Community Calendar

WHISTLE LAKE JAZZ QUARTET - As the story goes, Anacortes native Todd Anderson (drums) in 1993 denies a small business loan to Tim Eslick (bass), while at the same time inviting him to a jam session.

Strangely enough a close friendship is born, and soon the duo have a monthly gig at the Rockfish Grill in small combos such as “Frankly Moanin’”. So the story goes….

Fast forward to 2012. Tim the talent scout puts the arm on Camano Island pianist Andy Carr to sit in at the Rockfish with their current incarnation, “Savage Jazz”. Inexplicably he is invited back for the next gig. So the story goes…

Fast forward again to 2020. La Conner (by way of L.A.) guitarist Jamie Findlay breaks pandemic protocol to drop in at the Eslick’s annual backyard BBQ-and-music festival. Soon, regular socially-distanced rehearsals are being convened in the Bat Cave (Tim’s wood shop/garage), as “TimE3 Jazz” morphs into “Whistle Lake Jazz Quartet”.

Come 2022, the group leads the way at the re-opening of live music at the Rockfish and wows the crowd at the Lakedale Jazz Festival on San Juan Island. So the story goes…

Throughout the journey, the band’s motto remains the same – “really great guys playing
really great jazz”. So the story goes….…to be continued.

MARCH FIRST FRIDAY ARTWALK

Join us for The First Friday Artwalk on Friday, March 3 from 6pm – 8pm. Be sure to enjoy the Manieri Jazz Walk the same evening with 6 Jazz stops along Commercial Ave. in Old Town. Check our website for their locations.

404 Commercial Ave., MoonWater Arts

MoonWater Arts showcases a collection of artistic treasures created by local and national artists, most of whom are women. Joanie Schwartz, owner of MoonWater Arts and Joanie Schwartz Glass is a fused glass artist and teacher who teaches many classes onsite at MoonWater.  Take a look at the class schedule and secure a spot in one of her numerous classes. You’ll get a chance to work with Joanie to create your very own masterpiece, even if you’ve never worked with glass before. 

419 Commercial Ave., The Majestic Inn and Spa 

The Majestic features regional photographs by Doug LeClair.  LeClair specializes in all that showcases our Skagit Valley: birds, mountains, water scenes and flowers.  Come enjoy what he has brought this month and take a new piece home.

420 Commercial Ave., Scott Milo Gallery

The gallery features new mixed media acrylics by Anne Martin McCool with her moons, mountains and trees.  Also showing are watercolor florals by Catherine James, plein air oils by Robin Weiss, landscape pastels by Janice Wall and a nocturne series in oil by Susan McManamen.  Also, great new tables and jewelry.

1010 5^th Street, The Studios Above Scott Milo Gallery

Two studios above Scott Milo Gallery are open and include oil paintings by Cathy Schoenberg and paintings on paper by Elizabeth Ockwell.  Climb the stairs and see exciting paintings, prints and sculptures.

715 Commercial Ave., Fidalgo Fudge

Fidalgo Fudge Co. will be open with all their delicious treats, including fresh fudge, chocolates, ice cream scoops, brownie sundaes and banana splits. West Coast Dumplings will be in store sampling their cooked traditional European vareniki & pelmeni. Come see what everyone loves about these local dumplings. 

705 Commercial Ave, Trinity Skate

Trinity is presenting Polly Cloud Art. Polly's art style is an ancient technique called paper/fabric marbling. Come see the whimsical colors, images, and shapes created in her art and enjoy some hot ginger tea and honey cakes.

The Manieri Endowment in partnership with Art in Old Town Anacortes are proud to present the first annual Jazz Walk in Anacortes. Venues include Johnny Picasso, Brown Lantern, Frida’s, Rockfish Grill, Pelican Bay Books, and The Depot with artists ranging from Anacortes High School Jazz to Newton’s Law Trio.

JAZZ WALK WITH KELLEY JOHNSON - Join us for the first annual Jazz Walk sponsored by Manieri Jazz featuring artists at 6 different venues downtown including Kelley Johnson at the Rockfish. Kelley is an international award winning jazz vocalist who is known and respected as an arranger, poet and lyricist with a personal body of recordings. Kelley’s lithe velvety voice mixes with a dynamic delivery and tricky colorful arrangements to showcase her interpretive finesse and inspired soloists. An organic groovy singer with a direct approach, Kelley reaches her audience with storytelling, subtlety, soulfulness and swing.

