Amidst the many alleyways of Downtown Seattle, one can find a building bursting with music and bustling with people, lighting up the darkness of the evening hours. Located off 1st Ave South on South Main Street is a small building, with a small room, fostering a big community of local jazz artists and enthusiasts. Jazz is often considered a dying genre, with many feeling the songs are too long and too conceptual, however those who do enjoy it do so with a passion and consistency which is more than enough to keep their music alive. This is what the Seattle Jazz Fellowship aims to do: build a strong jazz community in Seattle through accessible music. Whether it be a performance space for musicians or a listening space for enjoyers, this unique fellowship opens up opportunities for the jazz space in Seattle to grow.

I had the pleasure of attending a few of the Seattle Jazz Fellowship’s Monday night jam sessions, which is a free weekly event open to anyone interested in jazz. The first few songs are played by the emcee and his regular band, introducing the fellowship and setting the stage for the performers following. A sign up sheet can be found at the entrance of the room, where local artists can opt in to be called up to play for the audience. After the first band plays, the emcee calls on a random variety of artists from the sign up sheet to play a few songs with one another.

Improvisational jazz challenges what we think of “traditional” jazz, highlighting how music often finds a way of revitalizing itself through bringing forward styles and experiments that not everyone may know of. Jazz clubs, jazz bars, and jazz spaces such as the Seattle Jazz Fellowship have recently had a significant increase in attention and popularity. The culture of jazz clubs and bars in other areas of the world, some of the more popular places along the streets of New York and Paris, has been a prevalent part of those cities. Jazz music and its history is kept alive in these thriving areas, and it’s spreading to Seattle. Perhaps it’s the relaxing atmosphere, maybe it’s the rush of a new sound, but whatever it is people are finding newly attractive about the jazz scene, one thing is for sure: it’s worth the experience! Step into the jazz space, challenge your sound preferences, and explore new music in a unique way.

Reach column writer Makayla Dino at musemediauw@gmail.com
Instagram @makrrd

Reach photographer Arshia Batra at musemediauw@gmail.com
Instagram @arshiabatra_