It has long been argued by music connoisseurs across the country that Seattle, although extremely well-known for its music scene and flavor, is not exactly viewed as a utopia for jazz artists. When most people familiar with the genre are asked of cities with roots in jazz, the obvious come to mind: Kansas City, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and New Orleans. But jazz listeners, even those within our own city, fail to realize the rich relationship our city has with the genre.

Artists such as Quincy Jones and Ray Charles felt their careers garner a great deal of steam in Seattle. Charles moved to the city in 1947, quickly gained notoriety, and he was soon discovered and signed to Atlantic Records by the late Ahmet Ertegun. In Paul de Barros’ 1993 book, Jackson Street After Hours: The Roots of Jazz in Seattle, he notes that Seattle was home to the largest vaudeville circuit in the country around 1910. A network of theaters owned by Alexander Pantages became host to great artists including W.C. Handy and Freddie Keppard. Even Duke Ellington played Seattle as early as 1934.

Seattle may be underrated, but do not despair, jazz lovers — there is hope. Outsiders may overlook the Seattle jazz scene, but Seattlites don’t overlook the Seattle jazz scene. Seattle is home to a variety of great clubs, some exclusively jazz and some not. The most notable is Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, which puts on a phenomenal number of superb jazz shows year-round. Most recently, Chick Corea performed for a number of nights in December, and in this month alone Stanley Clarke, Joey DeFrancesco and Peter White will grace the stage.

Slightly less well-known, Tula’s is also a fantastic jazz venue, rated in the top-100 jazz clubs by Downbeat magazine. While this venue caters more to the passionate jazz listener, entertaining audiences with a variety of under-the-radar musicians and performers, Tula’s has received a good deal of press for its authentic style and atmosphere. USA Today hailed it as one of the “10 great places to get jazzed about great jazz,” stating, “Comfortable as a living room, Tula’s is owned by a retired Navy band leader dedicated to local talent. It fills an important niche in town.”

Most notable, Seattle is responsible for the world famous Earshot Jazz Festival. This past year the festival boasted an incredible lineup, including the great jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal. Jamal is well publicized as being one of Miles Davis’ favorite pianists, and during the session for “Freddie Freeloader” on the album Kind of Blue, Davis is said to have asked pianist Wynton Kelly to match Jamal’s sound. The Earshot Jazz Festival constantly amazes Seattle audiences with its celebrity lineup, bringing not only talent from around the country, but notable musicians from around the world.

So get out there, UW students, and feel the jazz in Seattle. What harm has ever come from putting on a nice suit and taking your best girl out to the club? Jazz is a lifestyle, and Seattle is not the worst place to be if you’re in the mood to experience it.