone, Jon Wikan on drums, and and Montreal-based Steve Raegele on guitar.…
Johnaye Kendrick
Faculty
Vocalist
Johnaye Kendrick is a 2-time Grammy® Award-winning vocalist, arranger, composer, orchestrator, and multi-instrumentalist whose work bridges innovation and tradition. With a Master of Music from Loyola University and an Artist Diploma from the Herbie Hancock Institute, Johnaye brings her dynamic artistry to both original compositions and reimagined jazz classics. A committed educator, she serves as Professor of Music at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle.…
Steve Kovalcheck
Faculty
Guitar
Guitarist/composer/educator Steve Kovalcheck has a diverse musical background. Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, Kovalcheck grew up in a rich musical environment. While his roots are in hard rock, he became interested in jazz in his late teens, and has gone on to work with well known artists including Jeff Hamilton, Joey DeFrancesco, Terrell Stafford, Grammy Award winner Howard Levy, Jeff Coffin, Pat Bianchi, Lewis Nash, Danny Gottlieb, Adam Nussbaum, Chris Potter, Nicholas Payton, and Ingrid Jensen, to name a few.…
Jeff Lederer
Faculty
Saxophone
Jeff Lederer is a Saxophonist/clarinetist/composer who has been included in the Downbeat Critics’ and Readers’ poll each year since 2014. He leads ensembles including the “Shakers n’ Bakers”, “Sunwatcher Quartet” and “Brooklyn Blowhards” and is the founder and director of the Visionary Youth Orchestra. Mr. Lederer also plays in the groups of Matt Wilson, Bobby Sanabria, Allison Miller, Jimmy Bosch and many others. …
Kelby MacNayr
Vocal Accompanist
Drums
Drummer / composer / band-leader Kelby MacNayr performs groundbreaking original music, soulful swinging jazz, reaching contemporary music and traditional music from around the world. A dynamic and creative musician MacNayr performs in Canada and abroad with leading musicians from New York, Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto & Europe. A faculty member of the renowned Jazz Port Townsend Festival under director John Clayton, staff at the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival, Kelby follows his passion to create and collaborate, teach and learn.
Ivan Malespin
Faculty
Trombone
Ivan Malespin is a Grammy winning trombonist and electric bassist residing in Los Angeles, California. He is a member of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, and has worked with Herb Alpert, Kanye West, Damian Marley, and Philip Bailey, among others. Ivan also co-leads an artist project alongside his wife, Alexis Malespin. Together they compose, record, and perform original music under the moniker, Eumajia.
Camila Meza
Faculty
Guitar
Equally prized as a vocalist, guitarist and composer, Meza has uplifted audiences worldwide with her assured and beautiful singing, highly advanced guitar (both self-accompaniment and blistering solo work), and vivid, melodic songwriting that reveals complex layers with every listen. She’s been hailed by The New York Times for her “appealing combination of lightness and depth … singing in a bright, clear voice against the agile stir of a first-rate band.…
Anisha Rush
Faculty
Saxophone
Born and raised in Colorado Springs, CO, saxophonist, composer, and educator Anisha Rush began playing the saxophone at the age of 10 and went on to study music and psychology, earning a BM in Jazz Studies from the Thompson Jazz Studies Program and a BA in Psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder.…
Gary Smulyan
Faculty
Baritone Sax
Baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan was born April 4, 1956, in Bethpage, New York. The gifted multi-instrumentalist started his music career by first learning alto saxophone during his teenage years on Long Island. Today he is critically acclaimed across-the-board and recognized as the major voice on the baritone saxophone. His playing is marked by an aggressive rhythmic sense, an intelligent and creative harmonic approach — and perhaps most importantly – a strong and incisive wit.…
Terell Stafford
Faculty
Trumpet
Acclaimed New York–based trumpet player Terell Stafford has been hailed as “one of the great players of our time” by piano legend McCoy Tyner. Stafford combines a deep love of melody with his own brand of spirited and adventurous lyricism. Since the mid-90s Stafford has performed with groups such as Benny Golson’s Sextet, McCoy Tyner’s Sextet, Kenny Barron Quintet, Frank Wess Quintet, and Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Alumni Band.…
