West Seattle, Washington
21 Tuesday
The Modern Relics are onstage in front of another hundreds-strong crowd on the east lawn of Hiawatha Community Center right now, and you still have another hour or so to stop by and catch the bright style the band describes as “country soul.”
Maybe even get up and dance with the dozen or so little ones who are bouncing in front of the stage as they always do.
It’s free to enjoy Summer Concerts at Hiawatha, courtesy of the Admiral Neighborhood Association – just bring a chair/blanket. If you miss tonight’s show, two more to go – Ayron Jones and The Way at 6:30 pm next Thursday (August 20th) and the grand finale with Caspar Babypants, on August 27th.
ADDED: Photos and video inline, above, from the Modern Relics’ show.
The multi-site art exploration Duwamish Revealed took its interpretation of the intersection of nature and industry to new heights Saturday night:
(WSB photos/video)
It began with a man-made moonrise over the Duwamish River after Saturday’s sunset – a moon created by Yuri Kinoshita, raised from the deck of a barge, suspended from a crane donated by Pacific Pile and Marine. From within the moon emerged West Seattle aerialist Tanya Brno:
On the river’s muddy eastern shore, where some audience members sat, below others on logs and rocks, Coast Salish flutist and storyteller Paul “Che oke ten” Wagner played the haunting music to which Brno flew and spun:
You can hear him play in our phone video recorded toward the start of the show:
Before long, Brno was lowered to the river’s surface, where the accomplished aerial artist appeared to walk on water:
Her mesmerizing movement continued until she was lifted back into the moon, which then “set” onto the barge deck:
The aerial performance titled “Tangyo“ followed songs performed by the Duwamish Riverside People’s Chorus, open to anyone who answered the call to join musician Anne Mathews for a rehearsal by the river earlier in the day:
The venue for all this was what Duwamish Revealed has dubbed The Estuary (4651 Diagonal Ave. S.) While this was a one-time performance, more music and dance are ahead next weekend during the Water Festival at Duwamish Waterway Park in South Park, plus dragon-boat racing and Mexican masked wrestling by Lucha Libre Volcanica – the schedule is here. And the Duwamish Revealed installations are there for you to see any time – explore them via this map, and see our previous coverage here and here. Duwamish Revealed, a project of ECOSS (the Environmental Coalition of South Seattle) led by artistic directors Sarah Kavage and Nicole Kistler, continues through September.
Your next chances to experience the summer-long, multi-site art event Duwamish Revealed – beyond viewing its installations – come tonight and tomorrow:
Have you seen “Duwamish Lighthouse” – at left in that photo with artist George Lee – at Jack Block Park? The first time we saw it in late May, looking down toward it from a walkway at the park, we didn’t know what it was, despite our early knowledge of the overall DR project, and speculated wildly that it was some kind of dock to ferry in workers for the then-nearby Polar Pioneer. It actually has functions including lighting and water-quality sampling, Lee told us during a recent media tour of some of the installations, led by DR curators Nicole Kistler and Sarah Kavage. Listen to his explanation:
Starting at 6 pm tonight, Lee and other artists with installations at Jack Block Park (2130 Harbor Ave. SW) are scheduled to be there as part of an informal reception, and at 7, the park is also where you can see the performance “Reverberando“ (as mentioned in our daily preview this morning, and on this Facebook event page). In the background of our video clip with Lee, above, you can hear part of another installation – a sound piece, on which Robb Kunz collaborated with Joshua Kohl. Kunz talked about installing the sound equipment under one of the park’s overlooks:
Yet another artist you’ll be able to meet tonight while viewing her work at Jack Block Park is Jordan West Monez. Her “Plant 2015” is on the barge pier you can look down onto from one of the easternmost upper walkways at the park:
It’s an echo of the camouflage that topped Boeing Plant 2 during World War II. During our tour, she talked about it while standing on the walkway:
Also expected tonight is Jack Daws, the artist who made the signage that startled some when it turned up – we wrote about it in late May. If you don’t make it to tonight’s event, the art will still be at Jack Block Park for some weeks to come, so you can explore it at your own pace – lots of background material on the Duwamish Revealed website.
