PORT ANGELES — “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” is but one of the observations to be made during Jingle Jazz, the concert, starring Seattle singer Greta Matassa alongside the Peninsula College Vocal Jazz Ensemble on Wednesday evening.
The 7:30 p.m. show in the college’s Little Theater brings Matassa, who visited Port Angeles for a concert last summer, back to sing some numbers from her holiday CD “And to All a Good Night,” while the college’s vocalists will offer a cappella songs, standards such as “Mack the Knife” and the aforementioned “Baby.”
Tickets are $10 in advance via www.pencol.edu and www.brownpapertickets.com, and if any are left Wednesday, they will sell for $15 at the door of the Little Theater at Peninsula College, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd.
The Peninsula College Foundation is the beneficiary of both the concert and a no-host dessert reception, to start at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the PUB just outside the theater.
Fresh apple cider from Lazy J Tree Farm, Olympic Cellars wines, chocolates and other treats will be on tap.
This is the third Jingle Jazz performance, following last December’s sold-out concert, also assembled by Peninsula College Vocal Jazz Ensemble director Elaine Gardner-Morales.
“Each term, the students continue to make a lot of progress, both as group members and as soloists,” said the veteran music professor.
With Matassa part of the group Wednesday night, Gardner-Morales promises the audience is in for “an hour-and-30-minute concert of fantastic music-making.”
“Elaine bumps it up every year,” added Getta Rogers, director of the Peninsula College Foundation.
Gardner-Morales worked with Matassa to hold a workshop for her students here earlier this year, and the singers have stayed in touch since.
Matassa has been voted Northwest Vocalist of the Year by the Earshot Jazz foundation seven times, most recently in 2014; she’s also an Earshot Jazz Hall of Fame inductee.
Besides her performances and teaching here, she’s brought her brand of jazz to New York City, Russia, Singapore, Alaska, Hawaii and Japan.
For “Jingle Jazz,” Matassa and the ensemble will have a specially assembled combo backing them up: Al Harris on piano, Ed Donahue on trumpet, Terry Smith on drums and Clipper Anderson on bass.
“This has become an enormously popular event and a real joy for the foundation,” Roger said.
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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5062, or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.