Helen Sung
Faculty
Piano
Helen Sung is an acclaimed jazz pianist and composer, and a 2021 Guggenheim Fellow. A native of Houston, Texas, and graduate of its High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA), she eschewed her classical piano upbringing after a jazz epiphany during undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin.…
Chris Symer
Vocal Accompanist
Bass
Born and raised in Southern California, bassist relocated to the Northwest in 2002 where he continues to make his living as a freelance musician. Equally comfortable in the classroom, stage or recording studio, Chris has stayed busy doing everything from teaching to playing on feature films. Notable projects have included recordings with Bill Anschell (“Rumbler” 2017), Johnaye Kendrick (“Here” 2014), James Knapp (“Scrape” 2013), and Nelda Swiggett (“Stringtet” 2014) as well as tours to South America with Anschell (2012, 2014) and Kendrick (2013).…
Jay Thomas
Faculty
Trumpet & Sax
Jay Thomas is a multi-instrumentalist, appearing on more than 60 recordings that run the gamut from hip-hop to acid-jazz, rock, Latin, and big band. Jay has performed in concert with numerous prominent musicians, including Mel Lewis, John Clayton and Jeff Hamilton, Maria Schneider, Bill Holman, Bob Florence, and Frank Wess. He has also played at the Wolf Trap, Aspen, and duMaurier Jazz Festivals.…
Eric Verlinde
Vocal Accompanist
Piano
Eric Verlinde is a highly trained piano accompanist in the Pacific Northwest. You are always in good hands with Eric at the keys. Specializing in multiple genres including jazz, Latin, blues, gospel and R&B. He also has a classical background and can play written music as well. He is an alumni of Berklee College of music.…
Jim White
Faculty
Drums
Drummer Jim White is an active performer and educator. His first musical experiences took place in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, where he studied percussion with Paul Yancinch, Mike Cebulski, Sonny Emory, and Jeff Sipe. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Jazz Studies/Composition from Middle Tennessee State University, and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of North Texas.…
Buster Williams
Faculty
Bass
Buster Williams is a prodigious artist whose playing knows no limits. He has played, recorded and collaborated with jazz giants such as Art Blakey, Betty Carter, Carmen McRae, Chet Baker, Chick Corea, Dexter Gordon, Jimmy Heath, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt, Herbie Hancock, Larry Coryell, Lee Konitz, McCoy Tyner, Illinois Jacquet, Nancy Wilson, Elvin Jones, Miles Davis, the Jazz Crusaders, Ron Carter, Woody Shaw, Sarah Vaughan, Benny Golson, Mary Lou Williams, Hank Jones, Lee Morgan, Jimmy Rowles, Hampton Hawes, Cedar Walton, Bobby Hutcherson, Billy Taylor, Sonny Rollins, Count Basie, Errol Garner, Kenny Barron, Charlie Rouse, Dakota Staton, Kenny Dorham, and Freddie Hubbard, to name a few.…
Matt Wilson
Faculty
Drums
Grammy nominee Matt Wilson leads the Matt Wilson Quartet, Arts and Crafts, Christmas Tree-O, and the Carl Sandburg Project. He is an integral part of bands led by Joe Lovano, John Scofield, Charlie Haden, Lee Konitz, Bob Stewart, Denny Zeitlin, Ron Miles, Marty Ehrlich, Ted Nash, Jane Ira Bloom, and Dena DeRose among others.…
Workshop
Throughout the week*, every participant will be coached with either the instrumental combo they are placed in, or with the vocal faculty and provided rhythm sections. Also featured are master classes for each instrument group and vocalists, special topics classes, faculty performances, jam sessions, and a reading big band. Thursday through Saturday, all instrumentalists will have an opportunity to perform with their combo and vocalists will perform at their showcase concert. The four-day Port Townsend Jazz Festival will top things off grandly with faculty performances in both Club settings on campus and Mainstage shows in the McCurdy Pavilion.
Participants with a wide range of abilities and experience attend the workshop each year. We have ensembles and classes to fit seasoned professionals, beginning improvisers, and everyone in between. Please note that even the beginning classes are designed for people who already have a fair degree of skill with their instrument or voice. If you are a high school student (or older) that has been playing jazz from 5th or 6th grade, you will fit in just fine. Full-time dorm counselors are on duty all week for participants under 18, and dorms are assigned according to age and gender.
