Seattle, WA

Seattle’s coolest jazz club replaced decades ago by parking garage

Published

2 years ago

April 21, 2023

Seattle’s coolest jazz club replaced decades ago by parking garage

In a tiny storefront membership on First Avenue on the foot of Cherry Avenue 60 years in the past, jazz historical past was made, and an area man was there to protect a whole lot of it for posterity.

The tiny jazz membership in downtown Seattle, on the sting of Pioneer Sq., existed for less than about six years. It was referred to as The Penthouse, however it wasn’t on the high of a constructing, it was at avenue stage in an previous three or four-story lodge. Regardless of its deceptive title, it hosted a number of the best-known jazz artists on the planet.

The Penthouse was owned and operated by a man named Charlie Puzzo, who would later be higher identified for working an adult-entertainment venue in Woodinville referred to as Good-Time Charley’s (and sure, “Charley” was spelled otherwise than Charlie spelled his first title.) The Penthouse opened proper round January 1962 when many new eating places and bars had been debuting prematurely of the Seattle World’s Truthful – which might open April 21 of that yr. Building for the truthful reshaped Decrease Queen Anne Hill that yr and reshaped the soul and character of the town endlessly.

Down on First Avenue, together with beer, wine, and jazz – and, in a little bit of foreshadowing of Puzzo’s future endeavors, servers dressed like Playboy Bunnies with out the ears and fluffy tails – The Penthouse was reshaping Seattle in its personal particular manner because the membership additionally grew to become dwelling to a weekly dwell distant radio broadcast on KING-FM referred to as “Showcase of the Energetic Arts.”

The producer and host of these dwell 30-minute broadcasts, sitting stage-side with historical headphones and a classic mixing board and witnessing all that music historical past, was a 24-year-old named Jim Wilke. He had lately settled in Seattle, the place his sister already lived, after rising up in Iowa and graduating from school there. Wilke had joined the workers of KING-FM in 1961.

KIRO Newsradio caught up with Jim Wilke earlier this week on the sidewalk at First and Cherry, on the west facet of First Avenue, proper in entrance of the place the legendary Penthouse as soon as stood.

“Seattle didn’t have a full-time, major-league jazz membership till The Penthouse,” Wilke stated. “And that put us on the map with San Francisco and LA. If a touring nationwide or worldwide group performed three locations on the West Coast, The Penthouse was one in every of them.”

“Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Cannonball Adderley – all these nice stars had been all taking part in there, Carmen McRae,” Wilke continued. “Aretha Franklin did a present there, however Aretha Franklin on the time was fairly unknown. She was simply one other woman singer with a jazz trio doing requirements.”

The membership itself was not precisely glamorous, however the acoustics had been truly fairly good.

“It was a typical Pioneer Sq. storefront, that’s, slim and deep,” Wilke stated. “As you walked in, there was a sandblasted brick wall in your left, and the stage was up in opposition to that about midway down. The bar was on the far finish, and the restrooms had been again behind that, after which the workplace was upstairs.”

“The stage was extra towards the entrance, however [the space] being lengthy and slim, the stage was on the facet,” Wilke stated. “So the viewers was seated on the wings of the stage,” apart from a couple of tables proper in entrance.

The stage itself, Wilke says, was actually only a riser. It couldn’t have been a lot increased as a result of the membership had a dropped ceiling with acoustic tiles in most areas and mirrors over the stage.

The ceiling was so low over the stage, “You can virtually change the sunshine bulbs within the reflector cans,” Wilke stated. However the stage was carpeted, and one way or the other, the general sound was fairly good.

“It was a really dry room,” Wilke stated. “It was not echoey in any respect. It was good that manner.”

And in that very dry room, Penthouse proprietor Charlie Puzzo was a personality with a thick East Coast accent, however he “was a mild soul . . . and he actually revered the musicians,” Wilke stated.

As an example, beneath Charlie Puzzo’s administration, The Penthouse was not a spot the place the viewers carried on a dialog throughout the performances.

