SWOJO Plus KPC Equals One Fine Xmas

Media Contact:
Rachel Jackson, PR Manager
Rachel@kpcenter.org
425-828-0422
www.kpcenter.org

What:
Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra with special guest, Greta Matassa

When:
December 13, 7:30pm

Where:
Kirkland Performance Center
350 Kirkland Avenue
Kirkland, WA 98033

Info:
Adult $21 Senior $19 Youth $10 Group $19 All tickets subject to a $1 service fee (Youth is 25 and younger; Senior is 62 and older)

For information call
Kirkland Performance Center at (425) 893-9900 or visit www.kpcenter.org

“SWOJO is squarely on top of its game, carefully burnishing every chart to lay bare its inherent radiance and charm” – Jack Bowers, All About Jazz

Tremendous, powerful and inspiring, the Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra (SWOJO) and guest vocalist Greta Matassa join Kirkland Performance Center December 13th for a winter concert perfectly poised between songs of the season and boisterous big band favorites.

SWOJO features many of the finest female jazz artists in the region. Showcasing high intensity jazz, tight harmonies, and lush dynamic sounds, the band performs with a fresh energy stemming from five years of thrilling audiences on two continents.

In 2004, SWOJO released its debut recording, Dreamcatcher, on OA2 Records. Now in its second printing, the CD appears on Jim Wilke’s list of Best Northwest Jazz CDs of 2004 and earned high praise from Jack Bowers of All About Jazz: “...sophisticated big band jazz expertly performed.”

SWOJO’s special guest artist for this evening’s concert, Greta Matassa, is one of the Northwest’s most talented and popular singers. With hints of Ella, Sarah, Billie and Carmen, Greta is increasingly recognized as a unique voice in jazz. Seattle’s Earshot Jazz organization has four times voted Greta the NW best jazz vocalist, and her musicianship has earned her the respect and admiration of many of the areas top jazz players.

SWOJO’s Musical Director, Dr. Daniel Barry, is a composer, arranger, music educator, publisher and trumpet player. Dr. Barry’s recent commissions include orchestral, big band, chamber, and choral music compositions. In addition to his work with SWOJO, Dr. Barry currently fronts ‘red fish blue fish’, an 8-piece Latin jazz ensemble, and, more recently, the Daniel Barry Music Group which performs intimate chamber music pieces that incorporate improvisation in a rich variety of styles.

For more information, please visit www.swojo.org, www.gretamatassa.com and www.kpcenter.org

About Kirkland Performance Center

Responsive to the cultural needs of the community, Kirkland Performance Center provides a home for the presentation, support and promotion of the performing arts. Located in downtown Kirkland, this 402-seat theatre hosts more than 250 music, theatre and dance performances each year from acclaimed regional, national and international artists. In addition to presenting performing arts, KPC conducts educational outreach programs through “A World of Arts”, a program designed to bring visiting artists into the classrooms for in-depth workshops. KPC also hosts a variety of community programs, including the King County Library Lecture Series and “Kids-at-Play”, an opportunity for students to perform in a professional setting at KPC. For more information and to review upcoming performances, please visit www.kpcenter.org.

The 2005-2006 Season is made possible in part by: Evergreen Healthcare, The Boeing Company, Woodmark Hotel on Lake Washington, Direct Mailing Solutions, Univar USA, King County Journal Newspapers, Northwest Aerials Gymnastics & Dance, Woodinville Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Merit Financial, Frontier Bank, Software 21, Oasis Complete Facilities Management, Western States Arts Federation/National Endowment for the Arts, ArtsFund, 4Culture, Washington State Arts Commission and generous support from The City of Kirkland.

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