Kate Olson plays saxophone with her band on April 18 at Livestream Saturdays at Town Hall Seattle (photo credit: Town Hall Seattle)

Despite the shelter-in-place rules in most states, jazz is alive and well with shows streamed live or recorded from many locations countrywide. In Seattle, Earshot Jazz and Town Hall Seattle started a partnership in April to stream concerts live with no audience from Town Hall Seattle until the restrictions are lifed in Washington State.

A statement explaining this decision was published on Earshot Jazz’s website on April 18. It reads:

“With the Stay at Home order in effect through at least May 4, all in-person Earshot programming through May has been canceled or postponed. We are partnering with Town Hall Seattle to offer weekly Saturday night livestream concerts. A stay-at-home order is in place for all individuals, with the exception of essential workforce. The full description of essential workforce includes allowances for ‘artists and musicians providing services through streaming,’ provided the guidelines are followed. In light of that allowance, we are pleased to present these livestreamed events.”

(On May 1, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee extended the stay-at-home order to May 31.)

The first concert, featuring Marina Albero Group, streamed on April 4. Jacqueline Tabor, the Kate Olson Ensemble, and MMBJ (Rick Mandyck, Thomas Marriott, and John Bishop) also performed concerts in April.

The concerts are free and livestreamed only. The musicians are paid to perform, and links to their PayPal and Vimeo accounts are posted on the concert page for tips. Donations to Earshot Jazz and Town Hall Seattle are appreciated.

Left to right: Marina Albero, Chris Symer, Brent Jensen, and Stefan Schatz play a Livestream Saturdays tribute concert to Lee Konitz at Town Hall Seattle on May 2. (photo credit: Town Hall Seattle)

Here’s the May schedule. All concerts are on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Pacific time.

• May 2:
  Amy Denio (livestream from Amy’s home)
  Remembering Lee Konitz, with saxophonist Brent Jensen, bassist Chris Symer, pianist Marina Albero, and drummer Stefan Schatz (livestream only from Town Hall Seattle)—Konitz died on April 15 from complications from COVID-19.
• May 9—Bill Anschell Standards Trio (livestream only from Town Hall Seattle)
• May 16—Folks (livestream only from Town Hall Seattle)
• May 23—Kareem Kandi Quartet (livestream only from Town Hall Seattle)
• May 30—SRJO Smalltet (livestream only from Town Hall Seattle)

Links to the livestreams are at the pages for each concert listed above.

The Kate Olson Ensemble in concert at Livestream Saturdays on April 18 at Town Hall Seattle (photo credit: Town Hall Seattle)