Matt Jorgensen
AVAILABLE MERCHANDISE:
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY:
The Ballard neighborhood in Seattle has been described as the best of what Seattle used to be and the best of what Seattle could become. Old brick roads intermingle with paved streets and modern buildings face older ones reminiscent of the early 20th century. In the heart of this old fishing town is Ballard Avenue, lined with restaurants, bars, small businesses and old apartment buildings. It was from one of these apartments inside the historic Junction Building-built in the 1890s--that in 1997 a drum instructor and his former student decided to create an independent jazz label in order to promote their music along with other local jazz musicians. The instructor, John Bishop, has since married and moved away and his former student, Matt Jorgensen, moved into his apartment, helping manage the label from a small loft.
However, co-owning a record label- and doing web design and free lance photography as well--is not Jorgensen's prime passion. It's drumming-drumming, drumming and then more drumming. In fact, since studying with drum-great Kenny Washington in the early 90s at New School for Social Research in New York City (in the Jazz and Contemporary Music Program), Jorgensen, 31, has played drums in many bands. These include the heralded New York swing band The Delegates, playing as a sideman for innovative alto-saxophonist Vincent Herring and even sitting in with the legendary pianist, Joanne Brackeen.
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