The Seattle Times
The Golden Ear Awards recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of the past year in Seattle jazz. This annual gathering presented by the Earshot Jazz organization is now in its 21st year. This year’s winners were announced last night at the Triple Door. Among the winners were trombonist and Roosevelt High School senior Andy Clausen and his electronic quintet Sjenka who was named the emerging artist of 2009. The duo of Neil Welch (sax) and Chris Icasiano (drums) was named the outstanding alternative jazz group. Welch and Icasiano are among several musicians who studied music at the University of Washington, whose jazz studies program is gaining in influence and reputation as the engine for the local avant garde jazz movement. And pianist Marc Seales and trombonist Stuart Dempster were inducted into Earshot’s Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame. To read more about the winners, follow the above link.