Guitarist and composer Ralph Towner returns to the Pacific Northwest this month as part of a a national tour including Portland and Seattle, Feb. 20 and 21. His new CD "My Foolish Heart" debuts this week on Jazz Northwest.
Now an international artist, Ralph Towner was born in Chehalis and played piano in Seattle in the 1960s before co-founding the group Oregon and later concentrating on 12-string and classical guitars. He has recorded over two dozen albums for ECM since 1972.
Also on this week's Jazz Northwest are new releases by Seattle pianist Bill Anschell and New York pianist Emmet Cohen, who is touring in the area next week. The program also includes music by Branford Marsalis and Kurt Elling, and the Maria Schneider Orchestra who will open the PDX Jazz Festival in Portland on Feb. 16 and 17.
Next week's show will feature highlights from a concert by the Barça Band led by Adam Kessler and Phil Sparks recorded at The Seattle Art Museum as part of the Art of Jazz series.
Jazz Northwest airs Sundays at 2 p.m. on 88.5 knkx and knkx.org and is produced by host Jim Wilke. After broadcast, programs are archived for streaming anytime at jazznw.org.