On The Garden Stage

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On The Garden Stage 〰️

The name Dry Martini is an homage to the alto saxophonist Paul Desmond, who famously remarked that he wanted to sound like a dry martini. 

It also acknowledges the band's friends and mentors, saxophonist Brent Jensen and guitarist Jamie Findlay, whose 2001 and 2021 CDs are titled "The Sound of A Dry Martini" and "More Sounds of A Dry Martini", respectively.

Mike Knutson started playing alto sax in high school and college. After a hiatus of many years, he has again taken up the sax, reflecting his lifetime love of jazz. 

Michael Newlight started on guitar in high school. In the '70s, he performed throughout the Northwest as half of the folk duo "Judith & Michael." Later, he and his nasty black Les Paul Custom guitar fronted the short-lived Bellingham rock band Secret Lives. Then came solo performances here and there as blues musician Mike Leo. At last, following this restless many-decade journey through folk, blues, and rock, he has arrived at relaxed domesticity, bossa nova, and cool jazz.

Steve Webber-Plank began his initial percussion journey in 1956 at a So Cal music store with weekly lessons and he worked his way thru high school playing Sat night Two Step & Polka gigs in a country Italian pizzeria and road house. His real love was Afro-Cuban Caribbean rhythms popular at the time and he bonded with the Bossa Nova tunes introduced in the late ‘50’s.  Big Band greats like Benny Goodman and his Carnegie Hall performance played a role in his love for rhythm, with the early Be-bop and later smooth jazz era of the mid-century music scene. He’s pleased to partner with Bellingham’s Dry Martini and share the Love.

This event is not ticketed. However, cash donations of appreciation are gladly accepted.

Website: drymartinimusic.com

Note: The event on the Garden Stage is weather dependent. If poor weather, the performance will be inside