Seattle Photographer

I was happy to see how the NEA used one of my photos for the cover of their current magazine.
It was an interesting editorial photo shoot at the Wellpinit Middle School out in Eastern Washington on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Along with the usual still photos, I undertook the challenge to do some HD video storytelling as well on the second day of the assignment. It was about a struggling reservation school taking on the challenge of school transformation, determined to give students wings. They have some very fine editors at the NEA and it was a pleasure working with them/ Hope to do it again in the future. I also hope to get the chance to do some more story telling HD video this year as well.

Photography by  Daniel Sheehan creates still photography and HD video story telling for editorial publications and corporations and available for commercial photography assignments.

On an assignment for the magazine Businessweek, prior to it being acquired by Bloomberg, I got to go to Everett, WA and photograph the Boeing 777 as it was being assembled. The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world’s largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the “Triple Seven”. The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from 5,235 to 9,380 nautical miles, depending on model. Its distinguishing features include the largest-diameter turbofan engines of any aircraft, six wheels on each main landing gear, a circular fuselage cross-section, and blade-shaped tail cone. Developed in consultation with eight major airlines, the 777 was designed to replace older wide-body airliners and bridge the capacity difference between the 767 and 747. As Boeing’s first fly-by-wire airliner, it has computer mediated controls; it is also the first entirely computer-designed commercial aircraft.

Although the plant is illuminated partly by florescent lighting which gives everything a green cast, I corrected for that. The green cast on the body of the 777 is a protective coat and is removed before it completed and painted. Boeing doubled the size of the Everett factory which is one of the largest buildings in the world, to accommodate production of the 777.

Every time I fly on a Boeing 777, I remember how they look as I saw them on my tour to watch them come together here in Washington State.

Something new on the jazz scene is the The Kora Band , in a recent performance at Tula’s, Thursday Sept 9th. They are pianist Andrew Oliver, Brady Millard-Kish, bass, Kane Mathis, kora and guitar, Chad McCullough, trumpet and Mark DiFlorio, drums and percussion.

The 21-string harp played largely by the Mandinka people of West Africa is not usually seen in a jazz band but on Thursday The Kora Band celebrated the release of their newest album “Cascades” which contains a variety of West African pieces, modern repertoire from Congo and Cameroon, as well as originals by Mathis and Oliver with some subtle influences of jazz. Tula’s was crowded for the first two sets and the music was a delightful mixture of African and Jazz sounds and rhythms.

Drummer Mark DiFlorio and pianist Andrew Oliver spent one month staying in Africa and when they returned to the Northwest found the expressive melody of the kora,   resonating with them still. They sought out and found kora player Kane Mathis and along with Chad McCullough on trumpet and Brady Millard-Kish on bass, formed the Kora Band, marrying kora and other West African musical traditions with elements of jazz. They put out their first album “Just 4 U” in 2009.

“Performing on the 21-string Mandinka Harp Kane Mathis renders compelling interpretations of these traditional musics. Years of study with generous masters have given Kane a rare opportunity to share these traditions with other cultures. Kane began taking trips to The Gambia, West Africa in 1997 and has continued rigorous study of the Mandinka Kora. Over the past ten years his performances have earned him recognition by the Gambian president, The Gambian minister of culture, and both national television and radio of The Gambia. Kane’s primary kora teachers are Malamini Jobarteh of Brikama, The Gambia and Moriba Kouyate of The Gambia.” from Mathis’s website, Kane Mathis - www.kanemathis.com

Their performance at Tula’s aso kicked off a west coast touring schedule but they will be back at Tula’s on October 15th. I look forward to hearing them again back as they play on the opening day of Seattle’s Earshot Jazz Festival. To learn more about the band go to the websites of the band: The Kora Band - www.koraband.com and each of the musicians:

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Photography by Seattle photographer Daniel Sheehan, who photographs jazz performances, and creates portrait photography for publications and Seattle Wedding Photography with an artistic photojournalist style.

It has been a while since I made a portrait of Ema and she looks quite different from the last time. We were out on a boat in Lake Union and I made some like the one below, of Ema with her sister Claire and friend Yasmina visiting from Europe. Then Ema went down below to the cabin and I shot this one of her in the shade.

They grow up so fast. I should be shooting them more often.

Portrait Photography by Seattle photographer Daniel Sheehan creating portraits for publications and a Seattle Wedding Photographer with an artistic photojournalist style.

I photographed Bill Frisell and Petra Hayden for an album they recorded together a few years back and tried using my tilt shift lens for a different look. This was the frame I really like best. The music they made together was a wonderful album I still listen to from time to time to hear Petra who has a smooth silky voice on top of Bill’s dreamy guitar licks.

Portrait Photography by Seattle photographer Daniel Sheehan creating portraits for publications and a Seattle Wedding Photographer with an artistic photojournalist style.

I just found out that the July/August issue of  Seattle Homes & Lifestyles Magazine is running my architectural photography of the Madrona Modern home I photographed for Seattle interior designer Robin Chell of Robin Chell Design and  architects David Bennett and Kim Lavacot of Bennett Lavacot Architecture. In fact they have chosen the above picture for the cover of the magazine. It was a beautiful and sophisticated house to photograph with a quiet, simple elegance. Read the story here: Seattle Homes & Lifestyles

Architectural photography by Seattle photographer Daniel Sheehan, who creates architectural photography and portrait photography for publications and Seattle Wedding Photography with an artistic photojournalist style.