Tomorrow brings two events as part of Duwamish Revealed, on both sides of the river. On the West Seattle side, the City Meditation Crew plans a unique paddling event that you can watch, or be part of, 10 am-4 pm at Terminal 107 Park – details here. Then tomorrow night, West Seattle aerialist Tanya Brno stars in a performance piece visible from the eastern shore spot called The Estuary:
A site-specific aerial performance that is not to be missed! In her most ambitious piece yet, aerialist Tanya Brno performs suspended by a crane above the river in an illuminated moon created by sculptor Yuri Kinoshita. The performance will be accompanied by Coast Salish flutist and storyteller Paul Che Oke Ten Wagner (Saanich tribe).
This unforgettable evening will open with a twilight performance by the Duwamish Riverside People’s Chorus, led by musician Anne Mathews from the Lonely Coast. ALL ARE WELCOME to be part of the People’s Chorus – join Anne on the riverbank by the Estuary on Saturday, August 8 from 2-4 pm to learn and rehearse the music.
During last week’s tour, curators Kavage and Kistler told us the crane is among those visible from this spot where we stopped on the eastern riverbank:
Toward the left of that view, by the way, is yet another installation from Duwamish Revealed – the only one that’s actually in the water, it was explained. But you won’t be watching Brno from there – The Estuary is a little further north, at 4651 Diagonal Ave. S.
We have a few more Duwamish Revealed stories to tell from the tour, but we’ll save them for another day – including more on the Water Festival coming up next weekend at Duwamish Waterway Park in South Park, including myriad performances plus the annual Lucha Libre masked-Mexican-wrestling show … 12-8 on Saturday, August 15th; 12-6 on Sunday, August 16th. The festival rundown is here.
6:45 PM: If you’re not already at Hiawatha Community Center park – grab a folding chair and get over to the east lawn while blues/folk/rock artist Star Anna is onstage! Her show is the third of six in this year’s Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series (presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association with co-sponsors including WSB), on until about 8 pm, along Walnut south of Lander.
7:03 PM: Added a quick Instagram clip (mouse over the image to find the “play” button); more photos/video later. She’s warming up, as she put it, with solo songs, and says her band will join in after the upcoming break – “then you can really start dancing,” she said, perhaps to the small children swarming in front of the stage.
Good crowd here as usual but still lots of room to pull up your own corner of the lawn and settle in for some good music.
7:49 PM: One more Instagram clip, from Star Anna’s rockin’ set with the band.
ADDED: A full song, above, and a few photos inline. Next week, Modern Relics (August 13th).
Here in the heart of summer, extra chances to enjoy fresh air and fun times – this week, three outdoor-music opportunities in West Seattle:
THURSDAY – STAR ANNA @ HIAWATHA: This week’s Summer Concerts at Hiawatha headliner is alt-country sensation Star Anna, 6:30 pm Thursday on the east lawn at Hiawatha Community Center. Free – just bring your chair/blanket, picnic dinner (no concessions on site), family/friends/neighbors, and get ready for great music. Presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association, with sponsors including WSB. (Walnut/Lander)
FRIDAY – 85TH ST. BIG BAND @ THE MOUNT: Providence Mount St. Vincent kicks off its four-Fridays summer concert series this week with the 85th Street Big Band on the patio on the south side of its campus, 6 pm – concert’s free, but you can buy dinner/beer/wine if interested – see the menu via a link in our series preview. (4831 35th SW)
SATURDAY – DELRIDGE DAY: VIEWS, which is presenting the Delridge Day festival 11 am-3 pm this Saturday at Delridge Community Center/Park/Skatepark, has shared the music schedule:
11:00 am – Quarter Past 8 – rock
12:00 noon – Ellis Brothers – jazz
1:00 pm – Yesod – psychedelic world music
2:00 pm – Oldies But Goodies – classic Rock/R&B
Delridge Day also is free to attend – see our previous preview here. (Delridge/Genesee)
Thanks to Sheila Lengle for the photo – she’s one of several local artists having a pop-up art show/sale right now at the southeast corner of Fauntleroy/Alaska (Les Schwab lot) in The Triangle. They’ll be there until 4 pm. (Datapoint: Sheila and Gretchen Flickinger, another of the participating artists – who also just messaged us about the sale – are both past winners of the West Seattle Garden Tour poster contest!)
