Wayne Horvitz brings his band

Wayne Horvitz brings his band

IN THE PENINSULA SPOTLIGHT: Come to Port Townsend’s Key City cabaret

PORT TOWNSEND — Tonight at the Key City Playhouse, a new old thing begins.

Cabaret-style concerts, including one this evening by jazzman Wayne Horvitz and his band Sweeter Than the Day, will give music lovers an intimate house-concert feeling, organizer George Rezendes believes.

Rezendes has assembled a four-part series of shows for the playhouse at 419 Washington St., with pianist Horvitz tonight; blues guitarist Del Rey next Friday, June 8; singer-songwriter Simon Lynge on July 5; and the finale, bluegrass fiddler Laurie Lewis and mandolinist Tom Rozum on Aug. 5.

Rezendes, a Port Townsend musician and owner of the Toolshed SoundLab recording studio, has quite a few connections across the blues-bluegrass-Americana map. He’s wanted to bring some of his favorite artists here for house concerts, except in a slightly bigger house than his own.

Then, serendipitously, he caught Key City Public Theatre’s musical revue “Here’s to the Ladies!” in late 2010 at the Key City Playhouse, and saw the light.

“I thought: Wow. The acoustics were good; the vibe was right,” he recalled.

It just so happened that Denise Winter, Key City’s artistic director, had exactly the same idea.

“I said, ‘I want to do concerts.’ She said, ‘I want you to,’” Rezendes added.

And so Key City Cabaret was born.

At the premiere tonight, Rezendes predicts that Horvitz, a widely acclaimed player known for his keyboard work with the band Naked City, will fill the house with gorgeous modern jazz.

Horvitz and Sweeter Than the Day are experimentalists, but their music isn’t far out, Rezendes said. “It’s very accessible. It has a classical feel; very evocative and moody.”

Horvitz’s music “is really compelling,” he added. “You just don’t hear this stuff every day.”

The June 8 concert, featuring Rezendes’ friend Del Rey, will include plenty of ukulele along with the blues guitar. He said that Rey, like many of their fellow musicians, enjoys an intimate concert environment as much as the listener does.

“When I told her I wanted to do house concerts, her eyes lit up,” Rezendes said.

And while the playhouse is bigger than your average living room — it seats 80 — it doesn’t have the distractions of your average nightclub. The bar, with wine, cocktails and snacks, is out in the lobby.

“So you can get your drink and bring it in,” said Rezendes. “It’s a cabaret.”

Doors open at 7:30 p.m. for tonight’s show; the music will start at 8 p.m. Tickets to all Key City Playhouse concerts are $15 at www.KeyCityPublicTheatre.org; Port Townsend outlets also include Quimper Sound, 230 Taylor St., and Crossroads Music, 2100 Lawrence St.

More information about the series and other Key City Public Theatre productions awaits too at 360-379-0195.

More in Life

PLAL Aritist of the Month - Ruby Beach and Destruction Island by Steve Deligan
Port Ludlow Arts League to host artist reception

The Port Ludlow Art League will host a reception… Continue reading

Photos by Katie Newton-Salmon
2024 Sequim and Port Angeles Equestrian teams got off to a great start during its first WAHSET competition, bringing home where they brought home nine first place wins. Top row from left: Katelynn Sharpe, Kennedy Gilbertson, Savanah Boulton, Celbie Karjalainen, Asha Swanberg
Bottom row left: Coach Misty Gilbertson, PA member Olivia West, Kenzie Winters, Lilly Meyer, Joanna Seelye, Taylor Lewis, Kiaja Johnson, Paisley Morris, PA member Zakara Braun, and coach Ady Crosby. Not pictured non-competing member Paige Reed and advisor Katie Newton.
HORSEPLAY: First high school equestrian event of the year for Sequim

SEQUIM HIGH SCHOOL’S equestrian team had a “great first meet,” said coach… Continue reading

Emily Matthiessen/Olympic Peninsula News Group
Sequim Ballroom intern Brie Rocha follows instructor Werner Figar’s lead as he keeps an eye on his intermediate/advanced swing class.
Dancers work on moves during classes at Sequim schoolhouse

Beginners, intermediate students learn variety of ballroom styles

ISSUES OF FAITH: The courage of religious leaders

“JUSTICE, JUSTICE SHALL you pursue” (Deuteronomy 16:20). The Jewish Bible, the Tanach,… Continue reading

Rev. Asha Burson-Johnson
Unity in the Olympics service slated

The Rev. Asha Burson-Johnson will be the speaker at… Continue reading

Jamal Rahman
Rahman scheduled for OUUF program

The Imam Jamal Rahman will present “Spiritual Insights and… Continue reading

The USS Argonaught stationed at Pearl Harbor and Brisbane, Australia during WWII.
BACK WHEN: The human cost of war hit the Peninsula in WWII

SEVENTY-NINE YEARS ago the end was in sight for World War 2.… Continue reading

A GROWING CONCERN: Make the most of the last weeks of winter

TODAY IS THE eve of Groundhog Day. Regardless if the furry rodent… Continue reading

Unitarian speaker slated in Port Angeles

The Rev. Terry Barrett will present “The Gift of… Continue reading

Tools for caregivers class set for Sequim

The public is invited to enroll in the Powerful Tools… Continue reading

Prayer gathering for peace slated

Bahá’is of Sequim and Port Angeles will host “Prayers… Continue reading