Starting as a community event to highlight the thriving neighborhood of old town Ballard and Seattle’s world-class jazz musicians, the Ballard Jazz Festival quickly grew into a nationally recognized festival featured in JazzTimes & Modern Drummer magazines and in an MSNBC report on international jazz festivals. Even with it’s growing successes, the Ballard Jazz Festival’s main goal continues to be the celebration of this community and of the artists who live here.

The unique atmosphere of historic Ballard Avenue sets the stage for the Ballard Jazz Walk. Music and listeners pour from the clubs on Ballard Avenue creating a New Orleans party atmosphere with opportunities to see more than a dozen top-flight recording bands and mix with hundreds of other music lovers, while experiencing some of Ballard’s great music and dining establishments. Again this year we will be expanding the number of venues and musical groups to accommodate the capacity crowds for the April 25th Jazz Walk.

Entering an exciting new period for the festival, we’ll be partnering with the Nordic Heritage Museum for the first of many outstanding concerts and events planned for their auditorium. In addition to offering time & space for additional festival events and an even more intimate community feel, it will also give the festival a chance to pursue relationships with cultural presenters in Northern Europe, expanding exciting future opportunities for the festival. Past concerts have featured artists from
New York, Paris, Los Angeles, Seattle and beyond with the 2005 performance by the Joe Locke/Geoffrey Keezer Group recorded and released by Origin Records. “Live In Seattle” went on to reach #9 on the National Airplay Charts and spread the word of the Ballard Jazz Festival throughout the world. The concert also was awarded “NW Concert of the Year” by Earshot Jazz.

The festival kicks-off once again with two days of Brotherhood of the Drum at the Sunset Tavern. Featuring bands led by some of Seattle’s world-class drummers, previous shows have included performances by Michael Shrieve (Santana), Matt Cameron (Pearl Jam, Soundgarden), Matt Chamberlain (Tori Amos, Fiona Apple), and many others. This event is always a musical highlight that sets the tone for an incredible weekend of music.