Bill Charlap and Renee Rosnes were wonderful. This was my first time to photograph a piano jazz duo, and it was delightful.
“Husband and wife, Bill Charlap & Renee Rosnes, team up for select performances of impassioned, eclectic, and extraordinary piano duets.
Renee Rosnes is one of the premier jazz pianists and composers of her generation. Having toured and recorded with many of the world’s greatest musicians, her resume reads like a who’s who of jazz. As a leader, Ms. Rosnes has released a series of nine inspired recordings on the Blue Note label, which have collectively garnered four Juno awards, the Canadian equivalent of a GRAMMY. She is also a founding member of the all-star band, the SFJAZZ Collective.
For more than a decade, pianist Bill Charlap has been forging a solo career characterized by swing, eloquence and a romantic musical sensibility. Twice GRAMMY nominated, he has released five superb albums for Blue Note records – CDs celebrating the American Songbook tradition, with songs of Hoagy Carmichael, Leonard Bernstein, and George Gershwin and others – that have afforded him an increased visibility as one of jazz’s foremost pianists.”

This was the final performance of the 4 day Bellevue Jazz Festival. I have photographed a lot more of the concerts and will post photographs from them over the next week or two.

I really enjoyed so many of these performances and was happy to have been photographing this festival and happy with many of the pictures I was able to make thanks to the Bellevue Jazz Festival. Hope you enjoyed the festival.

Jazz Photography by Seattle photographer Daniel Sheehan, who photographs jazz performances, and creates portrait photography for publications and Seattle Wedding Photographywith an artistic photojournalist style.

Once again the Bellevue Jazz Festival is here and Kicking it off at the Meydenbauer Theater was The Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra (SRJO), the Northwest’s premier big band jazz ensemble. Founded in 1995, the 17-piece big band is made up of the most prominent jazz soloists and band leaders in the greater Seattle area. SRJO played a concert of highlights from their 2009-2010 concert season, including hits from their November 2009 “Tribute to Ray Charles” concert (“One Mint Julep,” “Moanin”), their March 2010 “Big Band Monk and Mingus” concert (“Haitian Fight Song” by Mingus, “Misterioso” by Monk), their April 2010 “Birth of the Cool” concert (Boplicity, Rocker), and a new Michael Brockman composition for the SRJO titled “Passage Noir.” Featured soloists included trumpeter Jay Thomas, baritone saxophonist Bill Ramsay, pianist Randy Halberstadt, tenor saxophonist Hadely Caliman and Travis Ranney, trombonists Dan Marcus and David Marriott, plus alto saxophonists Mark Taylor and Michael Brockman. Here are some highlights from the concert.

For tickets and more information go to the Festival website; Bellevue Jazz Festival

Jazz Photography by Seattle photographer Daniel Sheehan, who photographs jazz performances, and creates portrait photography for publications and Seattle Wedding Photography with an artistic photojournalist style. See more work from this Seattle Photographer.

While backing up some folders I came across this picture of Jessica Lurie. I photographed Jessica Lurie in an alley in Pioneer Square here in Seattle, a few years ago just before she packed up and moved to Brooklyn, New York. I had previously photographed her with her group Living Daylights and I have been following her since then. She seems to be playing everywhere from Europe to back here on occasion.

Her next gig looks like it will be Sat May 15 8:00 PM I wish I could be in NY for this one.
Kolot Chayeinu in Brooklyn, NY – * MARC RIBOT * JESSICA LURIE * MARTY EHRLICH * ROY NATHANSON * GREG COHEN PRACTICING A concert and conversation moderated by Professor Tamar Barzel Five world-class musicians.

Composer/improvisers with wide interests and adventuresome ideas. Where do their creative selves and their Jewish selves meet? Do they meet at all? On Saturday, May 15 at 8 pm, Marc, Jessica, Marty, Roy, and Greg will join Professor Barzel for an evening of words and music in which they’ll explore the (possible) role of things Jewish in their own not-obviously-Jewish creative work. Solos, duos, trios, quartets. The evening is open to possibility. Come, listen in on the conversation, consider these questions with us, and enjoy a performance of original music and creative improvisation by these sensational artists.

Guitarist Marc Ribot has “a stunningly original guitar style that channels the primal power of blues, jazz and early rock while exploding the conventions of each style” (Guitar Player). “A little rock, a little bebop, a little free improvisation, and a good dose of Eastern European melody and harmony: these are the sources for saxophonist Jessica Lurie’s unique creative voice” (Le Monde). Clarinetist Marty Ehrlich is “one of his time’s most original thinkers [with] a rare and wonderful talent” (The Nation). “In a world of useless shouting things,” saxophonist/composer Roy Nathanson’s project Sotto Voce “is sane, funny, beautiful and intimate” (Elvis Costello). “Contemporary jazz does not get any better than this” (Birmingham Post) if it involves bassist Greg Cohen, who has performed and recorded in innumerable styles with Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Marianne Faithfull, John Zorn, Dave Douglas, Laurie Anderson, Ornette Coleman, and the Rolling Stones. Tamar Barzel is Assistant Professor of Ethnomusicology at Wellesley College whose research is situated at the intersection between New York City’s downtown music scene and Jewish cultural studies.

Jazz Photography by Seattle photographer Daniel Sheehan covering jazz performances, creating portrait photography for publications and a Seattle Wedding Photographer with an artistic photojournalist style.