*Many apologies to you if you visited this page when it said that we would run the workshop from Sunday to Sunday. We’ve had changes to our hospitality vendor since then. Our Jazz week will run from Monday to Sunday as it has since the pandemic.
For more information, contact Program Manager Gwen Franz: gfranz@centrum.org, (360) 385-3102 x109 or Program Assistant Matt Jones: jazz@centrum.org, (360) 385-3102 x106
Schedule
(More details to come)
Audition
This link will take you to a Google Drive folder where you will find all the audition requirements for Instrumental and Vocal auditions. For reference, concert charts can be found here, as well as “Musical Examples” of scales and arpeggios.
Costs
Centrum has a variety of ways to be able to attend our workshops even if you’re on a budget. Consider applying for a scholarship or a work-trade opportunity. John Clayton’s Transcription Project is another way to reduce your tuition costs. More information about transcribing solos for discounts on tuition this year coming soon!
Costs
Tuition: $995
Dorm + all meals: $794
Dorm + lunch/dinner: $671
Dorm only: $385
Meals only, all: $409
Meals only, lunch/dinner: $286
Deposit: $300
The deadline for scholarship and work trade applications is April 7, 2025. Applications received after that date will be considered on a rolling basis if space and funds remain.
The last day to modify registration, such as to cancel housing, etc., is May 27.
The paid-in-full deadline is May 27.
Cancellation/Refund Policy
A $300 deposit ($100 for scholarship applicants) is required to register. This deposit is non-refundable, with two exceptions: 1) You've applied for financial aid and are unable to attend because we cannot award your full request, or 2) your audition is not accepted, in which case you will receive a full refund. No refunds of any kind are available after May 27, 2025.
Transcription Project
Jazz PT 2025 Transcription Project
From Dawn Clement, Artistic Director:
Dear 2025 Centrum Jazz Participants,
I’m thrilled and honored to continue the transcription challenge that John Clayton created. This tradition has been central to Jazz Port Townsend, and I’m delighted to offer an opportunity that will not only prepare you for an unforgettable week but also reward your hard work in a meaningful way.
Centrum is giving up to ten participants a chance to earn scholarships for transcribing some jazz!
Here's how it works:
- Transcribe 5 pieces from the list below, and you'll receive a $200 tuition scholarship.
- Complete 3 more, and you'll earn an additional $125.
- That's a guaranteed $325 in scholarship funds simply by engaging in one of the most invaluable exercises a musician can undertake—internalizing great solos!
And there’s more! If you transcribe 8 songs, you'll automatically be entered into a lottery for a full scholarship, which means you could join us without paying a penny in tuition.
INSTRUMENTS
Instruments
Pianos: Centrum provides high quality digital or acoustic pianos in every rehearsal room and performance venue. All other instrumentalists will need to bring their own or rent whatever they need to make music, including amps and music stands.
Basses: can be rented at Kennelly Keys Music and will be delivered to Centrum. Contact David Mercado at 425-771-7020 or dm@kennellykeysmusic.com for details.
Drums: Centrum has several drum sets available to rent for $150. You can request one of these when you apply online. Or, Kennelly Keys Music has drum sets for rent that will be delivered to Centrum. See above contact information for David Mercado.
Crossroads Music in Port Townsend also has rentals. A few drum sets, one set of cymbals, acoustic jazz guitars, guitar and bass amps are available, and they also deliver to Centrum. Contact Crossroads Music at 360-385-1471 or info@crossroads-music.com for details.
*Please be sure to reference the participant's name with any rentals to help our staff locate your rental.
*Please be sure to clearly label all personal instrument items with the participant's name to avoid confusion with rentals or another participant's instrument.
IMPORTANT TRAVEL INFO & FAQ
Answers to common queries are below. Not finding what you need? Please contact Program Manager Gwen Franz: gfranz@centrum.org, (360) 385-3102 x109 or Program Assistant Matt Jones: jazz@centrum.org, (360) 385-3102 x106
Important travel info
Beginning May 7, 2025, all US domestic flight travel will require a Real ID or passport. All new state-issued licenses are Real ID compliant. For more on Real ID see: www.dhs.gov/real-id
Beginning March 1, 2025, a Discover Pass is required on all vehicles parked anywhere inside Fort Worden State Park. Passes are available at many Washington retailers and online for $35 (annual) or $11.50 (daily). A $30 (annual) or $10 (daily) pass is available at BLDG 200 and at the electronic kiosk by the Fort Worden beach (credit card only). For more on Discover Pass: discoverpass.wa.gov
Permanent Washington State Disability placards are accepted as an exemption from the Discover Pass requirement (those passes are blue). Washington State issued Disability License Plates are also accepted as an exemption.
