Ian Hughes Quintet at Seattle Jazz Fellowship

Attendance at local jam sessions leaves one with the impression of a jazz guitar revival in Seattle, with now stately veteran guitarist Ian Hughes, front and center. Frankly, it hasn’t been easy getting to know Hughes within the confines of the more prominent jazz stages in town over the past several years. It illuminates a most honorable aspect of the Seattle Jazz Fellowship in providing a stage for a larger contingent of Seattle resident jazz musicians than a for-profit like Tula’s could ever dream of without considering commercial viability. Hughes is one of those musicians, and in this case, bandleaders that have taken advantage of this new live jazz paradigm in Seattle....

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Attendance at local jam sessions leaves one with the impression of a jazz guitar revival in Seattle, with now stately veteran guitarist Ian Hughes, front and center. Frankly, it hasn’t been easy getting to know Hughes within the confines of the more prominent jazz stages in town over the past several years. It illuminates a most honorable aspect of the Seattle Jazz Fellowship in providing a stage for a larger contingent of Seattle resident jazz musicians than a for-profit like Tula’s could ever dream of without considering commercial viability. Hughes is one of those musicians, and in this case, bandleaders that have taken advantage of this new live jazz paradigm in Seattle.

Hughes can play, and leads a band of musicians with deep roots and dedication to community here on his second bite at the apple at SJF. Trumpeter Owuor Arunga lends instant identity to the band and a second lead voice. Bassist Marina Christopher has carved out her own niche on the Seattle scene as a leader, and provides Hughes an undercurrent that can be both ferocious and tender. Drummer Chris Patin is a practitioner of the gospel chops approach to jazz percussion and has been highly visible on the scene going on two decades. Saxophonist Michael Jedynak is perhaps the least known of the bunch, but has some extensive history and group mindism with the bandleader. https://seattlejazzfellowship.org/events

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