This week 6.9.2025 Monday Jazz @ Brother Don’s features guest artist Chuck Easton on guitar with his special arrangements for the “JAZZ SEXTET”. Chuck is a native Washingtonian, having grown up in Mt. Vernon. Both parents were music teachers, so it was natural for him to play from an early age. He started on violin then switched to bass in high school, playing classical music in the orchestra and also trombone in the band. He slowly became aware of jazz, which has now become his major focus, although he still plays bass in the Pt Townsend Orchestra. After a stint in the army, where Chuck played electric bass and electric guitar-- the electric guitar won out, becoming from then on his primary instrument. After getting out of the service he went to Berklee College of Music in Boston, receiving a degree in 1980. Chuck has played many different styles of music over the years, but bebop-influenced jazz is his favorite. He has been teaching private music lessons in Pt. Townsend and Bainbridge Island for a number of years, with students on many different instruments, and also is on the faculty at Centrum’s Jazz Pt. Townsend. Chuck continues to play locally in jazz groups from duos up to a 7-piece R&B group. In a trio or quartet context he also plays a little flute, chromatic harmonica, and once in a while saxophone. He gets occasional jazz gigs on bass. He also owns a trombone and a tuba, but they are thankfully rarely heard in public. Chuck and his wife, Autumn, live south of Chimacum. “I played in a commercial swing band out of Seattle years ago with a horn section consisting of trumpet, saxophone and trombone. I hadn't had that much interest or exposure to that sound, but I really came to love the textures and harmonies. I was also in another group that contained two trumpets and two or three saxophones. Several years later I was on the faculty of a big band week-long workshop based in Pt. Townsend. I filled in on bass, guitar, or trombone as needed. This was a full big band: five saxes, four trumpets, four trombones, and rhythm section. I spent a few years as the conductor, having a great time with charts by Sammy Nestico, Dave Wolpe, Dave Barduhn, Victor Lopez, Mark Taylor and others that were not too hard, but fun to play. The Blue Note recordings in the 1950s and 1960s with trumpet and saxophone are some of my favorites- often Art Blakey had three horns in his groups from that period. The horn instrumentation for my charts of jazz standards plus a few originals is trumpet-(this group will have flugelhorn), alto or tenor saxophone, and trombone. I love the sound and comping behind horns.”

The rest of the “JAZZ SEXTET” includes Dmitri Matheny on flugelhorn, Jerome Smith on trombone, Osama Afifi on bass, and Mark Ivester on drums, and Chris Bickley on sax. Enjoy great food, your favorite beverage, a comfortable kid friendly atmosphere, and WORLD CLASS JAZZ. Hope to see you!