Temporary placards do not qualify for the Discover Pass exemption but are valid for parking in ADA designated stalls (those passes are red).
- Permanent Disability placards or license plates. Only valid at State Parks (you'll still need a Discover Pass to access lands managed by WDFW or DNR). Make sure to bring your placard ID card or vehicle registration. Temporary (red) parking placards will not be accepted for day-use parking or camping discounts.
Here's a link to the Discover Pass website with a bullet about the placards:
Discover Pass Exemptions and Exceptions | Discover Pass, WA - Official Website
Here’s info about qualifying for the Blue Permanent Pass
Scholarships
If the full tuition price is a significant financial challenge for you, please select the scholarship/work-trade option when you register. Scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served, and as-needed basis. Apply online as you register. Please note that except in rare cases, scholarships are applied to tuition only. Centrum requires a $100 deposit for scholarship applications.
Room & Board
Check in for the dorms is at 4:00 PM Sunday, July 20. Check out is at 11:00 AM July 27. Meals are served at the Fort Worden Commons. The first meal is dinner on Sunday, July 20; the last meal is breakfast on Sunday July 27.
Transportation to and from Port Townsend
You have an option when you register on Cvent to select either a one-way or round-trip shuttle service to/from Port Townsend/SeaTac airport. The fee is $60 one-way and $120 round-trip. The shuttle will leave SeaTac by 2pm on Sunday, July 20, and 9am from Port Townsend on Sunday, July 27, so please keep that in mind when scheduling flights. The last date to book or change shuttle reservations is June 15.
The Rocket is a local airport shuttle service that you can book independently if that works better for your travel needs. Please note that Centrum is not responsible for transportation booked on the Rocket, and we cannot make those reservations for you. Please visit their website for more information.
Performances
Workshop tuition includes admission to everything including the public performances listed below.
SUMMER FESTIVAL CONCERTS:
Tickets on Sale April 15th for Donors, May 1st for Public
JAZZ PORT TOWNSEND
Mainstage Concert
Friday, July 25, 2025
7:00 p.m.
McCurdy Pavilion
Mainstage Concert
Saturday, July 26, 2025
1:30 p.m.
McCurdy Pavilion
Mainstage Concert
Saturday, July 26, 2025
7:30 p.m.
McCurdy Pavilion
Jazz in the Clubs
Wednesday, July 23, 2025
and Thursday July 24, 2025
Various Fort Worden Venues
8:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Past Artist Faculty
Dan Balmer
Faculty
From coffee house gigs at fifteen to chart-topping success with the Tom Grant Band in the 90s, world tours with two-time Grammy Award winner Diane Schuur and contemporary jam-bands, Dan Balmer brings fire and heart every time he plays the guitar. His playing spans nearly one hundred CDs including twelve as a leader from which his original works have appeared internationally in television, film and radio.…
Patrick Bartley, Jr.
Faculty
Saxophone
Grammy-nominated saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Patrick Bartley, Jr. is a musician with experience in a wide range of situations, most notably for appearing on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert and being featured in the Emmy-nominated HBO special Wynton Marsalis: A YoungArts Masterclass, which premiered at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.…
Ignacio Berroa
Faculty
Drums
Ignacio Berroa has been recognized as one of the greatest drummers of our time. A leading innovator in the blending of Afro-Cuban and American jazz styles, his artful drumming has supported a wide spectrum of the very top names in jazz, including Dizzy Gillespie, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis, Freddie Hubbard, Charlie Haden, and Gonzalo Rubalcaba.…
Matt Brewer
Faculty
Bass
Matt Brewer is one of the world’s premier bassists. He was born April 20, 1983, in Oklahoma City but spent most of his youth in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Born into a musical family, Matt was surrounded by music from an early age, both his father and grandfather being jazz musicians, and his mother an avid music lover and radio DJ (who, before Matt was born, would play classic jazz albums for him).…
George Cables
Faculty
Piano
When George Cables was going to school in New York City he used to walk the streets at night, taking in the cosmopolitan sights and sounds, mentally recording his encounters with “so many different kinds of people.” In his musical career as well, Cables has prowled side streets and main thoroughfares in relative anonymity, absorbing countless influences into his personal style.…
Obed Calvaire
Faculty
Obed Calvaire, a native of Miami and of Haitian descent is a graduate with both a master and bachelor degree of music from one of America’s premiere private music conservatories in the nation, Manhattan School of Music.
