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Craig Baker, owner of Bake’ s Place jazz club, recently announced the lineup for his Summer Jazz and Blues BBQ concert series beginning in July. The series, which features 11 straight weekends of live music, includes performances this month by New Stories with Ray Vega (July 6); Marilyn Keller and Rue de Blues (July 14); Origin Arts Showcase featuring Matt Jorgensen’s +451, New Stories, Chuck Deardorf with Dave Peterson, and the Jeff Johnson Trio (July 21); and Korla Wygal and her Private Reserve (July 28). The format for each event includes a 5 PM pre-concert barbeque served on Bake’s scenic deck and patio, followed by outdoor live music starting at 6. Maximum seating for each show is 150.
Located on a wooded hillside in rural Redmond, far from the hustle and bustle of downtown Seattle, Bake’s Place is a smoke-free private music venue specially created for jazz connoisseurs. Bake’s Place occupies the first floor of Baker’s private residence, which he has transformed into an upscale "Chicago- style" jazz and blues club with a premium on musical intimacy. Bake’s fashionably decorated indoor listening area features numerous classic photographs of jazz legends, a wet bar, an elegant Yamaha C-3 baby grand piano and seating for 50.
A semi-professional singer and experienced music promoter, Baker opened Bake’s Place over two years ago with the intention of creating an atmosphere where musicians can feel at home and their audience "doesn’t feel miles away from the music." According to Baker, the three essential elements of live music are "the musicians, the music, and the audience. My purpose has always been to bring them together."
Many regional and national musicians who have played at Bake’s Place extol the club’s virtues, including New York pianist and Northwest favorite George Cables. Cables, who compares the mood at Bake’s to the popular Maybeck recital concerts, sees a trend developing in jazz toward house parties and private performances. "Bake’s Place is really good for me as a pianist because it brings me very close to the audience," says Cables. "I get to talk to people and hang out with them as well, and it’s good for the audience because they can get close to the musician that they go to hear."