The Spokane Jazz Orchestra is about to begin celebrating its 50th season, which is themed “The Sound of Our City.”
Don Goodwin, the SJO’s music director, and Kevin Berkompas, the organization’s board president, sit down this week to talk about the four concerts they have planned during 2026-27.
As part of that, they shed some light on how they’ll give Vince Guaraldi piano jazz and the Grateful Dead the big band treatment.
They also get into big-band music’s place in the current local jazz scene and why the SJO has made it a point to focus on education as much as performing.
The SJO’s milestone season kicks off September 26 with a retrospective concert at the Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center on the Gonzaga University campus. Special guests like Tom Molter and Dan Keberle are scheduled to be a part of the performance.
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