West Seattle Herald / White Center News - Art/Entertainment

City-wide sculpture installations set for may 17 in Des Moines

ericm — Thu, 09 May 2013 00:03:45 +0000

Press release:

A multi-year effort spearheaded by the City of Des Moines Arts Commission to bring an outdoor gallery of sculptures to the downtown Des Moines Marina District is nearing completion. On May 17, five sculptures by Washington State artists are slated for installation at sites along Marine View Drive S and in the Marina.

Among the local artists represented, Des Moines resident George C. Scott will have one of his sculptures, a cast glass in powder-coated steel piece called “Tide Pool,” installed at Marine View Drive and S 216th Street. Another sculpture created by students in the Highline School District’s Puget Sound Skills Center welding program, will be situated at Marine View Drive and S 227th Street.

Other sculptors who will have their work included in the Arts on Poverty Bay downtown sculpture gallery include Gretchen Daiber of Leavenworth, Leo Osborne of Guemes Island, and Lin McJunkin of Conway, WA.

There will be a formal opening celebration of the Art on Poverty Bay sculpture project on Saturday, June 1, at 1 PM in the Des Moines Marina, on the Promenade to the northwest of the Harbormaster’s Office.

The Art on Poverty Bay project, spearheaded by former Des Moines Arts Commission member Nancy Stephan, has raised over $15,000 to date in private funds to pay for the installation of permanent sculpture bases and other expenses related to the sculpture project. Major project contributors include the Des Moines Legacy Foundation, Rotary Club of Des Moines, Law Offices of Gehrke, Wegener & Doull, and Powell Cuystom Homes and Renovations. The City of Des Moines Arts Commission’s Art on Poverty Bay project plans to present a rotating gallery of sculptures on an annual basis. Those involved with the project hope to install additional bases as funds are raised. For more information, contact Nancy Stephan at 206-228-4024.

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ericm

05/08/2013

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Burien Arts A Glow looking for lantern artists

ericm — Wed, 08 May 2013 21:28:39 +0000

The Burien Arts-A-Glow Lantern festival is looking for artists and community groups to create lantern installations for the 2013 event to be held on Saturday, Sept. 7th.

The Call is below and can also be found at: www.burienwa.gov/glow

Call for Artists

Arts-A-Glow Lantern Festival and Procession
Dottie Harper Park, Burien, WA
Event date: September 7, 2013, 5:00-10:00pm
www.burienwa.gov/GLOW

Deadline for Submissions: 4:00pm, June 28th, 2013
Applications must be submitted electronically, no later than 4pm on June 28th to
ginak@burien.gov

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Artists are invited to submit proposals to provide new or existing temporary illuminated artworks
as part of the Arts-A-Glow Lantern Festival in Burien, Washington. The festival is sponsored by
the City of Burien.

• Artists are encouraged to visit Dottie Harper Park (4th and 146th SW; Burien)
http://www.burienwa.gov/index.aspx?NID=401 prior to preparing their proposal.
• The artworks must be waterproof.
• Artwork must have no lasting physical impact on the park - leaving “no trace.”
• Artwork must be family friendly.
• We are open to illuminated two- or three- dimensional, multi-media and/or performance
works.

ARTIST FEES & RECOGNITION
•
Artist’s proposals will be selected from the pool of applicants.
•
Please include a budget narrative with your proposal justifying your requested amount.
Awards will be between $100-$1,000.
•
Artists’ names will be listed on promotional/outreach materials.

SELECTION CRITERIA
•
Quality of submitted work
•
Ability of the proposal to be executed within the budget and timeline
•
Ability of the proposal to meet public safety and environmental issues
•
Compliance to guidelines and submission requirements
•
Describe project benefits, including if/how the public can be involved in the construction and/or
interact with the completed artwork.
REPRODUCTION
The City of Burien and 4 Culture will have the right to graphically reproduce accepted work
through print, film or electronic media for documentary, educational, and promotional purposes.