(Great Blue Heron and friend at White Center Bog – photographed last weekend by Gill; click image for larger view)
Welcome to August! Here are the West Seattle highlights for today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
VOTE! If you mail your ballot, it needs a stamp. If you drop it off at a King County ballot van, it doesn’t – today, 10 am-5 pm, you’ll find the vans on the West Seattle Stadium driveway and outside the Greenbridge Library – addresses/maps here, as well as Monday/Tuesday hours. Remember, this is your historic first-ever chance to vote in the Seattle City Council District 1 (West Seattle/South Park) race; if you’re still deciding among the nine candidates, see our “Last Look” series of reports (including video conversations), one for each candidate:
Arturo Robles
Brianna Thomas
Chas Redmond
Jody Rushmer
Karl Wirsing
Lisa Herbold
Pavel Goberman
Phillip Tavel
Shannon Braddock
The top two vote-getters will advance to the November 3rd general election.
BACK-TO-SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE: Starts today, at the Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) and Fauntleroy UCC. If you’re shopping, pick up something extra and drop it off for the drive! Details in our calendar listing. (9140 California SW)
HELP LONGFELLOW CREEK AND ITS FOREST: 10 am-2 pm today, work party with EarthCorps – go here to find out where to go and what to bring.
LOW-LOW TIDE, WITH BEACH NATURALISTS: Low-low tide is out to -2.1 feet at 12:09 pm; Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists are out to answer questions at Constellation and Lincoln Parks, 10:45 am-1:45 pm.
BENEFIT BARBECUE: Another West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) benefit barbecue lunch – all proceeds this time go to the Humane Society of Seattle-King County. Get your burgers outside the store starting at 11 am. (California/Fauntleroy/Morgan)
BLUE ANGELS TODAY, WITH BRIDGE CLOSURE: First of two “official” days for the Seafair airshow over Lake Washington, with most if not all of its participants taking off from Boeing Field, including the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, who go up around 1:30 pm. The I-90 bridge across the lake will be closed 11:50 am-2:40 pm. Full Seafair info (including fleet tours) here.
NO ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE TOURS THIS WEEKEND: The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is busy with Seafair duties – but check back next weekend!
KITE FESTIVAL: Go fly a kite – or more than one! – at the Seattle Chinese Garden, on the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus on Puget Ridge, this afternoon/evening, 2-6 pm. Here’s our preview from earlier this week. (6000 16th SW)
WEST SEATTLE OUTDOOR MOVIES: You know that by the time evening arrives on a hot summer day, it’s cooler outside a non-air-conditioned apartment/house than inside. One of the most fun places to be outside tonight: The courtyard by Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor), home to West Seattle Outdoor Movies, showing “Raising Arizona” (1987). Movie’s free – bring $ for charity-benefiting concessions and raffle if you can. Gates open 6:30 pm; movie’s at dusk, probably not long after 9 this time around. (4410 California SW)
SALSA ON ALKI: Lessons at 5:30 pm, dancing at 6:30 pm, continues until 10 pm. To see what it’s like, check out this video shared (and produced) by Raphael:
For cover-charge info and other details, see this Facebook event page.
LIVE MUSIC &/OR DANCE TONIGHT: Shows tonight at C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor), at Kenyon Hall, and at Feedback Lounge (click each link to see the calendar listing).
SEE THE REST OF OUR SATURDAY LISTINGS … here.
