THURSDAY NOVEMBER 30
MUSIC FOR LUNCH
Christopher Bowlby plays selections from Olivier Messiaen's transcendent work for two pianos, Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant JĂ©sus, and a solo piano arrangement of Maurice Ravel's decadent La Valse. Sherman Clay, 1624 Fourth Ave, 622-7580, 12:15 pm, free.
COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA
Here's Exhibit A for jazz becoming a classical music. The eminent Count passed in 1984, yet his band, many of whom played under the man himself, soldiers on. Through Sun Dec 3. Dimitriou's Jazz Alley, 2033 Sixth Ave, 441-9729, sets at 7:30 and 9:30 pm, $30.50.
THE BALLARD JAZZ WALK
The best jazz bargain in Seattle. Nine excellent bands, including Greta Matassa and the Randy Halberstadt Quartet, Matt Jorgensen+451, and Thomas Marriott's Willie Nelson Project, get cookin' within a three-block radius. Pick up tickets starting at 6 pm at Ballard's New York Fashion Academy (5201 Ballard Ave NW); see www.ballardjazzfestival.com for details. Various venues along Ballard Ave NW, 219-3649, 8â11:30 pm, $15.
BEAF
Short for Bellingham Electronic Arts Festival, the multiday BEAF presents a healthy cross section of electronic music. I'm mainly interested in the "Immersive Electroacoustic" concert with Barry Truax, Keith Fullerton Whitman (AKA Hrvatski), Rocco di Pietro, and a tribute to György Ligeti. There's also a "Rhythm and Noise" concert, installations, and a slew of other artists involved, such as Obelus, Scott Smallwood, Greg Davis, and Sebastien Roux. Single shows are a paltry five bucks, which makes the drive eminently worthwhile. Through Sun Dec 3; see www.bellinghamelectronicartsfestival.com for maps and a full schedule. Various venues, Bellingham, 8 pm, $5â$30.
FRIDAY DECEMBER 1
COMPOSERS' WORKSHOP
These quarterly concerts always sport some bad musicâstudent composers tend to be, after all, student composersâyet I usually hear at least one piece that makes the whole gig worthwhile. On the program: Donald Craig's "Etude for Guitar and Computer-Realized Sound," Richard Johnson's Keyboard Shortcuts for solo piano, Joshua Parmenter's Palimpsest for electric guitar and live electronics, and more. Brechemin Auditorium in the Music Building, UW campus, 685-8384, 7:30 pm, $5.
SATURDAY DECEMBER 2
TALLIS SCHOLARS
Peter Phillips directs this outstanding London-based a cappella ensemble, which should sound sumptuous in Town Hall's fine acoustics. They sing music by Renaissance Masters Taverner, Tye, de Monte, and Tallis. Also Sun Dec 3 in a different program: Gregorio Allegri's Miserere; in the bad old days any performance of the work outside the Sistine Chapel would result in excommunication. Town Hall, Eighth Ave and Seneca St, 325-7066, 8 pm, $20â$38.
CIPHER
This winning quartet of Tari Nelson-Zagar (violin), Tom Swafford (violin), Greg Sinibaldi (bass clarinet), and Jesse Canterbury (clarinets) conjures closely held tones, microscopic harmonic motion, and brooding stillness. Gallery 1412, 1412 18th Ave at E Union, 322-1533, 8 pm, $5â$15 sliding scale donation.
MONDAY DECEMBER 4
JIM KNAPP ORCHESTRA
Bandleader Knapp has corralled a fine group of players (Jay Thomas, Tom Varner on French horn, Phil Sparks, and many others) to traverse his smartly constructed and swinging compositions. Seattle Drum School, 12510 15th Ave NE, 364-8815, 8 pm, $5/$10.
