By Eric Mathison

There’s always some fun event happening in Burien.

Brat Trot and Cove to Clover, Wild Strawberry Festival, Arts Aglow, Empty Bowls, 4th of July Parade and Vision 20/20 to name a few.

One of my favorites is the Highline Classic Jazz Festival. This year it’s coming up this Saturday, Sept. 19.
I may be a little biased because I am on the board of Burien Arts Association, which sponsors the event.
However, I loved the festival even before I started volunteering.

Current Burien Arts president Lance Haslund invented the festival. Back in 2009 when Lance was a new Burien Arts trustee, members were brainstorming about new events they could present.

“In the middle of the night, I woke up and suddenly realized I knew a lot of musicians who played early jazz that I could get to perform,” Lance recalls.

At the time, Lance was playing rhythm guitar in a traditional jazz band at the New Orleans Restaurant in Pioneer Square.

The first three years, the festival was staged at the Performing Arts Center (PAC,) next to Highline High in Burien. Four bands played in the afternoon and four bands played in the evening.

The PAC is a great venue. I’ve enjoyed many ChoralSounds Northwest and Hi-Liners productions there. But it wasn’t a good fit for a jazz festival.

“The festival was a critical success. People liked it but there wasn’t much to do. It was just a show,” Lance says. “I knew about other jazz festivals. They had dancing and other activities. They had more of a party atmosphere.

“Burien Arts didn’t want to move the festival out of Burien but the Landmark was just perfect for that kind of music.”

High on a bluff overlooking Puget Sound, Landmark on the Sound in Des Moines opened its giant doors in 1926 as a Masonic home, just as some of the vintage jazz featured at the festival was new.

The Highline festival is the only central Puget Sound event that focuses on jazz music from the early and middle part of the 1900s.

The Landmark is a grand facility of slate and copper, Terra Cotta and Terrazzo, marble and stained glass designed by the architect for Paradise Inn at Mt. Rainier.

For the jazz festival, the upstairs grand auditorium with its towering ceiling spotlighted big acts, the dining room offered dancing and a catered meal while the library with soft couches and chairs hosted intimate performances.

But while the Landmark was perfect for jazz festivals, Halloween happenings and wine tastings, its use as a rental event center was a stopgap measure. The Masons are in negotiations with a potential buyer, possibly Chinese investors planning a resort and time-share condos.

With the Landmark unavailable and no appropriate single Burien facility, Lance has turned to an intriguing idea that will return the festival to its hometown.

It’s a jazz walk at six Olde Burien and downtown Burien venues—all within close walking distance. With staggered starts and 40-minute intermissions between acts at each venue, festivalgoers will be able to hear a lot of jazz.

This year there will be more bands (21) for less money ($20) plus many more dining and drinking options.
“Lots of festivals do a jazz walk,” Lance declares. “It’s a proven format.”

To keep the party atmosphere, it was vital to find a good dance hall, according to Lance.

“St. Elizabeth’s Parish Hall (1005 S.W. 152nd. St.) is set up perfectly for that,” Lance notes.

As an observer and, definitely not a participant, the dancing was a highlight of past festivals for me. I remember former KING TV sports director Rod Belcher, still spry in his 90s making some smooth moves. And last year, an older couple, he in a fancy suit and she in a vintage polka-dot dress, glided effortlessly. As for some of the younger folks, things got a little steamy out on the floor.

This year at the Tin Theatre (923 S.W. 152nd St.), jazz historian and filmmaker Joe Vinikow will show “pristinely preserved” jazz films and answer questions during the afternoon.

Latin Jazz and Gypsy Jazz are the focus in the covered courtyard between 909 and 913 (909 or 913 S.W. 152nd St.--take your pick.)

Blues-Acoustic Blues “from the Delta to the Mean Streets” is on tap at the Burien Arts Gallery (826 S.W. 152nd St.) Be sure to check out the printmaking artwork on the walls. The art exhibits change every month.
West of Ambaum, the new Frankie’s B-Town Bistro (653 S.W. 152nd St.) will host a variety of offerings including Latin Jazz, Vibraphone, two Earshot Jazz Vocalist winners, and New Orleans and Rat Pack stylings.

The western anchor, HomeTask (611 S.W. 152nd St.,) will be transformed into “Cool City” with contemporary small groups in an intimate setting.

Lance praises the participating businesses for supporting this long-standing community event. Hopefully, customers will, in turn, support the businesses and be generous to their servers.

Get a hand stamp for $20 at any of the venues on Saturday and it’s good for all six places. Schedules and other info are at www.highlineclassicjazz.com.

I think the classic jazz festival’s return to Burien will be great. Twenty-one bands for $20. That’s less than a buck a band.

Eric Mathison is a former editor of the Highline Times. He can be reached care of Ken Robinson at kenr@robinsonnews.com.