ARTIST RESPONSIBILITY
• Ongoing communication regarding project evolution and site needs.
• Artworks must be installed and/or ready to display by 5pm and removed between 10 and 11
pm on September 7, 2013.

ARTIST GUIDELINES
•
Project/installation proposals must be original.
Artworks that received funding must be able to accommodate weather, as Arts-A-Glow will take
place rain or shine.

APPLICATION MATERIALS
To apply, each artist (or project team) must submit the following materials by e-
mail with the following requirements:

In body of e-mail:
o Name of Artist with contact information (address, phone, e-mail) including Artist’s
web site link (if available). If applying as a team, please provide contact
information for team lead.

Attachments (WORD docs are best):
1. Narrative description of project (no more than 2 pages including conceptual intent,
materials, and method of execution.) Artists are encouraged to describe how they will
involve the public, either in the creation or interactive exhibition.

2. Project budget for artists’ fees and materials (grants will be between $100 - $1,000)
will be awarded. Please include a budget narrative with your proposal justifying your
requested amount.

3. Please include a lighting plan. Limited AC power may be available for lighting,
however proposals should provide for alternative methods (battery, LED’s, etc.).
Please no candles.

4. Resume or Artist’s biography (200 words or fewer) including previous awards,
honors, shows, degrees.

5. A digital image of a sketch or model of the piece (If the piece already exists, submit a
digital image of it as part of your three images- see #6.)

6. Images: Provide three digital images of generally similar previous work in .jpg file
format, maximum dimension of 800 pixels in either direction. Include a description of
the images (artwork title, dimensions, medium, and year of creation).

Please e-mail ginak@burienwa.gov with any questions.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION
Please send proposals to: ginak@burien.gov before 4pm on June 28, 2013.

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ericm

05/08/2013

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Brand new works by Washington state playwrights in festival at Burien Little Theatre

ericm — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 20:29:02 +0000

Press release:

For the price of a movie theater ticket, you can see two—count ‘em, two—live, brand-new, award-winning plays by Washington State playwrights in the 2013 Bill & Peggy Hunt Playwrights Festival.

From May 3 through May 26, Burien Little Theatre’s (BLT) Festival offers 4 weekends of new shows. Pay just $10 to see a performance of two plays -- a one-act followed by a full-length.

The one-act Bottom Line is paired with the full-length Undiscovered Places May 3-12. The one-act 17B is paired with the full-length Parsing Race May 17-26.

After each play is performed, audience members are invited to give their opinions and ask questions of the director and playwright.

These talk-backs provide playwrights with fresh ideas, valuable comments, and honest audience response.

Festival sponsors include the new film The Maury Island Incident, Mark Restaurant & Bar, 4Culture King County Lodging Tax and City of Burien.

Staged performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are just $10 and include 2 shows.
Shows are recommended for ages 13 and older due to occasional language or mature subject matter. The Festival is sponsored by the City of Burien and Mark Restaurant & Bar.

For tickets and information, go to www.burienlittletheatre.org or call 206-242-5180.
MAY 3 – 12
Bottom Line, one-act written play by Judith Jacobs
AND Undiscovered Places, full-length play written by D. Richard Tucker
In the comedy-drama Bottom Line, a lottery ticket is the answer to a young couple’s financial problems, or is it? Directed by Robert Harkins and featuring the acting talents of Natalie Schmidt (Crystal) and Riley Donohue (Jack).
A man meets his adult daughter for the first time in the drama Undiscovered Places, just as his wife is grieving the loss of her son by a prior relationship. Directed by John Ruppeck and featuring the acting talents of Kevin Finney (Dan), Eloisa Cardona (Greta), Patty Bonnell (Candice), Kiki Abba (Julie) and Eli Tock (Scottie).