Gerald Clayton
Faculty
Piano
Gerald Clayton searches for honest expression in every note he plays. With harmonic curiosity and critical awareness, he develops musical narratives that unfold as a result of both deliberate searching and chance uncovering. The four-time GRAMMY-nominated pianist/composer formally began his musical journey at the prestigious Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, where he received the 2002 Presidential Scholar of the Arts Award.…
John Clayton
Former Artistic Director, Jazz Port Townsend
Bass
Bassist, Composer, Arranger and Producer, John Clayton, is a busy man. With a Grammy on his shelf and nine additional nominations, artists such as Diana Krall, Paul McCartney, Regina Carter, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Gladys Knight, Queen Latifah, and Charles Aznavour have had spots on his crowded calendar.
In 1985 John, co-founded the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and rekindled The Clayton Brothers Quintet.…
Dawn Clement
Artistic Director, Jazz Port Townsend
Piano
Pianist, vocalist, and composer Dawn Clement is a joyful and formidable force in the landscape of modern creative music. For over two decades, Clement has served as both a torchbearer of the jazz tradition and as a trailblazer in fresh sonic explorations. “In all this world of jazz, there are very few individual voices, no matter what the instrument, but Dawn has come up with a voice that’s unique…” says legendary jazz trombonist Julian Priester.…
Tanya Darby
Faculty
Trumpet
California native Tanya Darby is a current and veteran member of such groups as the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the Roy Hargrove Big Band, the DIVA Jazz Orchestra, the Michel Camilo Big Band, and the Rufus Reid Large Ensemble, among others. She has performed and toured with artists such as Dianne Reeves, Clark Terry, Jon Faddis, Paquito D’Rivera, and Gladys Knight, and ensembles including the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, the Count Basie Orchestra, the Ron Carter Great Big Band, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and the Mingus Big Band.…
Chuck Easton
Vocal Accompanist & Music Theory
Guitar
Guitarist Chuck Easton is a long time Olympic Peninsula resident who teaches and plays locally. He plays bass in the Pt. Townsend Symphony Orchestra and owns a few other instruments as well. Chuck is a graduate of the Berklee College of music in Boston.
Taylor Eigsti
Faculty
Piano
GRAMMY® Award-winning pianist and composer Taylor Eigsti started playing the piano when he was four years old. Growing up in Menlo Park, CA, Eigsti was quickly labeled a prodigy, and has since released 8 albums as a bandleader, in addition to appearing on over 70 albums as a sideman. Eigsti recently won a 2022 GRAMMY® Award for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for his most recent album “Tree Falls”, released in 2021 on GSI Records.…
Bruce Forman
Faculty
Guitar
Deep immersion in American culture inspires Forman to contribute to the traditions that he draws from. Reunion! (the newest project) revisits the famed Poll Winners sessions with cohorts John Clayton and Jeff Hamilton, playing instruments owned by Barney Kessel, Ray Brown and Shelly Manne; Formanism (his trio project); original works like The Red Guitar; his high-rated podcast, GuitarWank; Cow Bop and the “road challenges” down historic byways like Route 66; JazzMasters Workshop; Junkyard Duo; GrumpsTV (a fifty episode YouTube variety show during the lockdown), the popular ‘first chorus of the day’ series on Instagram…these are only the latest answers to the endless question that underlies Bruce Forman’s creativity. …
Tia Fuller
Faculty
When Grammy-nominated Mack Avenue recording artist, composer, and bandleader Tia Fuller picks up her saxophone, something amazing happens. Blending technical brilliance, melodic creativity, and the performing precision drawn from both her academic and stage experience, Fuller is a force to be reckoned with in the worlds of jazz, pop, R&B, and more.