“They had been instructed that they had been in a ‘listening membership,’” Wilke stated. “Charlie Puzzo would stand up in entrance and say, ‘Okay, youse guys, time to cool down; we’re going to have the music now.’ He’d say, ‘This can be a listening room, and we respect your silence, and the individuals sitting round you’ll as nicely.”

“So he let individuals know that the aim of that is to be right here to hear,” Wilke stated.

To seize the sounds of the musicians, Wilke would arrange 4 microphones for every broadcast, together with at the least two legendary RCA 77 “ribbon mics.” He’d join the microphones to what might need been the one possibility out there in 1962 to somebody producing a dwell distant broadcast from a tiny jazz membership: two items of RCA gear, an “OP-6” single channel audio amplifier, and an “OP-7” four-channel audio mixer. The blended and amplified sound was then despatched again to KING-FM utilizing a particular cellphone line which, in these days, solely the cellphone firm may set up and activate.

“After which I monitored on headphones,” Wilke stated. “I shudder to think about the headphones that I used to be monitoring on. I feel they had been brush headphones or one thing, wore such as you would see a World Struggle II bomber pilot,” he stated, laughing on the reminiscence.

Nevertheless it was by these bomber pilot headphones, from 1962 till someday in 1968, that Jim Wilke bore audio witness to historical past. He was on the Penthouse one evening per week producing dwell broadcasts and personally experiencing a whole lot of performances by superb jazz artists for many of the membership’s six-year run.

And that may be an excellent story by itself. Nevertheless it will get higher.

As a result of in the meantime, again on the previous KING-FM studios on Aurora Avenue simply north of the now long-gone Battery Avenue Tunnel, a reel-to-reel tape deck was rolling, making recordings of every present. The purpose, Jim Wilkes says, wasn’t to create an archive, and guidelines round dwell broadcasts of musicians meant that KING-FM may by no means rebroadcast the reveals as reruns. The recordings had been made solely in order that Wilke may later hearken to himself and listen to the place he wished to enhance his supply of the transient introductory remarks he made initially of every broadcast.

Luckily, most of this unintentional audio archive survived, and Jim ended up with the tapes. Then, when he was at a jazz convention a couple of years in the past, somebody remembered the previous Penthouse reveals, and an concept was hatched. Finally, offers got here collectively to start out releasing a number of the finest recordings on CD and vinyl.

Better of all, the commercially launched archival recordings should not bootlegs. The file corporations Wilke works with safe the rights to the music from the artists or their estates and in addition create dense liner notes and embrace, the place doable, pictures and different archival supplies. Among the releases initially produced by Wilke – that are all mono, by the best way, however sound fairly superb simply the identical – have gained main awards for finest archival jazz recording of the yr.

In sharing the story of his years of dwell broadcasts from The Penthouse, Wilke is simple and matter-of-fact. Which is ideal as a result of the story wants no embellishment or hyperbole to sound magical and virtually legendary all these many years later.

Wilke went on to have an extended profession that included a complete of 16 years at KING FM, plus roles launching what grew to become the longtime staple of public radio referred to as Jazz After Hours, producing jazz live shows round Seattle, and internet hosting a long-running program on KNKX referred to as Jazz Northwest.

It’s good to know that this legendary broadcaster and recording engineer, and a real visionary by way of jazz and classical music programming, made such an auspicious begin at a small and now largely forgotten jazz membership in Seattle.

A part of the rationale The Penthouse is forgotten is that the constructing which housed the membership was demolished many years in the past to make manner for a parking storage. When requested if he thinks a brass plaque or different monument ought to be devoted in reminiscence of the jazz hotspot, Jim Wilke laughs and says it will be extra acceptable if the constructing had been nonetheless standing. Plus, he’s extra centered on the long run than the previous.

In an e-mail a day after visiting the location of the previous membership, Wilke wrote, “One other Ahmad Jamal two-disc album is predicted by fall. There are at the least two extra by different artists within the means of being reviewed and cleared for launch (can’t say who, simply but.)”