MAY 17 - 26
17B, one-act written play by Stephan Feldman
AND Parsing Race, full-length play written by Dave Miller
A woman buys two seats on an airplane for her own comfort in the comedy 17B, and arguments ensue about airline policy and common sense. Directed by Russ Kay and featuring the acting talents of Geni Hawkins (Doris), Tim Takechi (William), Shanda Russell (Pam), Dennis Moore (Captain Scully) and John Flynn (The Passenger).

The drama Parsing Race explores what happens when two mixed race couples and a troubled young man deal with the different ideas of race relations held by three generations of friends and family. Directed by Rochelle Flynn and featuring the acting talents of Maria Knox (Yolanda), Adam Hegg (John), Malcolm J. West (Walter), Melissa Malloy (Maddy), Charles Reccardo (Franklin), Patrick Tolden (Saleem) and Vera Werre (Lydia).

ABOUT THE BILL AND PEGGY HUNT PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL
The mission of the Bill and Peggy Hunt Playwrights Festival is twofold: to encourage Washington State playwrights to pursue their craft and to showcase previously unproduced plays written by Washington State residents. Playwrights are invited to submit their scripts, which are evaluated by a panel of judges who select the winners. BLT produces the winning plays in the festival. Top winners in the one-act and full-length script categories are produced as fully staged performances on BLT’s main stage.
The Festival was named to honor Bill and Peggy Hunt’s dedicated service to theater and their devotion to and involvement with BLT. Peggy Hunt joined Burien’s theater scene in 1960 with a leading role in the play Harvey. Over the next 35 years both Bill and Peggy appeared in and directed plays, designed and built sets, served on the Board of Directors, and were involved in some aspect of every theater project.
BLT officially launched the Bill and Peggy Hunt Playwrights Festival in 1999. This year, BLT chose four playwrights to be honored with awards.

ABOUT BURIEN LITTLE THEATRE
Exciting live theater has been a tradition in Burien since 1955. Incorporated in 1980, Burien Little Theatre (BLT) has been a leading producer of quality live theater serving residents of the Seattle and south Puget Sound areas.
BLT is committed to being an entertainment leader by producing intriguing professional-quality shows. The company’s mission is to treat audiences to productions of the highest artistic integrity that excite, engage and involve both the local and expanding theatrical communities in the Puget Sound region.
A nonprofit 501(c)(3) entity, BLT operates on revenue from ticket sales, donations, grants, sponsorships and volunteers.

THEATER LOCATION
Burien Little Theatre
14501 Fourth Ave. S.W.
Burien, WA 98166
(Intersection of Fourth Avenue Southwest and Southwest 146th St., parking lot entrance on Fourth)
Directions available under “Find Us” at www.burienlittletheatre.org).
(206) 242-5180

TICKET PRICES AND PACKAGES
Staged Performances (Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.): All tickets just $10 for performance of 2 plays.
Dinner and a Show Package: This package includes a two-course meal at Mark Restaurant & Bar plus a ticket to the show; cost is $25 per person. Contact the Mark at 206-241-6275.

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ericm

04/25/2013

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See Saints and Sinners at Burien Community Center

ericm — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 21:43:11 +0000

Press release:

Stop by the Burien Community Center to see the drawings and paintings of West Seattle artist Kelly Lyles. Lyles is famous for her fabulous art cars “Leopard Bernstein” and her new car “Accessories Odd-ysesy”. She has even been on HGTV’s “What’s with that House.”

Lyles says about her work:

“This series is rendered from life, with models posing as famous historical and mythological figures at sessions in Georgetown that we called SAINTS & SINNERS (at the 'Church of the Perpetual Muse' on Sundays, naturally).

“In some cases I've researched characters to complement or "flesh out" the costumes, and incorporated props to reinforce the theme. I work in a variety of media (oils, acrylics, watercolours, and also drawing - primarily with charcoal or contes).

“My styles range from the hyper-realism of trompe l'oeil, to more humorous visual puns with animals and fake-fur (Mice-A-Roni, Benson & Hedgehogs, Spamster, etc), to plein-aire looser landscapes painted on location.

