Satalick jazzes up show

Published 12:25 pm Thursday, December 11, 2008

By Brenda Sexton

The Courier-Herald

For 13 minutes the evening of April 16, Enumclaw High first-year choir teacher Jennifer Satalick sang her heart out.

Before a packed house at Seattle's Dimitriou's Jazz Alley, Satalick competed with seven other singers from the area for a chance to represent this area in Kobe, Japan, this summer at that city's celebration of the birth of jazz in Japan.

"I'm not planning on winning," Satalick said modestly before the event.

She wanted to go for the experience.

"There were many outstanding musicians at this event and the judges had a difficult time making a decision," Satalick's husband Jeremy said after the recent performance. "Unfortunately, Jen did not win the competition, but she did an outstanding job and it was a great learning experience. Jen would also like to thank everyone that came up and listened to the performance. She greatly appreciates the support."

Satalick performed "More Than You Know" and "What A Difference A Day Makes."

Satalick cut a demo tape in Buckley with Perry D'Armond and entered "just for fun." She was surprised to find out she was a semifinalist.

Started her jazz career as a sophomore in high school, where her music teacher sent her to a jazz camp. That same teacher inspired her to become a chorale teacher.

"It's kind of been a turn of events since then," she said.

"It's a cool thing," she said. 'It's a big thing. I'm not into competition. When it comes to music I think it takes away from what music is that's the teacher in me."

Satalick is a graduate of Central Washington University where she performed with the jazz group. She also currently is a vocalist with the Seattle Jazz Singers.

Everyone can catch her locally in the Plateau Community Players' upcoming production of "The Unsinkable Molly Brown," where she is the vocal director and rehearsal accompanist.

Brenda Sexton can be reached at bsexton@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/courierherald.