His understated pleasure comes by, even through e-mail. “There are some we’d very a lot love to do however have been unable to get clearances,” Wilke wrote.

Nonetheless, although, together with an unintentional audio archive, a bronze plaque on the web site of The Penthouse can be a fairly cool factor.

You may hear Feliks each Wednesday and Friday morning on Seattle’s Morning Information with Dave Ross and Colleen O’Brien, learn extra from him right here, and subscribe to The Resident Historian Podcast right here. In case you have a narrative concept, please e-mail Feliks right here.

Follow @https://twitter.com/feliksbanel

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Seattle, WA

Anthony Santander Not Likely to Sign With Seattle Mariners Rival, Houston Astros

Published

6 hours ago

January 4, 2025

Press Room

Anthony Santander Not Likely to Sign With Seattle Mariners Rival, Houston Astros

Thus far, the Seattle Mariners have done next to nothing this offseason. They’ve acquired utility player Austin Shenton in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays but they haven’t spent even $1 in major league free agency.

The teams around them in the American League West have been active though, with the Houston Astros trading away Kyle Tucker and bringing in Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes. They are also set to lose Alex Bregman. The Angels have brought in Jorge Soler, Kyle Hendricks, Scott Kingery, Travis d’Arnaud and Yusei Kikuchi while the A’s have signed Gio Urshela and Luis Severino. The Rangers brought back Nathan Eovaldi, signed Joc Pederson and traded for Jake Burger.

While there’s been plenty of movement around the Mariners, here’s one rumor that doesn’t look like it will happen: Anthony Santader to the Astros.

Santander has been linked to the Toronto Blue Jays, Angels and Astros, but Ari Alexander in Houston doesn’t see the team spending at the level necessary to acquire Santander.

While Santander is also a fit with the Houston Astros, who could use a high-impact outfielder after trading away Kyle Tucker, a league source tells KPRC 2 that it is unlikely Santander will land in Houston. The switch-hitting outfielder is seeking the type of long-term deal that would put the Astros well into the competitive balance tax for the second consecutive season, something that is very unlikely to be palatable to the Astros.

The 30-year-old Santander is native of Venezuela and is coming off an incredible year for Baltimore where he hit .235 with 44 homers and brought in 102. A lifetime .246 hitter, he helped Baltimore get to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons (2023 and 2024)

The Astros won the American League West in 2024, chasing down the Mariners, who had a 10-game lead in June.

Continue to follow our Inside the Mariners coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following Teren Kowatsch and Brady Farkas on “X” @Teren_Kowatsch and @wdevradiobrady. You can subscribe to the “Refuse to Lose” podcast by clicking HERE.

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Seattle, WA

Professional pet sitter struck by hit-and-run driver while taking cat for a walk

Published

15 hours ago

January 4, 2025

Press Room

Professional pet sitter struck by hit-and-run driver while taking cat for a walk

Seattle pet sitter recovering from hit-and-run

A 73-year-old professional dog walker and pet-sitter from Seward Park is still recovering in the hospital after a hit-and-run driver nearly killed her on Christmas Day.

SEATTLE – A 73-year-old professional dog walker and pet-sitter from Seward Park is still recovering in the hospital after a hit-and-run driver nearly killed her on Christmas Day.

Witnesses who found Karen Miely injured say the driver hit her near 52nd Ave South and Orcas Street, then sped away.

“It’s been kind of a haze actually, an awful lot to untangle,” said Miely.

She spoke to us from her hospital bed on Friday.

“It’s been hard, and I have this neck brace and my neck also has some trauma to it,” said Miely.

The pet caretaker was taking her own cat, “Maximus Rex”, out for his nightly walk.

“He’s a big guy. He’s probably about 15 lbs,” said Miely. He’s pictured below:

Since “Max” is particular, the two took advantage of the drier evening.

“He kind of doesn’t like rain that much,” said Miely. “He just likes having his mom spend time with him.”

However, the holiday turned into a nightmare for both of them.

“My cat must have witnessed the whole thing, the poor guy,” said Miely.