“Think big”! That’s the invitation for artists who are interested in creating something to enhance Junction Plaza Park in the heart of the West Seattle Junction. From the Junction Association, which is heading this up with partners:
Request for Artists
(Photo by Laurel Mercury)
Project: Public Art Installation
Where: Junction Plaza Park (NW Corner of SW Alaska St & 42 Ave SW)
Deadline for submission: August 17, 2015The West Seattle Junction Association, Junction Neighborhood Organization (J u N O), and Seattle Parks Department are seeking an artist for an exciting opportunity in Junction Plaza Park. While Junction Plaza Park’s dedication was in 2010, funding for this major art installation has only recently come to fruition.
Junction Plaza Park in located in the West Seattle Junction business district which is also the heart of the neighborhood both literally and figuratively. This pocket park acts as a respite for neighbors, is a welcome burst of green amongst much development, a gathering place for events and programming, and is highly visible from the busy vehicle and transit corridor. We are seeking a significant art installation that will have a positive impact for not only park users, but also enhance the broader area.
Art Location and Intent
It is imperative that all applicants visit the park and evaluate the site. The location of the art will be in the area of the large blank wall at the central north side of the park (see right). The intent is to have a very large, prominent, and impactful piece that has a large presence in the park and beyond. Please think big! The installation with be anchored in the ground.Compensation
The total, all inclusive budget for the art is $25,000. This includes all material costs, tax, and any other expenses.How to Apply
Please submit a response with qualifications by August 17, 2015 including:
· A selection of your past work that you feel is most applicable to this project. Include 5- 10 examples.
· Written letter of intent which includes what direction you’d like to take this project and general size of proposed piece. Consider including a sketch to illustrate how you’d use the space.
· Email: Susan@wsjunction.org – not to exceed 5MB and preferable in one PDF, or
· Mail: WSJA, Attn Junction Plaza Park, 4210 SW Oregon St., Seattle, WA 98116Timeline
· Submissions due: August 17, 2015
· Finalist selected: Sept 15, 2015
· Art installation: Nov 2015 – Jan 2016Questions
Please contact Susan Melrose, Executive Director, 206-935-0904, susan@wsjunction.org
6:34 PM: If you’re not already on the east lawn at Hiawatha Community Center, what are you waiting for? Singer/songwriter Naomi Wachira is onstage, the audience is in the shade (but within view of the golden evening sun) …
… it’s the place to be, for the second of six consecutive (free!) Thursday-night Summer Concerts at Hiawatha.
8:27 PM: Concert’s over – we were lucky enough to be able to stay for the whole show, and it was excellent. Added a short Instagram clip; longer video, and photos, to come, now that we’re back at HQ.
ADDED: Above, some of the young concertgoers who danced to just about every song – Wachira joked early on that it was great to see them doing that even during the songs with her more-intense lyrics; toward the end, she implored everyone to get up and move around, and they did. Here’s a full song on video:
Among the concertgoers, Katy Walum (center), the concert series’ founder and a past ANA president, enjoying picnic dinner with husband Erik Walum and friend Mary Kay:
(If you don’t want to fix your own picnic, concert-series sponsor and WSB sponsor Metropolitan Market is just a couple blocks away.) Next Thursday night, Star Anna returns to the series, which is presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association, with co-sponsors including WSB. See the full season slate here.
Our area’s most-renowned music educator has announced he’s leaving for a new career direction, in another school district. Multiple award winner Marcus Pimpleton has told the Denny International Middle School and Chief Sealth International High School communities about his departure; he’s staying with the summertime Seattle Public Schools-wide All-City Band program, but otherwise, he is moving into a school-administration role in the Bellevue district. With permission, we share his e-mail announcement in its entirety:
To my Denny and Chief Sealth Family,
It is with mixed emotions that I formally share the news that I will be leaving the Denny and Sealth community this fall to accept the position of Assistant Principal at Interlake High School in the Bellevue School District. I have had the privilege of working with the band students of Denny and Sealth for over 13 years now and it has been a source of great joy and the highlight of my life thus far. It is a tremendous understatement for me to say that this was a difficult process.
