Equal Time is an organ trio in the classic style that emerged in the 60s. All three are leaders of their own groups and equal partners in the present trio. They all compose and arrange and take turns introducing the tunes as in this performance recorded in McCurdy Pavilion at Fort Worden during Centrum’s Jazz Port Townsend in July.
Akiko Tsuruga was born in Osaka and has been playing organ since she was three, studied with Dr.Lonnie Smith and played in Lou Donaldson’s quartet before launching out on her own. She now has ten albums as a leader. Graham Dechter plays with authority and maturity that belies his age, 28, and brings a strong blues-based swing to the group. Jeff Hamilton has played with Woody Herman, Bud Shank, Ray Brown, and many others as well as co-leading the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and fronting his own trio. He is a regular at Jazz Port Townsend in groups ranging from trios to big bands and on the faculty at Jazz Workshop that precedes the festival.
Centrum’s Jazz Port Townsend is part of the Summer festivals at Fort Worden. Events range from chamber music to choro, fiddle tunes, jazz, blues, dance, performing and visual arts, a writers’ conference and more. Jazz Port Townsend celebrated its 45th season this year. The Artistic Director for Jazz Port Townsend is John Clayton, the Jazz Program Manager is Gregg Miller, and Rob Birman is the Executive Director of Centrum.