She has twice been chosen to be a musical ambassador abroad. Her quartet auditioned live for Wynton Marsalis and Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center for lengthy tours for the US State Department in 2004 and 2008. Since her celebrated debut recording “Make Someone Happy” with Fred Hersch, she has achieved critical acclaim with every recording. “Music is the Magic” from which “Tea For Two” garnered her First-Place in the 2003 International Jazzconnect Vocal Competition was recorded in Brooklyn in 2002 and produced by the brilliant trumpeter, Brian Lynch. The Jazz Education Journal listed the ensuing “Live at Birdland”, taped in one special night at the historic New York City club, as a Blue Chip Jazz Vocal album of 2004. The Birdland evening featured reknown trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, the stellar John Hansen, beauteous Ugonna Okegwo and effervescent Jon Wikan, and the songs range from seductive intimacy to streetcorner jive to sophisticatedly reorganized Americana, all tell-tale signs of Kelley’s unique stamp.

Kelley Johnson grew up in the Midwest where her mother bought and fixed up houses to subsidize her career as a visual artist. For Kelley, home was a transient thing. Surrounded by the sounds of music, her mother was a painter who filled the studio with the music of the 60s, 70s, R&B, country, jazz and especially the blues. When her mother was severely injured in an auto accident, her family took in boarders to make ends meet and among their guests were singers, songwriters, actors, and comedians – a household full of art, music and people pursuing it. By the time the family moved to Milwaukee, Kelley was in love with jazz and the city was proving to be a notorious schooling ground for countless young jazz musicians. After absorbing Billie, Miles, Keith Jarrett and Betty Carter records and hanging in Milwaukee’s clubs checking out the great music offered there, her education grew to be formal – Magna Cum Laude from the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music.

Eventually Kelley landed in Seattle, where Johnson made a key connection with jazz vocal eminence Mark Murphy at a workshop he was doing. His mentoring both helped her develop her talent and facilitated getting the word out that an impressive new vocalist was on the scene. Her first recording, “Make Someone Happy” featured the infamous Fred Hersch as well as Kelley’s long time partner John Hansen, along with Brian Lynch, Larry Grenadier, Steve Wilson and Lewis Nash. About that record Murphy said, “Good news for jazz vocal fans! Listen to her sureness of pitch, imaginative song selection and her ability to lyricize to a Joe Henderson theme. Many treats here, my friends. In a world of noise, yahoo, and recorded B.S., the first thing you hear here is none of that. It’s because this girl knows she is a jazz singer and doesn’t have to do anything else!”

For Kelley, music IS the magic and having performed all over the world, in part under the auspices of the State Department’s Jazz Ambassadors program, The Rhythm Road, the big highlights for her come from her connection with the audience. An email from an appreciative fan from Kyrgyzstan exemplifies the power of musical communication: “I felt your spirit through the meanings of your songs, the spirit of revolutionary person who is for true and fair world of people.” As Wynton Marsalis says, “Swing is a natural agent of diplomacy”.

CARDOVA - An exciting new project featuring brilliant songwriter Taylor Molzahn, Cardova brings great R&B, soul and funk to a trio setting. Channeling the spirit of Dr John, Vulfpeck and others, Cardova presents a unique, sophisticated, timeless mix of material that is simultaneously retro and ultra-modern. Featuring Taylor Molzahn: Guitar & Vocals ; Jeff Naylor: Bass ; Joel Litwin: Drums

ANDRE FERIANTE - With over 4 decades of performing and recording, award-winning virtuoso guitarist Andre Feriante has left his musical mark on the classical, neo-flamenco, world music and fusion scenes. A cross-over artist in the vein of Yo Yo Ma or Sting, his performance program represents a bold but fluid musical fusion, featuring music from Bach to Leonard Cohen, flamenco improvisation to jazz standards, Americana to World Music. With training by guitar masters like Maestro Andrés Segovia, Feriante is a world renowned virtuoso musician in his own right. His musical art sings from the Spanish guitar, harp guitar, ukulele, harp ukulele, nylon string banjo, charango, oud, saz, and most recently the shamisen, ruan, and sitar.

Born in Naples, Italy, Feriante spent his formative years between Southern Italy and Manziana, a village just outside Rome. Since moving to Seattle in the late 1980s, Feriante has established himself as a Northwest favorite, having performed throughout the Puget Sound area in public and private concerts for a virtual “Who’s Who of Seattle.” His music has been featured on “Hearts of Space,” on NPR. In 2009, Feriante was picked for MSN’s celebrity feature, “12 Sexy Bald Men,” along with Andre Agassi, Seal, Vin Diesel, Taye Diggs and Patrick Stewart, among others. In addition to his busy performance schedule, Feriante has hosted “La Guitarra,” on Classic King FM 98.1, the Arts Channel.

