Seattle instrumental jazz-funk trio How Now Brown Cow performs live at Seamonster Lounge in the Wallingford neighbourhood.
How Now Brown Cow are playing the Seamonster Lounge on Thursday, October 15. It's a home game for them — they're a Seattle instrumental jazz-funk group that's been around for nearly twenty years, and this is one of their regular spots.
The core of the band is a trio: bassist Dave Kurtiak, drummer Donovan Pfeifer, and classically trained pianist Kerry O'Conner on electric keys. Kurtiak and Pfeifer both come from rock 'n' roll backgrounds and bring a love of improvisation to the mix. Reed player Brad Schrandt, who's based in Olympia, sits in when he's available. Schrandt also directs the jazz bands at South Puget Sound Community College.
There's a specific way they work that sets them apart from a lot of what you'll hear on a jazz bill. They record and perform entirely by ear — no charts, no written arrangements. They call out a key and play around in a circle, and they describe their approach as prioritizing the song over individual statements. It's less about who can take the longest solo and more about where the piece is going.
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Kurtiak has a personal connection to the room, too. He moved to Seattle in the '90s and discovered the Seamonster Lounge in Wallingford, and he's called it 'a home,' comparing it to his favorite jazz spots in New York City. He also designed the artwork for the band's album cover. The show is on Thursday, October 15, at the Seamonster Lounge, 2202 North 45th Street in Wallingford.
