Bellevue Music Series To Feature Bobby Rush, Blake Noble

BELLEVUE, WA —The Bellevue Downtown Association (BDA) on Friday announced two featured artists for this summer's 15th Annual Bellevue Jazz & Blues Music Series.

Grammy Award-winner Bobby Rush and Australian composer Blake Noble will perform at ticketed shows as part of the series, which takes place from June 1-5 at venues across Bellevue. Many of the series' other performances are free.

Rush, 88, is a musician, composer and singer whose music incorporates elements of blues, rap and funk. He will perform at 7:30 p.m. on June 3 at the Meydenbauer Center Theatre. Tickets are $25 for general admission, $15 for students and are available online.

Noble is from Australia and heads the Blake Noble Band, which plays a unique blend of instrumental roots/rock with a mix of blues, folk and funk. Their music even incorporates the ancient Australian didgeridoo.

Noble will perform at 7:30 p.m. on June 4 at the Meydenbauer Center Theatre. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $10 for students and are available online.

Several other concerts in the series already have been announced and more will be added, according to organizers.

One concert already on the schedule is the Student Showcase, which will feature local high school and middle school jazz combos. It takes place on June 5 at the Bellevue Arts Museum.

"We're proud to showcase a range of performances from talented local students to a national Grammy Award winner," said Mike Ogliore, vice president at the Bellevue Downtown Association. "It's an exciting time to continue this great music experience for the Bellevue community."

Among the notable artists who have played the series in previous years are: Branford Marsalis, Booker T. Jones, Shemekia Copeland, Poncho Sanchez, Dianne Reeves, Bill Frisell, Charles Lloyd, Terence Blanchard, Hubert Laws, Mingus Big Band, Spanish Harlem Orchestra and the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra.

According to organizers, the 2022 Bellevue Jazz & Blues Music Series is made possible by generous support from Amazon, the City of Bellevue, Microsoft and 425 Magazine.