KENYON HALL PRESENTS

Ray Skjelbred (Solo)

Saturday, September 21st 2024

Doors: 7:00 pm / Show: 7:30 pm

All Ages

Seated

$15 General Admission / $10 Senior/Student

https://donorbox.org/events/665288

BY PAUL DE BARROS

Are you hip to pianist Ray Skjelbred? He travels mostly in traditional jazz circles and was off the Northwest scene for a long time, but if you love quality, classic jazz of any stripe, check this guy out. He radiates clarity, intelligence, originality, and joy. His trio with reed player Jacob Zimmerman and bassist Matt Weiner plays regularly at The Royal Room (watch their crisp performance this past January on YouTube). He also plays solo from time to time.

Back in 1960, Skjelbred – pronounced “shellbread” – studied with the great Seattle trad pianist Johnny Wittwer while attending the University of Washington, then co-founded Great Excelsior, one of Seattle’s first – and very best – classic jazz bands. Over the years, he has hung out with Earl Hines, Milt Hinton, Joe Sullivan, and Jess Stacy, to name just a few of his well-known friends. In 2017, he recorded a lively, concise and informative documentary at The Royal Room, Piano Jazz – Chicago Style!, which won the New York Jazz Film Festival’s historical documentary award.