The crash, which happened sometime around 7 p.m., left Miely with broken legs and a shattered pelvis, among other injuries.

“We are just waiting to see how things heal up,” said Karen, who’s already had surgery to repair some of the damage.

“It was terrifying,” said Maura Wahlen, a neighbor who heard the crash.

Whalen’s family of four had just sat down for Christmas dinner when they heard the impact.

“Literally saying what we were grateful for, and we heard a loud crash-impact. Didn’t know what it was. All four of us jumped up from the table,” said Wahlen. “My husband and I ran out. He was the first to get to her.”

Whalen said her daughter called 911, and they stayed with Miely until the EMT’s and police officers arrived. Whalen said both the officers who responded and the paramedics were “fantastic,” adding they were on scene quickly.

Karen says she knew Ruth Dalton, another dog walker who died after she was attacked and run over in August. She even attended Ruth’s memorial service.

“That was just a shock when I heard what had happened to her. It really felt personal,” said Miely.

The driver that hit Miely not only left her battered and broken, but also took away her ability to make a living through her business, Seattle Tails.

“It hit me in the biggest week of the year. My customers have been great, but wow,” she said.

Friends and loved ones have created an online fundraiser for Miely to help with her unexpected expenses and rehabilitation.

Another silver lining is that Max the cat survived, and wasn’t injured.

“He’s really good at self-preservation, so I’m sure he just took off whenever it happened,” said Miely, who says Max is back home and being cared for. “I tried to get him on Facetime but we only got me.”

She’s hoping someone has security video of the driver or the car that evening, so she can get some answers.

“I guess it’s a blessing you really don’t remember that kind of trauma,” said Miely.

Neighbors say, in general, the intersection has poor visibility and there have been crashes there before. They were not surprised that a crash happened there.

FOX 13 reached out to Seattle Police on Friday evening for an update on the case. Spokesperson Eric Munoz says the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad is on the case. Munoz says that so far no arrests have been made and there has not been a suspect identified.

Anyone that has security video from the area of 52nd Ave S. and Orcas Street at around 7 p.m. on December 25th is encouraged to contact Seattle Police.

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Seattle, WA

Seattle mayor seeks SPD reforms after probe of Diaz claims

Published

23 hours ago

January 3, 2025

Press Room

Seattle mayor seeks SPD reforms after probe of Diaz claims

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has called for significant changes within the Seattle Police Department (SPD) following a detailed investigation into allegations of gender discrimination and sexual harassment.

In a letter Harrell sent to the Seattle City Council on Dec. 30, the mayor reveals not only troubling findings about SPD’s handling of harassment cases but also the role of former SPD Chief Adrian Diaz in a scandal that has shaken the department.

The investigation was initiated after multiple reports of sexual harassment and gender discrimination within SPD, including claims made against Diaz.

Marcella Fleming Reed, an expert in workplace harassment and discrimination, conducted the investigation. It was commissioned earlier in 2024.

Her findings reveal serious flaws in how SPD has dealt with these issues in the past.

More on Adrian Diaz: Ex-chief fired from SPD for alleged ‘intimate’ relationship with staffer

Rising number of EEO complaints

One key finding from the investigation was the dramatic rise in Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaints within SPD over the past few years.

According to the report, SPD received 21 employee complaints in 2019, 30 in 2020, and 42 in 2021.

While the number dipped to 25 in 2022 and again in 2023 to 23, by the first nine months of 2024, SPD had already received 42 complaints, with the projected annual total suggesting a 144% increase over 2023.

The investigation revealed that many individuals within SPD acknowledged the increase in complaints but were unable to explain why it was happening or what might be driving the rise.

Concerns were expressed this higher volume of internal complaints had become the “new normal” for the department.

This dramatic uptick in complaints signals potential underlying issues within the department, possibly tied to a toxic culture or inadequate handling of past complaints.

Harrell letter to Seattle City Council on SPD investigation — 12302024 by scoogan on Scribd

The role of former SPD Chief Adrian Diaz

Perhaps the most significant revelation from the investigation was the involvement of Diaz.