Roberta Gamberini
Faculty
Vocal
Born and raised in Turin, Italy, to music loving parents (who had actually first met at a jazz concert), Roberta Gambarini grew up constantly listening to her father’s record collection.
Her first vocal inspiration was Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald , but she soon discovered Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, and Carmen McRae, as well as gospel and blues artists such as Mahalia Jackson and Bessie Smith.…
Michael Glynn
Faculty
Bass
Born in Seattle, Michael Glynn began playing bass at the age of 11. Beginning his jazz studies with former Count Basie and Louis Armstrong bassist Buddy Catlett, Michael starting working professionally while still a student at Garfield High School, where he played for four years in that school’s renowned jazz band. After two years in engineering school at Columbia University in New York City, Michael returned to Seattle where he graduated summa cum laude in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of Washington, where he studied under Doug Miller and Barry Lieberman.…
Wycliffe Gordon
Faculty
Trombone
Wycliffe Gordon’s busy schedule encompasses performing, composing, arranging and recording. He is the recipient of many awards: He has been named him “Trombonist of the Year” 12 times The Jazz Journalists Association, and “Best Trombone” five of the past six years by the Downbeat Critics Poll.
In addition to his solo career, Wycliffe tours regularly leading his quintet.…
Randy Halberstadt
Vocal Accompanist and Music Theory
Piano
Randy Halberstadt has been a major figure on the Pacific Northwest jazz scene for many years. A pianist, arranger, composer, lyricist, and author, Randy enjoys an international performing career playing with musicians at the top of their game, including Herb Ellis, Terry Gibbs, Buddy de Franco, Matt Wilson, Pete Christlieb, Bobby Shew, Joe LaBarbera, and many others.…
Jon Hamar
Faculty
Bass
Jon Hamar is a versatile bassist who is comfortable in virtually any musical situation. Born in Kennewick, Washington he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Double Bass Performance from Eastern Washington University and a Master’s degree in Jazz and Contemporary Media from the Eastman School of Music.
In 2001 Jon relocated to Seattle and was busy as a freelance bassist.…
Jeff Hamilton
Faculty
Drums
Versatile drummer Jeff Hamilton brings originality to every group he performs with, and it’s one of the things that makes him constantly in demand, whether for recording, performing with his trio, or co-leading the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. In addition to his many recordings with Ray Brown, Jeff has been on nearly 200 recordings with artists such as Natalie Cole, Diana Krall, Milt Jackson, Rosemary Clooney, Barbara Streisand, Mel Torme, John Pizzarelli, and Benny Carter.…
John Hansen
Vocal Accompaniment
Piano
John Hansen is one of the most in-demand jazz pianists in the Northwest. A studied and musical ensemble player with a strong melodic vocabulary, John has always been recognizable for a unique personal voice. His performance history includes top US venues as well as tours in France, Japan, Korea, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Russia, and Central America.…
Gary Hobbs
Vocal Accompaniment
Drums
Drummer Gary Hobbs is a native of the Pacific Northwest and lives in Vancouver, WA. He has played professionally for over 4 decades and appears on over 60 recordings. Gary played with The Stan Kenton Orchestra from 1975 through 1977. Through the years Gary has played with Randy Brecker, Bud Shank, George Cables, Ken Peplowski, Pete Christlieb, Greta Matassa, Anita O’Day, Dan Siegel, Glen Moore, The New York Voices, Eddie Harris and many more.…
Kelby MacNayr
Vocal Accompanist
Drums
Drummer / composer / band-leader Kelby MacNayr performs groundbreaking original music, soulful swinging jazz, reaching contemporary music and traditional music from around the world. A dynamic and creative musician MacNayr performs in Canada and abroad with leading musicians from New York, Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto & Europe. A faculty member of the renowned Jazz Port Townsend Festival under director John Clayton, staff at the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival, Kelby follows his passion to create and collaborate, teach and learn.
Ivan Malespin
Faculty
Trombone
Ivan Malespin is a Grammy winning trombonist and electric bassist residing in Los Angeles, California. He is a member of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, and has worked with Herb Alpert, Kanye West, Damian Marley, and Philip Bailey, among others. Ivan also co-leads an artist project alongside his wife, Alexis Malespin. Together they compose, record, and perform original music under the moniker, Eumajia.