“But I particularly love people and am exceedingly social; therefore specialize in portraiture and figures. I've always been fascinated with human psychology and consider myself somewhat of a 'mimic', even wanting to act professionally at one point. Hopefully that same sense of identification is projected to the subject's rendering. Occasionally to interject a little irony and dimensionality, I glue miscellaneous objects to the frame, corresponding with the model's interests or personality. Even when painting landscapes, I can't resist adding the house in the distance, rafters in the stream, or even litter on the beach to indicate mankind's presence in the environment. Humans are endlessly fascinating and wonderful to draw in all ages, shapes and sizes. I hope this sense of wonder shows in my work.”

www.kellyspot.com

The Burien Community Center is open Monday-Thursday 8:30am-8:00pm, Friday 8:30am-5pm. Kelly’s work will be on display until May 31st. Questions? 206-988-3700.

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ericm

04/02/2013

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SilverSounds announces spring concert B-Town Bandstand

ericm — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 22:29:09 +0000

Press release:

Date: April 21 @ 2pm
Location: Highline Performing Arts Center – Burien
Tickets: $15 (17 & under free with a paid adult ticket) www.northwestassociatedarts.org or 206-246-6040

SilverSounds Northwest pays tribute to the long running TV show, American Bandstand, with their own Rockin’ version titled B-Town Bandstand.

SilverSounds Northwest salutes American popular music from the sixties through today by performing hits like, Help Me Rhonda, Fire and Rain, The Man in the Mirror, and Don’t Stop Believin’.

SilverSounds, is a group of retired folks who believe “You’re never too old to rock ‘n roll.”

Under the direction of Paula Hawkins, SilverSounds delights audiences of all ages. With this, their third concert ever, the ensemble combines energetic singing with clever staging and choreography to create a fun-filled show.

Families hunting for affordable entertainment will delight and parents looking for a risk-free way to introduce their children to the joys of choral music can rest easy because Northwest Associated Arts youth ticket program lets young people 17 and under in free with a paid adult ticket.

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ericm

04/01/2013

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BLT auditioning actors for "Young Frankenstein"

ericm — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 23:06:31 +0000

Press release:

Burien Little Theatre announces auditions for the musical “Young Frankenstein,” written by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, with music and lyrics by Mel Brooks.

“Young Frankenstein” utilizes an ensemble cast of characters ranging in age from mid-20s through mid-50s. All parts are open and available and all actors are encouraged to audition.

Synopsis: IT'S ALIVE! A wickedly inspired re-imagining of the Frankenstein legend based on Mel Brooks' classic 1974 comedy film masterpiece, the story follows bright young Dr. Frankenstein (that's Fronkensteen) as he attempts to complete his grandfather's masterwork and bring a corpse to life.

But this musical comedy hit, winner of the 2008 Outer Critics Circle Award, is not without scary and hilarious complications. Accompanied by a live musical combo, the show includes such memorable tunes as "The Transylvania Mania," "He Vas My Boyfriend" and the famous "Puttin' On The Ritz.”

Performances are at Burien Little Theatre in Burien from Sept. 20 through Oct. 27, 2013. Rehearsals begin in August, though they may start a little earlier depending on cast and director schedules.

Auditions are at Theater Puget Sound in the Seattle Center on Monday, April 8 (Room “C”) and Wednesday, April 10 from 7 to 10 p.m. (Studio T4).

Callback time, date and location will be announced at initial auditions.

The stage director is Steve Cooper. Music directors are Heather MacLaughlin-Garbes and Julie Parsons.

$100 stipend provided.

Please prepare a comedic monologue and two short contrasting songs (serious/comedy, ballad/patter); preferably at least one number highlights your vocal range. Bring written music (in your key) for accompanist, as well as resume and headshot. A cappella is discouraged. Callbacks will consist of cold readings from the script and work with music from the show.

Please make audition appointment: audition@burienlittletheatre.org, 206-242-5180.