Denny and Sealth will forever hold a special place in my heart, both from my time as a student and as an educator. My time at Denny and Sealth has been full of amazing memories and milestones I shall not soon forget. I have been blessed to be a part of thousands of students making their way through the transformational power and discipline music. From the Denny Dolphin Marching Band’s first parade as the only middle school marching band in Seattle Public Schools, to the numerous middle and high school trips to places like New Orleans, New York, Washington D.C., Honolulu and Anaheim, it has been a tremendous ride. There have been amazing partnerships with local artists and community organizations as well as some pretty phenomenal concerts including the Music Night Out, Soul Jambalaya, and Band Jam. Together we have coordinated over 300 student musical performances in school and community events locally, regionally, and nationally – concrete opportunities for students to apply and demonstrate their learning in real and meaningful ways as opposed to a standardized test. It has been a tremendous blessing for me to have had this opportunity to live, learn, and serve in my community, and I pray for your continued musical success in the years ahead.
Over this past school year I have done a great deal of reflecting on the past and thinking about the future through the University of Washington’s Danforth Educational Leadership program and while I love engaging students in music making activities, I have come to believe that I have something more to contribute to the profession in developing the capacity of adults and of school systems for the improvement of the learning experience provided to our students most in need. The opportunity to learn and serve in a highly successful, highly diverse setting as a part of a strong and experienced leadership team like the one at Interlake High School is really the best thing for my career, professional learning, and goals. This new role will provide me with the next step and prepare me for more effective instructional leadership at home or in another high needs community down the road. I hope that through my example, my students will see learning as a lifelong pursuit and find the fortitude to pursue their calling and take the necessary risks in order to grow.
To my students, I want you to know that of the many aspects of this job that I will miss, the most difficult part will be leaving all of you. It has been fun watching you all as you came in, many times as tiny fourth graders to one of our spring break or summer music camps, and to watch your growth as musicians and leaders as you approached your departure for college. While I would have loved nothing more than to continue working with all of you, I believe that every student, in every school deserves access to rich and engaging teachers and curriculum and that it takes high quality school leaders to ensure that happens. I want to learn what it takes to be the type of leader that can help to ensure that all students have access to the high level instruction and experiences that put them on the path for successes in school, college, and life. This is a necessary step for me to do that. I will miss working with you all during the school year, but am excited to share that I have been invited to continue as the Director and Program Administrator for the Seattle All-City Marching Band. Next year we will be celebrating our 65th anniversary and it will be my 25th year as a part of that program. I would love to see many of you participating next summer.
Until we meet again,
Marcus J. Pimpleton
As mentioned in his announcement, Pimpleton himself is an alumnus of both Sealth and Denny. We will be following up with Denny and Sealth principals to ask about plans for who will be leading the programs he’s leaving. (Photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand, taken during last Friday’s Band Jam at SWAC)
Singer/songwriter Naomi Wachira will serenade you on what promises to be a warm, clear Thursday night, second Summer Concerts at Hiawatha show of 2015. Above is her official video for “African Girl,” published in 2013, the year she was labeled “best folk singer in Seattle”; find more of her videos, including live-performance clips, here. Music starts at 6:30 pm and usually goes until about 8 on the east lawn of Hiawatha Community Center (Lander/Walnut) – bring a chair, blanket, family, friends, dinner, and be ready to relax. (WSB is proud to be a series co-sponsor again this year.)
Colorful creativity lines the Alki Beach boardwalk until 6 pm today on this second and final day of this year’s Alki Art Fair.
Above, Salish Sea Designs‘ offerings include bells/chimes made from fire extinguishers recycled from the USS Kitty Hawk. The vendors include West Seattle locals you’ll recognize, like Fred Madrid:
Among Madrid Frame‘s specialties: Historic photos. Keep strolling west on the beach and you’ll find the busker stage:
Nolan Garrett was performing when we strolled the fair at mid-morning. You’ll also find music east of the Bathhouse; the schedule for both stages is here. Also close to the Bathhouse, don’t miss the Seal Sitters Marine Stranding Network‘s booth:
Volunteers John, Barbara, and Eilene were just part of the Seal Sitters contingent on hand as the festival’s day began. Take a close look in the booth to learn about seals and sea lions and their presence in the area, with pupping season just beginning. And ask them about signing up for the August 15th volunteer-training session!
