Community Calendar

Jingle all the way down to the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce for the Coastal Christmas Tree Lighting featuring music, guest appearances from Santa and the Town Crier, hot cocoa, and festive cheer. The Anacortes Coastal Christmas Tree will shine brightly all month long. @ Anacortes Chamber of Commerce. Ninth S.t & Commercial Ave., Anacortes.

HARP ATTACK WITH THE MARK DUFRESNE BAND PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS - Harp Attack is back! And once again the great Mark DuFresne is at the helm. Our annual blues harmonica throwdown features some of the top players in the NW backed by Mark and his band. Dufresne is one of the most sought after Blues talents in the Northwest. The Washington Blues Society has awarded him for best vocalist, songwriter and harmonica more than any other artist. Stayed tuned for more info!

More information to come but save December 6th on your calendar for an open house and community rally to kick off the effort. City Chamber Hall 5:00 to 7:30. Come get your questions answered. If you have photos to be shared of yourselves enjoying the trestle we would love to see them and get them on the Anacortes Parks Foundation website and Facebook page! All donations can be make at the Parks Department or on anacortesparksfoundation.organd are tax deductible. We can do this!

Come enjoy the spirit of the holidays at the Wonderland Walk at Washington Park. The campground will be decorated with holiday cheer by local groups and organizations, and there will be live music, campfires, and hot chocolate. We recommend you bring a flashlight to guide yourself through the event. The event will be modified to align with public health guidance. @  Washington Park

ASF presents the annual Holiday Fair! Family-friendly, FREE and once again featuring lots of fun activities! Free pictures with Santa, ornament, and cookie decorating, the Student Marketplace, and more! Follow ASF on Facebook or Instagram for the most current information. @  Historic Port Transit Shed

THE UNKNOWNS - The Unknowns are a 5-piece all-female band from Bellingham, WA. While singing with the blues/Americana band Alex Ashley and The Resolve, the three vocalists – Caitlin BoWell, tenor guitar, Kim Bowman, keyboard, Allison Bowman, ukulele – bonded over a love of The Good Lovelies, Peggy Lee, and Imelda May. Eager to make more music of their own, they began writing original songs and harmonies and formed The Unknowns in late 2018, when they joined with Melanie Sehman (drums) and Sarah Yates (upright bass). Their unique brand of entertainment fuses tight three-part harmony and sultry vocals with cheeky lyrics and smart original songs that will make you want to laugh out loud and sing along. The Unknowns have gained a loyal following with their blend of jazz, blues, and contemporary music, and more. They are not new to performing – Kim was pianist and singer for a 20-piece big band, The Swing Connection, and sang in a jazz quartet, Kim Bowman and The Paul Sorensen Quartet, performed as a classical pianist and solo jazz pianist and singer; Sarah plays in Nuages, a gypsy jazz band featuring music of Django Reinhardt, MANtrio, Whatcom Sound Jazz Singers and more; Melanie is in MANtrio, Cat Valley, a Seattle based band, Whatcom Sound Jazz Singers, Bellingham Symphony and more.

The Whistle Lake Jazz Quartet (formerly known as TimE3Jazz) consisting of Tim Eslick, Andy Carr, Todd Anderson, Jamie Findlay bring a fresh sense of interplay to the interpretation of jazz standards with sparkling solos and careful attention to dynamics. Their eclectic repertoire ranges from sensitive ballads to driving blues playing compositions for example by Kenny Barron, Gene Harris, Bill Evans, George Cables, Wes Montgomery with the stylings of Kenny Burrell, Ray Brown along with original compositions.

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.

The agendas for next week's school board meeting have been posted to the board's website: https://www.asd103.org/District/Department/48-School-Board

December 15, 2022 - AHS Library 

3-5:15 p.m. - Study Session 
6:15 p.m. - Evening Business Meeting 

Please note:

The Evening Business Meetings will be broadcast via zoom; other meetings will not be broadcast. All board meetings are open to the public. Additional information about attending board meetings can be found on the board's website: https://www.asd103.org/District/Department/48-School-Board

Holiday hits by your favorite local bands. 

SHERI ROBERTS GREIMES AND JO MOMMA - Sheri Roberts Greimes is a popular performer from the Pacific Northwest who brings her bluesy country rock style to the stage in many venues and local festivals, astounding audiences with her powerhouse vocals and soulful music.
Sheri is an award winning songwriter and singer, having won multiple WBS awards and competed in the International Blues Challenge 2019 in Memphis. Sheri has played professionally since age 15, in Nashville, Las Vegas and many other cities throughout the U.S.
JoMomma is Sheri’s amazing 5 to 6 piece “Show Band”, or known as her “Wall of Sound”. JoMomma is a full-production ensemble that brings much energy and power to the stage, playing venues, festivals, and larger events. Bringing a solid and driving feel to the stage, the JoMomma Band brings excitement and energy to the stage.

DOUG SCHMUDE - Doug Schmude combines elements of country, folk, rock and blues and the result is a modern Americana sound that will appeal to fans of Jason Isbell, Tom Petty & Steve Earle. Doug was born in Baton Rouge Louisiana and grew up in Oklahoma and Texas. After stints in Colorado, Arizona & Tennessee he is now based out of Southern California and his music is littered with souvenirs of the places he has lived and seen. He has released 5 albums of original music. His solo shows feature him on acoustic guitar and harmonica as well as blues slide guitar. In addition to originals he mixes in a few covers for an entertaining and original live music experience.

JANETTE WEST - Janette West is a jazz vocalist who has been working up and down the West Coast for over 5 decades fronting R&B, smooth-jazz and big band outfits. Never though, has West been better served than with the dynamic quartet she and husband drummer Marty Tuttle have developed. Using only top Seattle veteran pianists and bassists their group has become a Rockfish staple. They continue to perform throughout the NW region in restaurants, concert venues, jazz walks and private engagements.

Janette was nurtured in the fabric of Northwest music history. Her voice and style is a rich composite of dynamic jazz improvisation with the plush warmth of soulful R&B influences. Early career highlights include opening for Jimi Hendrix and Tina Turner, writing and performing radio jingles, and performing in hundreds of venues as an R&B and Jazz performer.

Janette earned a choice write up in Jazztimes magazine by national music critic Christopher Loudon who wrote; “West is a first-rate swinger, comparable in style and gusto to Ernestine Anderson, though the warmth of her ballads is more reminiscent of Natalie Cole. Carol Banks Weber of AXS writes; “All audiences notice is West’s easy way with the lyrics, the music and with them, the rich, lustrous undertones of an alto that can wrap around any song -Jazz standard, R&B, Latin- and make it swing.”

SAVAGE BLUES BAND - Bring in the New Year at the Rockfish with the Savage Blues Band! Their roots go back to the late 1960s when MVHS high school pals John Savage, Kim Westenhaver and Ken Morrison formed a garage band. John Savage went on to be a standout professional musician and music educator, with proficiency on guitar, keyboards and bass.

The three friends reunited in 2005 as Johnny & the Moondogs, a classic blues band, which also included one of John’s guitar students, Jeff Stady. Over the years, Johnny & the Moondogs performed frequently in Anacortes and Oak Harbor. In 2013, John’s talented son, Tom Savage, joined the band on blues harp and guitar.

In 2018, the band was renamed Savage Blues Band, and its popularity continued to grow. Sadly, in December 2019, the band lost its leader and beloved friend, John, to cancer. But, before he passed, he urged the group to continue showcasing the blues. And so, the Savage Blues Band carries on today, with Tom Savage as its leader…delighting blues fans and all who understand the importance of this genre. “We’re on a mission from John.”