Character Descriptions

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein – Male, age 20s/30s. Brilliant brain surgeon, professor and grandson of mad scientist Dr. Victor Von Frankenstein. Vocal range: Bb one octave below middle C to G above middle C.

The Monster – Male, age indeterminate. Played by a bigger man – the bigger the better. The misunderstood creation of Dr. Frankenstein. Vocal range: Ab one octave below middle C to F above middle C. Also must be able to emit howling/monster/grunting sounds. Knowledge of tap dancing a plus.

Igor – Male, age 20s/30s. Frederick’s faithful, bright-eyed, eager servant and friend--with a hunchback. Vocal range: D below middle C to F above middle C.

Inga – Female, age 20s. Frederick’s bubbly, not-so-bright young assistant. Sexy, attractive. A resident of Transylvania. Vocal range: G# below middle C to A above the treble staff. Yodeling is a plus.

Elizabeth Benning – Female, age 20s/30s. Self-loving, “madcap”, boisterous fiancé of Frederick. Vocal range: F# below middle C to F#, top line of the treble staff.

Frau Blücher (whinney..!) - Female, age 30s/40s. Intense, stern housekeeper of Frankenstein estate. Former lover of Victor Frankenstein. Vocal range: F## (G natural) below middle C to B, third line treble staff.

Inspector Hans Kemp – Male, age 40s/50s. Head of the police in Transylvania, with a wooden arm and leg. Justice-driven. A one octave below middle C to F above middle C. Will double as the Blnd Hermit – Lonely, poor, blind town hermit longing for a friend. Vocal range: Bb one octave below middle C to Db just above middle C.

Swing cast, 4 male and 4 female, with plenty of featured roles, lot of juicy lines and singing, including a barbershop quartet. We are looking for people with strong dance/movement training. This group will portray gravediggers, villagers, medical students, passengers, mad scientists and various supporting roles, including:

* Dr. Victor Von Frankenstein – Male, age 40s/50s. Frederick’s infamous grandfather. Vocal range: C# below middle C to G# above middle C.
* Ziggy – Male, age 30s. Well-intentioned village idiot. Vocal range: F below middle C to F above middle C.

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ericm

03/27/2013

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Ethnic roles included in auditions for 2013 Bill & Peggy Hunt Playwrights Festival

ericm — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 21:39:05 +0000

Press release:

Burien Little Theatre announces auditions for BLT’s 2013 Bill & Peggy Hunt Playwrights Festival of four brand spanking new plays. These scripts have never been produced elsewhere. Each play will be part of a double-bill, and each will have six performances.

The producer is seeking actors to portray 19 male and female characters ranging in age from 16 through 60s, including five that are specifically black, plus some ethnic-neutral roles. Actors of all ethnicities are encouraged to audition. Details on shows and characters are listed below.
The festival runs May 3-May 26 at Burien Little Theatre in Burien. Performances of main-stage plays are Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons.
Rehearsals for some shows will begin around March 25, and others will begin around April 7.
Auditions are Tuesday, March 12 and Wednesday, March 13 from 7 to 10 p.m. Callbacks are scheduled for Sunday, March 17 from 6 to 9 p.m., and there may be additional callback dates.
Please make audition appointment: audition@burienlittletheatre.org or call Burien Little Theatre at 206-242-5180. Come prepared to perform a short comedic monologue and a short dramatic monologue. Please also bring resume and headshot. Callbacks will consist of cold script readings. Stipend of $35 provided.
Auditions will be held at Burien Little Theatre, located at 14501 Fourth Ave. S.W., Burien. For directions, go to www.burienlittletheatre.org.
Details of plays
“Angry at the Daffodils”:
A full-length play written by D. Richard Tucker.
Synopsis: Dan struggles to deal with his wife, Greta’s, grief over losing her only son. Having never had children, Dan begins to question his life, when an ex-girlfriend shows up and tells him he’s the father of her 28-year-old daughter. Dan tries to become part of his daughter’s life in an attempt to make up for lost time and create the father-child bond he never knew he wanted. Drama.
Character list:
Dan: Male, 49.
Greta: Female, 42, his wife.
Scottie: Male, late teens, Greta’s dead child.
Candice: Female: 48, Dan’s ex-girlfriend.
Julie: Female, 28, Dan’s daughter, a helicopter pilot.