Rene Marie
In a span of two decades, René Marie has cemented her reputation not only as a singer but also as a composer, arranger, actress and educator. Guided and tempered by powerful life lessons and rooted in jazz traditions laid down by icons of past generations, this two-time Grammy Nominee melds jazz with elements of spirituals, folk, R&B, classical and even country to create a captivating hybrid style.…
Marlon Martinez
Faculty
Hailing from Los Angeles, Marlon Martinez is a young virtuoso bassist and composer emerging at the center of the resurgent Los Angeles jazz scene. He has demonstrated his virtuosity while touring with a wide range of artists, from rock icon Stewart Copeland to classical trailblazers Quatuor Ebène.
Allison Miller
Faculty
Drums
A lauded drummer who’s mastered a vast array of musical settings–from guesting on late night TV, keeping time for some of today’s most beloved singer-songwriters, and being a renowned bandleader/composer in her own right–Allison Miller is always at the heart of the music. Her latest album, Rivers In Our Veins, is a 12-song cycle embracing the concept of flow and renewal, and dedicated to our nation’s crucial rivers, watersheds and the organizations devoted to reviving and protecting them.…
Lewis Nash
Faculty
Lewis Nash is one of jazz’s most recorded musicians, appearing on over 500 recordings including 10 Grammy winners and numerous Grammy nominees. In fact, Nash has the distinction of being the only musician in jazz history featured on the winners in both the “Best Jazz Vocal” and “Best Jazz Instrumental” album categories in two separate years: the 2004 Grammys with Nancy Wilson and McCoy Tyner, and again in 2010 with Dee Dee Bridgewater and James Moody.
Miles Okazaki
Faculty
Miles Okazaki is a NYC-based guitarist originally from Port Townsend, a small seaside town in Washington State. His approach to the guitar is described by the New York Times as “utterly contemporary, free from the expectations of what it means to play a guitar in a group setting — not just in jazz, but any kind.”
Randy Porter
Faculty
Jazz pianist Randy Porter has a refined understanding of improvisation and the spontaneous communication between musicians. As a Steinway Artist, Randy Porter draws from a rich palette of sonorities found within his imagination and the depths of the piano.
David Sanchez
Faculty
Latin Grammy Award winner David Sánchez is being hailed as “the most profound young tenor saxophonist working today. Born in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, Sánchez began playing percussion and drums at age 8 before migrating to tenor saxophone four years later.
Gary Smulyan
Faculty
Baritone Sax
Baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan was born April 4, 1956, in Bethpage, New York. The gifted multi-instrumentalist started his music career by first learning alto saxophone during his teenage years on Long Island. Today he is critically acclaimed across-the-board and recognized as the major voice on the baritone saxophone. His playing is marked by an aggressive rhythmic sense, an intelligent and creative harmonic approach — and perhaps most importantly – a strong and incisive wit.…
Terell Stafford
Faculty
Trumpet
Acclaimed New York–based trumpet player Terell Stafford has been hailed as “one of the great players of our time” by piano legend McCoy Tyner. Stafford combines a deep love of melody with his own brand of spirited and adventurous lyricism. Since the mid-90s Stafford has performed with groups such as Benny Golson’s Sextet, McCoy Tyner’s Sextet, Kenny Barron Quintet, Frank Wess Quintet, and Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Alumni Band.…
Kweku Sumbry
Faculty
Drums
Grounded in the traditions of the Djembe Orchestra, Kweku Sumbry is a multi-percussionist from Washington, DC. With the djembe, drumset, and a multitude of West African Percussion instruments, Kweku is bringing forth a new sound to the jazz world. He began his studies as a toddler under the tutelage of Mahiri Fadjimba Keita, Mamady Keita, and Djiali Djimo Kouyate.
