Double Header Season Finale
Nelda Swiggett Stringtet and the Milo Peterson Trio featuring Jake Bergevin on vocals

We also will be awarding the Seattle Jazz Vespers’ “Young Jazz Artist Scholarship for our 2014-2015 Season.

Nelda Swiggett Stringtet
The melodic originals of Seattle pianist/vocalist Nelda Swiggett draw from her long list of influences, from jazz to Afro-Cuban, to gospel, classical and more. Nelda first came onto Seattle’s jazz scene in the early 90′s, leading the popular Room to Move sextet, and performing at many of Seattle’s top jazz venues. She has performed her original music with bassist Chris Symer and drummer Byron Vannoy since 2006. JazzTimes called their 2010 CD, This Time (OA2 Records), a “stunning project,” and the trio was selected to perform in Seattle’s 2010 Earshot Jazz Festival.

Nelda met ve…teran Seattle Symphony musicians Rachel Swerdlow (viola) and Walter Gray (cello) when Rachel’s triplet boys became friends with her son in middle school. In 2011, intrigued by the sound of strings, Nelda was inspired to invite these two exceptional musicians and friends to join her trio. Her five-piece “Stringtet” debuted soon after at the 2011 Earshot Jazz Festival. Nelda’s fourth CD, Blue-Eyed Painted Lady, was recorded by Stringtet in 2013, and was released nationally by OA2 Records in March 2014.

Rachel Swerdlow has been a violist for the Seattle Symphony since 1987. She attended the Curtis Institute of Music and has a BA in Music History and Theory from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and a Master’s in Music Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. In the summers she plays at the Grand Teton Music Festival.

Cellist Walter Gray has been a featured soloist several times during his 32 years with the Seattle Symphony. “Gray played with his usual intensity and flair…the cello’s lyrical possibilities are realized” (Seattle Times). He is also an active performer, recording artist, producer and instructor outside his work with the symphony. He was a founding member of the Kronos Quartet; his new music ensemble Quake was recently featured in a performance at the Zagreb Biennale, Zagreb, Croatia; and his world travels include tours with the Odeon Quartet to Russia and the Liverpool Trio to Korea.

Bassist Chris Symer was well established in the LA jazz scene before moving to the northwest ten years ago. He’s since become one of Seattle’s top tier bass players, highly regarded for his versatile and sensitive musicianship. Chris has recorded, performed and toured with many of the world’s leading jazz musicians including Tierney Sutton, Ramsey Lewis, Roger Kellaway, Robben Ford and Bennie Maupin.

Drummer Byron Vannoy has worked steadily as a performer and educator on both the east and west coasts playing, recording and composing a wide variety of music. He has performed and recorded with many internationally known musicians, including Julian Priester, Herbie Hancock, Randy Brecker, and Ernestine Anderson, to name a few. Byron’s CD of original compositions, Meridian, was voted Earshot’s 2008 “Record of the Year.” “Vannoy is as impressive for his soft use of brushes as for the solo creativity he displays in a sizzling performance” (JazzTimes).

The Milo Petersen Trio featuring Jake Bergevin on vocals
The Milo Peterson Trio kicked off our first concert of this season and the group was such a hit, we’ve invited them back for an encore performance to close out this season.  

Making his home in Seattle, Milo has been active in the Pacific Northwest jazz community since the late 70’s after studying for 3 years at Western Washington University under Bill Cole, Scott Reeves, and Americole Biasini. Milo spent 4 years in New York City (1987-1991) leading trios and quartets and then returned to Seattle. In addition to playing with the wide array of amazing musicians in Seattle he has performed with some of the world’s finest including: Gary Steele, Ron Eschete, Julian Priester, Joe Sample, Ernestine Anderson, Herb Ellis, Nancy King, Cedar Walton (with the Composer’s and Improviser’s Orchestra), Mose Allison, Larry Coryell, Chip Jackson, Eliot Zigmund, Billy Hart and Phil Markowitz. Milo also had the great fortune, thanks to saxophonist/composer Steve Griggs, of recording 2 CDs with master drummer Elvin Jones (Jones for Elvin vols.1 & 2 – Hip City Music).

He has appeared on The Bob Hope Show, The Eartha Kitt show, the Broadway shows Ain’t Misbehavin’, Five Guy’s Named Moe, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, and performed with pop vocal groups The Coasters, The Drifters and The 5th Dimension.

Milo spent 4 years on the adjunct faculties of Western Washington University and Olympic Community College. He has also taught at The Cornish Institute For The Arts in Seattle and Friend’s Seminary, NYC. He currently teaches privately and at Seattle Central Community College.

Jake Bergevin, vocals, Chuck Kistler, bass; Brad Boal, drums and Milo Peterson, guitar.