Inside the Bathhouse itself – a silent auction. And right outside, food vendors including Lemongrass (Vietnamese food), ice cream, and fruit. The fair is on until 6 pm, with music scheduled until 8, so you have plenty of time to get there, and we do recommend the shuttle if you’re not already walking/biking/bus-riding – Alki parking already was full for blocks around when we visited in late morning.
P.S. Not an official part of the Art Fair, but, from the WSB Instagram feed, some creativity we spotted on the other side of the seawall:
7:13 PM: The Junior All-City Band (above) is on the field right now at Southwest Athletic Complex as an hour and a half of marching-band music gets under way @ Band Jam 2015.
All welcome – free! See the WSB Instagram feed for video clips as it continues.
9:13 PM: The jamboree is over – another high-energy show! – and the bands are off to get ready for their next gigs, including tomorrow night’s Seafair Torchlight Parade, the lineup for which features two of tonight’s featured bands, the All-City Band and Sumner Spartans Marching Band (below):
We’ve added a few of our Instagram clips, while downloading photos and video to publish/substitute in this story later.
11:44 PM: More photos! A drill team joined the lineup this year, the Washington Diamonds:
You might have seen their award-winning performance in the West Seattle Grand Parade a week ago. Tonight, they performed alone and with the All-City Band.
The ACB, of course, is the host of Band Jam, and the stars of the show, for their moves as well as their music:
The ACB program is directed by Marcus Pimpleton, who also has long led other programs including Denny International Middle School and Chief Sealth International High School across the street from tonight’s venue:
The other sizable band in the show, Sumner:
Bands don’t have to be big in size to have a big sound. The Rainbow City Marching Band strode onto the field and proved that:
As announced, and as described online, this Seattle-based band is part of a community-based program promoting LGBTA inclusivity.
Smaller still, but also spirited, the Ten Man Brass Band:
They’re also Seattle-based and describe their style as “riot jazz”:
And then, raucous as ever, comes the Chaotic Noise Marching Corps:
The self-described “renegade marching band” rocked the stadium again this year:
All the acts drew vigorous applause from spectators – cheers and whoops too. Band Jam dates back to 2009 as a Torchlight Parade-eve tuneup opportunity; it moved to Memorial Stadium downtown for a few years but came back here last year.
(WSB photo from 2013 Alki Art Fair)
Another full weekend of summer fun ahead – with highlights including the Alki Art Fair, on the boardwalk tomorrow and Sunday. Along with artists/vendors under canopies, you’ll find live music on three stages, two by the Bathhouse and one on the boardwalk. The schedule is still being finalized, festival organizers tell us, but some acts/times are listed here. You can also visit Seal Sitters at the Alki Art Fair, and they tell us Spud is giving their group $1 of each chowder sale during the festival. Speaking of food, here’s what the festival says about its vendors:
Lemongrass Restaurant will be offering a variety of Asian food, David and Sons Kettle Corn – Pop! will be offering Kettle Corn, mini donuts and slushies, Baskin Robbins will be offering ice cream, JJFROYOGO will be offering a variety of soft serve yogurt and ice cream products.
The festival runs 10 am-6 pm both days, with music until 9 on Saturday and 8 on Sunday, so you have the opportunity to have dinner at the beach, too – you might consider making reservations at our two WSB sponsor restaurants at the beach, Phoenecia and Cassis.
Back to what’s offered at the fair: Check out the silent auction and a children’s art activity area for make-and-take arts and crafts. And if you aren’t already planning to walk, run, bus, bike, or paddle to Alki Art Fair, here’s another option – the shuttle bus – different route this year:
A free shuttle bus will be running both days 9:30 – 6:30 from the Park and Ride area under the SW Spokane Street bridge up Admiral stopping at California to the Alki Art Fair and circling back about every 1/2 hour to expand our parking options.