Chris Symer
Vocal Accompanist
Bass
Born and raised in Southern California, bassist relocated to the Northwest in 2002 where he continues to make his living as a freelance musician. Equally comfortable in the classroom, stage or recording studio, Chris has stayed busy doing everything from teaching to playing on feature films. Notable projects have included recordings with Bill Anschell (“Rumbler” 2017), Johnaye Kendrick (“Here” 2014), James Knapp (“Scrape” 2013), and Nelda Swiggett (“Stringtet” 2014) as well as tours to South America with Anschell (2012, 2014) and Kendrick (2013).…
Katie Thiroux
Faculty
Bass
Los Angeles-based bassist and vocalist Katie Thiroux has clearly established herself as one of the most exciting and in demand musicians today. Thiroux’s unique gift of simultaneously balancing sultry vocals and virtuosic bass playing leaves audiences worldwide in awe. Her most recent album, “Off Beat,” was awarded a “Best Album Of 2018” by Downbeat Magazine as well as “Rising Star” 2018 & 2019.…
Jay Thomas
Faculty
Trumpet & Sax
Jay Thomas is a multi-instrumentalist, appearing on more than 60 recordings that run the gamut from hip-hop to acid-jazz, rock, Latin, and big band. Jay has performed in concert with numerous prominent musicians, including Mel Lewis, John Clayton and Jeff Hamilton, Maria Schneider, Bill Holman, Bob Florence, and Frank Wess. He has also played at the Wolf Trap, Aspen, and duMaurier Jazz Festivals.…
Sachal Vasandani
Faculty
Sachal Vasandani is recognized for his singular voice, with a tone and unique phrasing that mark him as one of the most compelling artists on the scene today.
Eric Verlinde
Vocal Accompanist
Piano
Eric Verlinde is a highly trained piano accompanist in the Pacific Northwest. You are always in good hands with Eric at the keys. Specializing in multiple genres including jazz, Latin, blues, gospel and R&B. He also has a classical background and can play written music as well. He is an alumni of Berklee College of music.…
JD Walter
Faculty
Vocal
Vocalist and songwriter JD Walter is considered by many in the jazz world to be the among the very best jazz singers, known for his immediately recognizable smokey sound, his virtuosic talent for improvisation, his compelling original songs, and his ability to reinvent standards.
Over the decades, Walter has performed as a featured artist at numerous American jazz clubs and festivals in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Central America as well as over 80 tours in Russia.…
Ben Wendel
Faculty
Sax
Grammy nominated saxophonist Ben Wendel was born in Vancouver, Canada and raised in Los Angeles, CA. Currently living in Brooklyn, NY, he has enjoyed a varied career as a performer, composer and producer. Highlights include tours, performances and/or recordings with artists such as Tigran Hamasyan, Bill Frisell, Terence Blanchard, Antonio Sanchez, Gerald Clayton, Taylor Eigsti, Linda May Han Oh, Moonchild, Louis Cole, Daedelus, Snoop Dogg and the artist formerly known as Prince.…
Jiggs Whigham
Faculty
Trombone
Jiggs Whigham is an internationally acclaimed trombonist, band leader and educator. This versatile performer, born Oliver Haydn Whigham III (the nickname Jiggs was given by his grandfather) in Cleveland Ohio on 20 August 1943, first came to the attention of critics and fans at 17, as featured soloist and first trombonist with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, directed by Ray McKinley.…
Matt Wilson
Faculty
Drums
Grammy nominee Matt Wilson leads the Matt Wilson Quartet, Arts and Crafts, Christmas Tree-O, and the Carl Sandburg Project. He is an integral part of bands led by Joe Lovano, John Scofield, Charlie Haden, Lee Konitz, Bob Stewart, Denny Zeitlin, Ron Miles, Marty Ehrlich, Ted Nash, Jane Ira Bloom, and Dena DeRose among others.…
Martin Wind
Faculty
Bassist and composer Martin Wind was born in Flensburg, Germany in 1968 and has been living in the New York City area since 1996.He earned a diploma as Orchestra Musician at the Cologne Conservatory and completed his master’s degree in jazz composition and performance at NYU.
'This LIttle LIght of Mine' 2024 Performances
JAZZ VOICINGS PODCASTS - INSIGHTS FROM JAZZ PORT TOWNSEND FACULTY
Jazz Voicings Episodes
The 35 musicians who comprise the Jazz Port Townsend faculty each summer are a priceless resource. Former Artistic Director John Clayton hosts informal 90-minute sessions with some of them, talking about experiences, colleagues, mentors and musical heroes that have shaped them. Expect inspiring stories (and doubtless a few laughs) as they look at life through the open window that is Jazz.
