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Event
Greta Matassa Jazz
When talented jazz singer Greta Matassa last performed on Vashon Island, a feisty autumn storm rode in right behind her-leaving much of Western Washington(including Vashon) without power.
Thanks to Island spirit and quick-thinking, audience members rustled up a generator, enough to power a vocal microphone and a makeshift mood light. The result was a cozy evening of great music, champagne and candlelight enjoyed by all in an ambience rivaling New York City's Village Vanguard, the epicenter of jazz.
With or without power, Matassa (touted as a marvel of virtuosity" by the Los Angeles Times) returns this fall for a much-awaited encore. Joining her on stage will be one of the Northwest's finest pianist and keyboard artists, Darin Clendenin, one of the region's leading bassists Clipper Anderson and versatile freelance drummer/percussionist Mark Ivester.
Matassa, known for her vocal versatility, will perform music from her latest CD I Wanna Be Loved (Los Angeles Resonance Records) including the sultry title tune. "Snappy, boppish, conversationalGreta Matassa is totally with her gutsy band-mates on this packed set of tight octet charts," raved DownBeat Magazine.
Committed to connecting with her audience, she will also take listener requests. "I like the spontaneity of having something thrown at me, someone saying, 'here, field this, and see what you can do with it.'"
Growing up the Northwest, Matassa started developing her jazz chops early. Thanks to a family who integrated jazz into their daily culture, she sang along with the likes of Fred Astaire, Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra from a young age.
"Growing up, my parents were big jazz fansThey were happy to encourage my interest in music. My father is a visual artist, and we used to spend hours talking about abstract expressionism and how that related to jazz," she says.
She was also inspired by instrumentalists such as Dizzy Gillespie, Art Farmer, Chet Baker and Dave Brubeck.
"I decided I wasn't going to be disciplined enough to do scales, so I thought, 'why don't I just see if I can find out how Billie Holiday got that sound and how Carmen McRae got her sound.' I'd sing with them over and over."
Through the years she has performed with top players including Michael Powers and Randy Halberstadt, in venues large and small, she recently made her first foray into New York City, where she played a sold out show at Dizzy's Club. In addition to touring, Matassa teaches innovative vocal jazz techniques.
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LocationBlue Heron Art Center
19704 Vashon Hwy SW
Vashon Island, WA 98070
United States
Categories
| Minimum Age: 14 |
| Kid Friendly: No |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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