According to the report, Diaz had received confidential information about ongoing investigations into harassment claims, which he used to pressure and manipulate witnesses.

This breach of confidentiality, combined with multiple allegations of sexual harassment and gender discrimination against him, ultimately led to his firing on Dec. 17.

Harrell emphasized that the decision to remove Diaz was necessary to restore trust in the police department.

The investigation into Diaz’s conduct revealed several troubling aspects of SPD’s internal processes.

Between 2020 and 2024, a number of EEO complaints, including allegations of sexual harassment, were not investigated thoroughly or were mishandled.

In some cases, investigations were never even initiated, while in others, complaints were dismissed or not substantiated, despite the serious nature of the claims.

The investigator also observed a troubling pattern within SPD involving a small group of individuals filing multiple complaints against one another, primarily related to systemic concerns of race and gender discrimination and harassment.

The investigator concluded that the recurring complaints suggested that there may be broader, underlying issues of workplace discrimination that were not being fully addressed.

However, the investigation did not directly interview those involved in filing or investigating these complaints, leaving a gap in understanding the root causes of these tensions.

One particular case highlighted by the investigation involved “Leader A,” a Black supervisor at SPD, who was reportedly targeted by subordinates due to their race.

Supervisors within the department expressed concerns that Leader A was being subjected to insubordination, largely driven by racial animus.

Despite these concerns, it appeared that the complaints were not thoroughly investigated.

This lack of action led to further complications, including allegations of retaliation and harassment from Leader A’s subordinates, as well as fears that their race and gender were being used as the basis for the mistreatment.

The investigation also uncovered instances where SPD’s oversight bodies, such as the Office of Police Accountability (OPA), SPD’s Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) office, and the Human Resources Investigations Unit (HRIU), failed to properly coordinate their efforts.

In one case, an SPD supervisor raised the concern that the issue was being “weaponized” by employees filing retaliatory complaints.

Rantz Exclusive: Former SPD Chief Adrian Diaz announces he’s gay

What needs to change in SPD

The findings from the independent investigation laid out several critical recommendations for reforming SPD.

The report called for changes that would improve how complaints of harassment and discrimination are investigated and handled.

Among the top recommendations was expanding the OPA’s authority to handle equal employment opportunity (EEO) complaints, which would make the department more accountable for internal discrimination and harassment cases.

Another suggestion was to improve SPD’s policies to encourage more open participation in investigations.

This includes making it easier for people to report misconduct without fear of retaliation or being silenced.

The investigation also pointed out the need to separate certain roles within SPD, such as the roles of EEO investigators and employee relations advisors, to make sure investigations are independent and unbiased.

In light of the damage caused by Diaz’s actions, Harrell emphasized the need for new structures to ensure that future investigations remain impartial.

The report recommended moving some of SPD’s investigation responsibilities to the OPA, which would help preserve neutrality and prevent any future conflicts of interest.

Previous coverage from Matt Markovich: Diaz to depart as SPD chief; Rahr to focus on cultural change

Commitment to change: Harrell urges appointment of Shon Barnes

In his letter, Harrell reaffirmed his goal of building a more inclusive police department, one that actively supports women and fosters a culture of trust.

Harrell said Interim SPD Chief Sue Rahr has agreed to continue to consult with the department after a new chief is in place.

The mayor is suggesting the Seattle City Council approve the appointment of Shon Barnes, currently the police chief of Madison, Wisconsin.

Harrell highlighted Barnes as a “generational leader” with a proven track record of advancing diversity and inclusion in law enforcement.

In Madison, Barnes led an initiative that successfully increased the number of female officers in the department.

Under his leadership, 30% of Madison’s police officers were women, a goal Harrell wants to replicate in Seattle.

MFR Associates assessment report on the Seattle Police Department by scoogan on Scribd

Matt Markovich often covers the state legislature and public policy for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Matt’s stories here. Follow him on X, or email him here.

Follow @https://twitter.com/mattmarkovich

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