His tours have taken him throughout the United States, Europe, and South America to play in esteemed locations like the Cathedrals of Sweden, Carnegie Hall in New York City, and Seattle’s Benaroya Hall. Festival appearances include the Maui Music Festival, Seattle Folklife Festival, Seattle Hempfest and Bumbershoot. Feriante headlined at “La Festa di Manziana” in Rome. He has made regular appearances on Seattle radio and television and was featured on the Classical King FM Compilation Natural Symphony CD, as well as on the Tigerbreath label with Ottmar Liebert, Craig Chaquico and others. He also played at Javeriana University in Bogota, Colombia, and for Jose Carreras at special fundraising receptions at Carnegie Hall and Benaroya Hall to benefit the Jose Carreras Leukemia Foundation.

 Join us for a historical presentation about the women who influenced and guided the development of Anacortes in the late 1800s and early 1900s, presented by Anacortes Museum Education Coordinator, Adam Farnsworth. To join via Zoom, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

AAUW in Partnership with APL Presents: The Early Women of Anacortes - Thursday, March 9, 7:00 pm, Library Community Meeting Room

Scott Holley is the president and co-owner of Eddyline Kayaks, a leading US manufacturer of kayaks and accessories with operations in Burlington, WA and Queretaro, Mexico. Holley joined Eddyline after leading the buyout of the company from the founders in June 2017 through is special purpose investment firm, Finchbrook Partners. Maritime Speaker Series: Scott Holley - Saturday, March 11  @ 2:00 pm - Anacortes Community Meeting Room 

THE NAUGHTY BLOKES- The Naughty Blokes formed in Bellingham, WA. Their rock n roll mission was galvanized when they won KISM Radio’s “Road to Rockstar” competition. The band has recorded a self-titled six song E.P. and the full length album, “We Rise”. The Blokes are made up of Northwest music veterans and feature the impressive line-up of Warren Meier on guitar and vocals, Tim Malloy drums and percussion, Jon Myers on six-string bass, Adrian Clark lead guitar and vocals and newest member, the amazing Margaret Wilder on keyboards and vocals.

DR SWEETS AND IRELAND WOODS - Washington locals Dr. Sweets (Andrew Sweeting) and Ireland Woods bring their fun energy to the stage while performing a host of covers and
original tunes. You may recognize these two from Savanna Woods’ (The Voice) circle. Ireland is Savanna’s sister and a member of the Woods Sisters trio. They play a wide variety of genres including acoustic classic rock, folk, pop, and jazz. Ireland has been performing for years and brings her polished voice to the forefront while Dr. Sweets brings along his multi-instrumental talents and a toe-tapping rhythm. They bring fun wherever they go so you do not want to miss them.

Join Michael Brockman, artistic director of the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, director of the UW Jazz in Paris program, and faculty member of the UW School of Music as he looks at the history of jazz improvisation with discussion of recorded examples reaching back to early jazz of the 1910 and progressing through the 1960s. 

Jazz Lecture Series: A History of Jazz Improvisation  - Thursday, March 16   - 2:00 pm  - Community Meeting Room

COZMIC SAUCE- Cozmic Sauce is a collaboration of seasoned musicians from around the globe, based in the Pacific NW, with a bright, modern, and unique sound. It’s a powerful, horn-driven, irresistibly danceable blend of Funk, Soul and Jazz-inspired grooves.

In 2017, the band’s leader, bassist Steven Pearson, originally from London but now based near Bellingham, began assembling a group of accomplished musicians to perform music that nobody else around here is playing. Drawing on modern funk and groove sounds from the likes of The New Mastersounds, Speedometer, The Bamboos, and Galactic, and weirdly influenced by 70s cop show theme music, the group quickly built popularity for their tight arrangements, quality musicianship, and high energy shows.

All the players in the group have broad experience, with various members having performed in bands with luminaries including soul queen Etta James, reggae and rock steady giant Winston Jarrett, made multiple appearances at the internationally famous Burning Man event in Nevada, and have opened for the legendary BB King. With invitations to the wildly fun StrangeBrew Fest in Port Townsend, the prestigious Blaine Harbor Music Festival, and the Washington Brewers Festival at Seattle’s Marymoor Park, the state’s largest brewfest, Cozmic Sauce is gaining traction and attention throughout the Northwest and beyond.