A few more details are on the festival website.
7:02 PM: As forecast, the clouds cleared and the sun shone in time for tonight’s first Summer Concerts at Hiawatha show. Hundreds are on hand to see and hear West Seattle-residing singer Carrie Akre:
You still have time to get to the park (east side of Hiawatha Community Center) to enjoy the show until 8 pm or so. If you can’t get there tonight, you have five more concerts to enjoy, over the next five Thursday nights – courtesy of the Admiral Neighborhood Association – see the schedule here.
10:20 PM: We recorded this song:
Akre returned to West Seattle last year, as noted in this WSB story from November.
(July 2014 WSB photo)
This time tomorrow night, the east lawn at Hiawatha Community Center (map) will be full of people listening local singer Carrie Akre, who’s first up in this year’s Summer Concerts at Hiawatha, presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association, with co-sponsors including WSB. Showtime is 6:30 pm Thursday, no admission charge, bring a blanket and/or chair, bring your family/friends/date/co-workers/neighbors/whomever, and enjoy the evening! This is the first of six consecutive Thursday night shows (see the full season lineup here).
Right in the middle of a wildly busy summer season of parades and other performances, the Seattle Schools All-City Band is at Seacrest Park tonight for its annual photo session – which tends to spark some curiosity, including potential future members:
Its members are high-school-age musicians from all over the city, led by Marcus Pimpleton, the acclaimed music leader from Chief Sealth International High School and Denny International Middle School.
All-City Band put on an award-winning show in the West Seattle Grand Parade this past Saturday, and next Saturday, they’ll be in the Seafair Torchlight Parade downtown. But first – the big, fun, free annual pre-parade tuneup event happens this Friday here in West Seattle, and you’re invited as always: It’s “Band Jam,” 7 pm Friday (July 24th) at Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle, the stadium across from Chief Sealth, featuring not only ACB but also some of the bands that will join them in the Torchlight Parade. Never been? Check out our past coverage.
(WSB photo: Rachel George dancing at 2014 MedFest)
Once again this year, right about the same time the West Seattle Parade heads south from California/Lander, nearby Hiawatha Community Center starts shaking with this year’s Mediterranean Fantasy Festival, MedFest for short. It’s two days of dancing on outdoor (east lawn) and indoor (gym) stages, plus vendors and food, free admission – 11 am-7 pm Saturday and 11 am-5 pm Sunday. The list of who you’ll see and when starts here.
ORIGINAL REPORT, 1:13 PM: Just announced: Where you’ll find “Pianos in the Parks” this summer.
(Pianos in the Parks photo: The piano destined for Seacrest)
Twenty-two of the “one-of-a-kind, artist-designed upright and grand pianos” are on their way to parks around the region, 
including one at West Seattle’s Seacrest Park (a change from last year) and one at White Center’s Steve Cox Memorial Park. But first – they’re starring this afternoon in a recital at Lake Union, with local students using all 22 pianos to perform a version of “I Love a Piano” by Irving Berlin. Once they get to their destinations (starting later today), they’re available for free public use through August 16th; then they’ll be auctioned. Bidding will start soon at pianosintheparks.com; that’s also where you will be able to enter a contest by making a video of yourself and/or your band performing with one of the pianos.
4:07 PM: Seacrest’s piano has arrived! Photo to come. (Added: Actually, our Instagram clip came out best, with a passerby giving the piano a try:)
The Steve Cox Park piano was scheduled to be delivered this afternoon, too.
With huge events just days away, we have a lot of counting down to do today – and here’s the first reminder: The Admiral Way Viewpoint banner (thanks to Erik Walum for the photo) is a big reminder that Summer Concerts at Hiawatha start one week from tonight! It’s a free six-concert series, 6:30 pm Thursday nights from July 23rd through August 27th, presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association (with co-sponsors including WSB), on the east lawn at Hiawatha Community Center (official address 2700 California SW, but the concerts are on the Walnut side). Next Thursday, Carrie Akre takes the stage to get this year’s concerts going; see the full season lineup (as announced last month) by going here. Bring neighbors, friends, family, chairs, blankets, picnic dinner, and have a great time – see you there!