“Parsing Race”:
A full-length play written by David Miller.
Synopsis: “Parsing Race” explores relations between blacks and whites in the northern United States today. Racial misunderstandings provoke the breakup of a black woman, Yolanda Jefferson, and her white ex-Marine boyfriend, John Furman. Yolanda’s father, Walter, fuels the breakup with his insistence that interracial relationships don’t work. Yolanda turns for counsel to her white friend, Maddy, who faces her own issues in her marriage to the black Franklin. Saleem, a young black “gangster” wannabe staying with Maddy and Franklin, discovers that his mother was half-white and his white grandmother wants to take him home.
Character list:
John (Jack) Furman: Male, 35, white. Previously married. Assertive, slightly bulging in the tummy, balding. Served as a Marine captain in Iraq. Now a salesman for an industrial kitchen-equipment manufacturer.

Walter Jefferson: Male, 59, black. Medium build, dark-skinned, gray-haired. Slow-speaking, affecting gravitas. Slight Southern accent. Conventional, somewhat melancholy in temperament. Served three years in the Marines in Vietnam as enlisted. Now works as a men’s clothing salesman at a department store. Father of Yolanda.

Yolanda (Yolie) Jefferson: 28, black. Fairly attractive, self-assured, skittish about men. Works as a nurse at the VA Hospital.

Franklin Cooper: 39, black. Muscular build but soft-spoken, generally serious. Grew up in a tough neighborhood and was a member of a gang named the Black Mambas. Went to prison for assault where he got out of the gang life with the help of his prison chaplain. Works as the director of a youth center. Married to Maddy.

Madison (Maddy) Cooper: 32, white. Practical, not easily flustered. Married to Franklin. No children. Works as a receptionist at the VA Hospital.

Saleem (Henry) Washington: 18, black. Trim, light-skinned, tattooed, acts nonchalant and semi-tough, but really just drifting through life.

Trey: 22 or 23, black. A minor gangster, street tough, and dressed and tattooed appropriately.
“Bottom Line”:

A one-act play written by Judy Jacobs.
Synopsis: A lottery ticket is the solution to a couple’s financial problems…or is it? A struggling young couple, Jack and Crystal, dream of winning the lottery. This week, Crystal is determined to create “just the right” spiritual energy before they buy their ticket. She convinces Jack to participate in “just the right” ritual to change their luck. When the ritual actually works, their conflict over how to spend the money reveals struggles that just might go deeper than the financial surface. Comedy-drama.
Character list:
Jack: Male, early 30s, trim and muscular, a frustrated sheet metal worker.
Crystal: Female, early 30s, Jack’s wife, an equal blend of logic and woo-woo.

“17-B”:
A one-act play written by Stephan Feldman.
Synopsis: Professor Doris Cannon has reserved and paid for two adjoining seats for her personal comfort on a flight to Boston from Seattle. The airline insists on boarding a standby passenger to take one of the seats. Arguments ensue regarding common sense and airline policy. Comedy.
Character list:
Doris Cannon: Female, age 40-60, elegant.
William Johnson: Male, age 18, high-school student.
Pam: Female, age 21-60, flight attendant.
Captain Scully: Male, age 40-60, airplane pilot.
Passenger: Male, age 50-70, well-dressed.

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ericm

03/06/2013

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Firefighter presents paintings at Burien Community Center

ericm — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 21:50:32 +0000

Press release:

The City of Burien Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services is pleased to present the works of artist Richard Jahn.

Mr. Jahn writes:
Most of my paintings are fairly straight-forward scenes that are part of my life. I tend to paint the most obvious things in the most obvious ways. I do however try to infuse my own personality into each painting which is something that has no specific formula… but somehow it happens.