FIDALGO SWING - Fidalgo Swing is led by founding member Allen Lewis who is joined on guitar by local legend, Aaron Howell. The two surround themselves with some of the best players in the area. Join us for an evening of Django inspired fun!

The Manieri Endowoment presents Swing Dances for Everyone. Put on your dancing shoes and dance the night away with A’Town Big Band.  

Swing Dances for Everyone  - Saturday, March 25  - 7:00 – 9:00 pm  - The Depo 

JIMMY MAC ALL STARS - Jim McLaughlin brings his new band to the Rockfish. There’s Chris Leighton on drums who won the Washington Blues Society drummer of the year award so many times they just named it after him, Scotty Harris on bass and Eric Rice and Sean Denton on guitars, all WBS award winners. Eric and Scotty went to Memphis this Feb. to represent the WBS in the International Blue Competition. From these guys you should expect some rock with a country twang, greasy blues, and funky old R&B !

Jim has toured the US, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Australia, Europe, and the West Indies. He has given workshops all around the nation as well as Australia and Europe and assisted many professional and renowned players on his techniques. Jim has been honored with many awards and won many competitions including, the International Harmonica Organization “World Harmonica Championship” in 1991/92. He has been the Washington Blues Society “Life Time Achievement Award” precipitant and a Hall of Famer. And, he was the Washington Blues Society “Best Harmonica Player of the Year”, three years in a row.

Jim has been honored to play with some of the world’s greatest harmonica players such as: Lee Oskar, Norton Buffalo, Howard Levy, Jimmie Fadden, T.C. Carr, Mike Turk, Mark Hummel, Joe Filisko, Peter “Madcat” Ruth, Curtis Salgado, Jason Ricci, James Cotton, Rick Estrin, Charlie Musselwhite and The Harmonicats; just to name a few. Jim is often welcomed on stage as a guest artist or a band accompanist. He has joined notable bands such as: the original band WAR, Bill Monroe, Vassar Clements, Mark O’Connor, Townes Van Zandt, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, the Wooten Family Band, Tommy and Phil Emmanuel, and the Everett symphony Orchestra and many other local & national acts.

Jim is locally celebrated for producing his Freedom Fest Event since 2010, a 4-day event, which recently hosted 44 bands with over seven thousand attendees. The highlight includes his “Harmonica Hell” act, during which as many as 42 harmonica players have shared the stage for a one-hour collaborative harmonica set.

March’s pick is Horse by Geraldine Brooks. Anyone who has read the book is welcome to join the discussion. For more information contact the library or visit our website at library.cityofanacortes.org. 

Book Club at the Library  Monday, March 27  - 2:00 pm  - Community Meeting Room 

PENSION KING AND THE DEPENDENTS - Pension King and the Dependents is a recently formed band made up of four former and current Rockfish staff members: Steve Johnson, a veteran of the So. Cal music scene, on vocals and guitar, Kevin Seablom on vocals and bass, Mason Blackburn on drums and Mark Fulton on harmonica and everything else. Pension King specializes in an eclectic mix of acoustic driven classic rock songs.

APL launched the Fidalgo Seed Share Library in January and hundreds of seed packets have already been shared with grateful home gardeners. Seed team members Julia Frisbie and Sequoia Ferrel will talk about how to grow locally adapted seeds to increase the resilience of Fidalgo’s food system, and to keep the seed library stocked for future sharing. Linda Zielinski will discuss growing plants to support local pollinators – no bees, no seeds! The Fidalgo Seed Share Library is a project of Transition Fidalgo. For more information visit https://www.transitionfidalgo.org/seed-savers/. 

Fidalgo Seed Share Library  - Wednesday, March 29  - 6:00 PM  - Community Meeting Room 

The City of Anacortes will be celebrating the reopening of the Thompson Trail Trestle and thanking all the people and organizations who made this possible. 

The Samish Indian Nation is generously hosting the event at the Fidalgo Bay Resort (4701 Fidalgo Bay Road).  The event will run from 2pm to 4pm on Friday, March 31.

Mayor Miller will kick off the event thanking our construction partners; Transpac Marinas, Culbertson Marine and Strandberg Construction.  He will also thank the Anacortes Parks Foundation for their leadership in gathering donations from such community partners as the Anacortes Kiwanis Club, Samish Indian Nation, Marathon Petroleum, HF Sinclair Refinery, Skagit County Board of Commissioners, Anacortes Rotary, and the Miller Group Charitable Trust.

Please consider joining us for this celebration. If you have any questions, please refer them to Jennifer Tottenham at 360-299-1050 or Darby Jordan at 360-293-1918.