Westendorf Jazz Trio Annual Birthday Jam Session and Dark Skies Party

Tuesday, January 14 will be an evening to celebrate at the Methow Valley Community Center in Twisp.

After a seven-month hiatus, the Westendorf Jazz Trio is set to perform again. Bassist Howie Johnson has been sidelined due to shoulder surgery, and he will be officially paroled in time for the creative trio to present their annual birthday jam session in honor of the group’s composer and pianist, Lynette Westendorf. The third member of the trio is drummer Kirk Schumacher, and the group will also be hosting local jazz musicians for an evening of special music dedicated to and inspired by the stars and the moon. 

Various activities will take place throughout the evening, including free information about the Methow Valley Dark Sky Coalition, a group recently formed to help educate valley residents, businesses, and governments about the negative effects of light pollution on the environment and safety. 

The Westendorf Jazz Trio will prepare many of the great moon and stars inspired standards, including Turn Out the Stars, Stardust, and Stella by Starlight, as well as the trio’s creative original compositions. The Confluence Gallery and Art Center will be judging a dark skies art contest, which will include great prizes for the best “Dark Sky Art." Tables will be set up in the Community Center, along with art paper and new crayons for everyone to participate. Photographs from the Hubble telescope will be on display on the stage screen. 

Festivities will begin at 6:30 p.m., in the event families want to include children. Suggested donation is $15 at the door, and kids are free. 

Celebrate music! Celebrate our beautiful winter dark skies! Celebrate creative art!

For more information, contact Lynette at 996-3418.