Earshot Jazz is a regional jazz non-profit organization in Seattle, Washington. It brings jazz musicians and enthusiasts from the greater Seattle area and around the Pacific Northwest to create an energetic and lively jazz community that wants to keep the legacy of the deep rooted history of jazz. They bring jazz into life by having jazz festivals, jazz education programs, publishing a magazine, and awarding exceptional jazz artists. History Earshot Jazz was founded in 1984 by jazz writer Paul de Barros, concert producer Gary Bannister and pianist Allen Youngblood. The most prominent annual event is the Earshot Jazz Festival in October and November which started in 1989 and has grown to include over fifteen venues in the Seattle area. The event honors the heritage of jazz while supporting the current creativity of local jazz artists. The organization keeps the legacy of jazz alive by them publishing a free monthly magazine for the Seattle area and hosts numerous jazz related events annually. Every year they present the Earshot Jazz Golden Ear Awards, which recognizes artists within the Seattle jazz community for their excellent achievements. Earshot Jazz Festival The Annual Earshot Jazz Festival is a 33-day event that starts in October and goes into November. What this festival showcases is the history, sound, culture, and legacy that jazz the community have cultivated. This festival started in 1989 and as of 2019 it has been going on for 31 years. The man behind the curtain is John Gilbreath, the executive director of Earshot Jazz. He started as a volunteer for the second Earshot Jazz Festival in 1990 and fell in love with the organization to the point he decided to become a volunteer coordinator for the next festival and then in 1992 became the executive director. Earshot Jazz Festival is based in and around Seattle, Washington. This is a time where local clubs, performing centers, museums, etc. come together to support in hosting performers to play jazz. Within this month celebrating the diverse sounds of jazz, there are over 250 jazz artists that come out to perform and educate to keep the legacy of jazz alive. The Earshot Jazz Festival has been described by JazzTimes as "Seattle's most important jazz event." Venues (2019 Earshot Jazz Festival) Town Hall Forum Seattle Art Museum Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute Benaroya Hall Triple Door Nectar Lounge Timbre Room Columbia City Theater Chapel Performance Space Town Hall