Earshot - a great Seattle jazz festival

The 15th annual Earshot Jazz Festival runs here in Seattle from October 24 through November 15, and the lineup is nothing short of mindblowing. This has got to be one of the most interesting and wide-ranging jazz festivals in the world, including New York. This year shows that particularly catch my eye include:

• the always amazing Keith Jarrett trio with Gary Peacock and Jack De Johnette
• bassist Michael Henderson leading a band of fellow Miles Davis alums in a tribute to On The Corner, including Sonny Fortune, Badal Roy, and Ndugu Chancler
• the Dave Holland quintet
• Mavis Staples doing a gospel tribute to Mahalia Jackson, accompanied only by Hammond organ, with Seattle's very own Marc Seales opening with a solo piano set of gospel music
• Sudanese oud master Hamza El Din
• new jazz heroes The Bad Plus