(October – November) Seattle’s annual Earshot Jazz Festival brings the finest in local and internationally-recognized talent to some of the city’s finest concert venues and clubs. Each year in late October-early November, musicians from all over the world flock to the “Emerald City” to soak up (literally, if the weather is typically Seattle) the jazz atmosphere in one of the country’s most underrated jazz hot spots. Names like Brad Mehldau, Jack DeJohnette, Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Allen Toussaint, Bill Frisell and Ravi Coltrane have all graced some of Seattle’s finest stages as part of the Earshot Jazz Festival.
We recommend exploring the website to take in just the sheer volume and quality of artists that play this great event. Tickets are available through the individual venue websites and discounts are available for Earshot members, students, seniors and those purchasing tickets for five or more events through Earshot Jazz. For the obsessive jazz lover, full festival passes are available ($300 for members, $350 for non-members), but it’s usually better to pick and choose your events, then pay individually, as many concerts happen simultaneously, especially on the weekends.
- Venues: Town Hall Seattle (1119 Eighth Avenue); Rainier Valley Cultural Center (3515 S Alaska Street); Tula’s Restaurant and Nightclub (2214 Second Avenue); Chapel Performing Space (4649 Sunnyside Avenue N); Seattle Asian Art Museum (1400 East Prospect Street); Kirkland Performing Arts Center (350 Kirkland Avenue, Kirkland); Triple Door (216 Union Street); Poncho Concert Hall (710 E Roy Street, Cornish College); Northwest Film Forum (1515 Twelfth Avenue); Brechemin Auditorium (Room 126, School of Music, University of Washington); Edmonds Center for the Arts (410 Fourth Ave N, Edmonds); Benaroya Hall S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium (200 University Street); Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall (200 University Street); Seattle Art Museum Downtown (1300 First Avenue)
- Public Transportation: Varies by venue
- Handicapped Accessibility: Depends on venue, but generally good
- Performances: 40-55 performances
- Ticket Prices: $5–$90 depending on venue and artist
- Discounts: Significant discounts for Students and Seniors at many venues, $2 off ticket prices for Earshot members.