On the east lawn at Hiawatha Community Center last night, they sat on the lawn and soaked up the sound of the West Seattle Big Band during this year’s Hi-Yu Concert in the Park – here’s a two-song section of the show:
Midway through, it was time for a special presentation – the band’s former longtime director Donn Weaver was honored with the Orville Rummel Trophy for Outstanding Community Service in advance of this Saturday’s West Seattle Grand Parade:
Find out more about Weaver and the Orville Rummel Trophy in our Tuesday story.
He was presented with the trophy in view of neighboring West Seattle High School, where he taught music for decades, with students including his successor as WS Big Band director, Jim Edwards:
Edwards is also a co-coordinator of the parade, in which Weaver will ride toward the start with the trophy; the parade is this Saturday (July 18th), leaving California/Lander in The Admiral District around 11 am, headed southbound to California/Edmunds in The Junction. Meantime, after the presentation, the band played on:
And on the sidelines, a couple danced:
The Big Band’s main mission is to raise money for school music programs. You can track the band’s public gigs via its online calendar – next up, the Ballard Locks this Sunday (July 19th) at 2 pm.
A ribbon-cutting today celebrated West Seattle’s newest public art – created by Brownie Girl Scout Troop 40255 at the bus-stop shelter on northbound 35th SW at Cloverdale. It tells the story of salmon, and shows our state’s terrain.
From left in the photo are Molly Gazewood, Marley Strackhouse Parks, Alana Bass, Tannée Heinen, Natalie Aguilar Fox. While inviting us to the event, Marcia Strackhouse explained that it was both a celebration of the art itself and of the people who inspired it:
Most of these young people have grown up along the Fauntleroy Creek Watershed, and in their schools, preschools and day care centers, Judy Pickens (and husband Phil Sweetland) have been there to ensure our youth understood their impact on the environment and our salmon. … As Troop Leaders, we were so impressed with their knowledge at ages 8 and 9. They know the cycle of Salmon, understand the importance of maintaining and
keeping our creeks, rivers, and ocean clean, as do many of our West Seattle youth. They have become environmental stewards.
Judy was there for the ribbon-cutting celebration, and accepted a bouquet:
Judy and Phil have kept the Salmon in the Schools program going locally, from egg deliveries to the creekside events at which fry are released each year.
Kirsten Thom is a music teacher and musician, and one of our newest WSB sponsors. Here’s what she’d like you to know:
Specializing in piano and electronic music, Kirsten Thom‘s teaching approach is individually designed for each student based on their area of interest. She teaches students how to integrate injury prevention techniques, as well as personal expression, into practice and performance.
While earning a Bachelor of Arts in Music at University of Puget Sound, Kirsten studied piano under Grammy-nominated pianist Dr. Duane Hulbert, and composition under Dr. Robert Hutchinson. Since graduating in 2010, she has channeled these skills into her electronic music project Bardo:Basho, a moniker under which she has performed extensively with DJ’s and producers from all over the world. Kirsten continues to practice piano while creating and performing, as well as curating a concert series for non-profit event production company Elevator.
Kirsten adds, “I discovered my gift for teaching in college, when a professor of mine asked me to tutor other students in music theory. Many students told me that I helped them to understand the subject matter when other teachers just couldn’t get through. I believe this is thanks to my calm, patient yet enthusiastic demeanor. I have helped students make sense of high-level music theory, daunting electronic music software, complex piano music, and more. One of my very first students was receiving critical acclaim for her own recordings just months after her first lesson.
“In addition to my music degree and my patient, personal teaching approach, students seek me out because of my experience writing, releasing, and performing music. I also have a very broad range of music taste and knowledge, so if a student comes to me wanting to play classical, jazz, metal, techno, or pop music, I am able to tailor my lesson plan accordingly.” Find out more at kirstenthom.com or e-mail kirstenethom@gmail.com.
We thank music teacher Kirsten Thom for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
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