My earliest love of art came from looking at psychedelic posters and album covers back in the ‘60s. I also love the early Dutch artists and their depictions of everyday life. I hope that you see at least a little bit of these influences in my paintings.

I am self-taught; I have no desire to copy or paint like any other artist. Ultimately I want my paintings to be reflections of who I am.
I see painting as somewhat of a "Calling" that comes from somewhere higher than myself and I’ve made it a point to heed this call. It's more than a hobby….but it is still a hobby....and I'm having a good time with it!

In addition to painting I am a 21-year veteran, full-time, professional fire fighter.

Mr. Jahn’s works will be on display at the Burien Community Center lobby until the end of March. The Community Center is located at 14700 6th Ave SW and is open Mon-Thurs 8:30AM-8PM and Friday 8:30 AM- 5 PM.

For more information on Mr. Jahn’s work please go to his website: www.richardjahn.com

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ericm

02/08/2013

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Music legend Quincy Jones lends his voice to Sea-Tac Airport

ericm — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 21:13:14 +0000

Seattle Icon Joins Lineup of Popular Northwest Musicians  Voicing Announcements and Contributing Overhead Music to Sea-Tac Airport 

Press release:

Your next trip to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport just got upgraded with the sweet, warm voice of legendary Seattle musician Quincy Jones.

In Quincy’s unique soulful style, he will be welcoming travelers to the airport, telling them about the local music playing overhead, giving security advice and even talking about the Airport’s progressive environmental stewardship programs.

Jones is the latest addition to the highly successful Sea-Tac Airport City of Music that showcases the northwest region’s music culture.    "Seattle’s rich musical history -- from Clark Terry and Ernestine Anderson, to Bumps Blackwell, Ray Charles, Jimi Hendrix, Heart and Nirvana, to name a few -- is rooted in the city’s cultural diversity.

It is where my wonderful musical journey began and I can’t imagine a better place to have honed my craft,” said Quincy. “In doing these voice over announcements, I hope that everyone traveling through the airport will be encouraged to experience the great music, musicians and cultural vibrancy that the city of Seattle embodies.”

Quincy Jones attended Garfield High School in Seattle, where he met a young Ray Charles and built a six decade career in the music industry. Among his many achievements are 27 Grammy Awards and his upcoming induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame later this year.

“While Seattle doesn’t always get the exposure that other cities do, we have a rich music history,” Port Commissioner John Creighton said. “The Port’s music program has been a tremendously successful way for the region both to celebrate our heritage and introduce the traveling public to the wealth of emerging music talent in the Northwest. It just keeps getting better.”

The Sea-Tac Airport City of Music program – a cooperative effort by the Port of Seattle, Seattle Music Commission and PlayNetwork – is a comprehensive program that enhances the experience of millions of traveler’s each year combining overhead music by a diverse variety of northwest artists, curated videos on terminal and baggage claim monitors, and a multi-channel web radio player available through the free airport Wi-Fi network.

In just the first year of the program, 32 local artists have volunteered their time to taping overhead welcome, security and informational announcements for the airport including such diverse artists as Macklemore, Clarence Acox, Ann Wilson, Sir Mix-A-Lot, Jerry Cantrell, Fly Moon Royalty, Ludovic Morlot, Allen Stone and many more.

In addition to his voice announcements, you can also hear music from Quincy Jones in the airport playlist which has grown to 400 songs with 150 northwest artists.

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn matched the enthusiasm for the Port’s music program saying, “So often people talk to me about music when talking about Seattle. It’s great to see that our homegrown musicians are getting a chance to talk about us too. Very cool.”

For sample audio clips of Quincy Jones’ airport announcement and more information on the program, visit the Sea-Tac Airport Music Initiative page.

You can also visit the page for more information on how to submit your music or video content.   When you are at the airport, give us feedback or let us know what you are hearing by following @SeaTacAirport on Twitter and using #SEACityofMusic.

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ericm

01/23/2013

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