Bake's opens its living room to new variety show

By David Hayes
Photo by Pat Loughery

Greta Matassa headlines a recent show at Bake’s Place in Providence Point. Photo by Pat Loughery

Greta Matassa has been the longest running performer in Baker’s living room, bringing her impressive repertoire from her regular stomping grounds of Seattle. Matassa has been named the Earshot Jazz Vocalist Singer of the Year.

"She’s been called the queen of jazz in Seattle," Baker said. “At least I call her that.”

Matassa considers Bake’s Place one of her favorite venues to perform.

"It’s gorgeous for a jazz room. It’s unique," she said. “Few others in the country get the performer as remotely close to the audience.”

The two recently were sharing their love of old variety shows, such as the popular "Dean Martin Show," and decided that would be a perfect format to recreate for Bake’s Place. Thus, was born Fridays in the Living Room with Greta.Come the new year, they hope to attract a new audience every Friday to a format regulars are probably already familiar with, but with a twist. Matassa considers her set a “loose-and-tight show,” where she comes with a specific format for the night in mind, yet remains flexible enough to wing it and feel the spontaneity of the crowd.

Fridays in the Living Room with Greta will include special tributes to dignitaries from the local music scene, such as Overton Berry, an institution in the jazz business and the Seattle hotel circuit. She will also feature some of her most popular “theme” shows, such as Ella & Billie (a nod to Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday) and Light Out of Darkness: A Tribute to Ray Charles.

On top of theme and tribute nights, also expect plenty of special guests. One of the first is from Bake’s Visiting Songbird Series performers, Marilyn Keller, from Portland, Ore.

"It’ll be an off-the-cuff, let’s-have-fun-together, on-the-fly, no-rehearsals kind of evening," Baker said.

To keep each Friday evening fresh, Matassa can delve into her impressive catalog of about 3,000 memorized songs.

“The funny thing is I can’t remember a phone number across a room,” she said. “I tell people I probably only forgot their name because that information fell out my ear to make room for more lyrics.”

Both Baker and Matassa like to say her repertoire of songs stems from the Great American Song Book, with everything from Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Henry Mancini and more.

"I did popular and disco music in the ’80s," she admitted. "Luckily, it all fell conveniently out of my ear to make room for the classics."

Matassa said another enticing element to Bake’s is its intimate setting. For example, she said the Triple Door in Seattle feels more like a theater, where there’s no personal connection with an anonymous audience sitting in the dark. Bake’s, on the other hand, is intimate, but still large enough that audience members can shout requests from anywhere in the room.

Matassa added that vocal jazz has ebbed and flowed over the years, but has always stayed just popular enough to never go out of style.

"Every 10 years or so, it’s always returning with really great songwriting," she said.

She hopes Fridays with Greta brings in a whole new audience to share a venue regulars have long known for having the complete package.

David Hayes: 392-6434, ext. 237, Comment  at www.issaquahpress.com.