The Theatre at Meydenbauer Center will host the Grammy-nominated Clayton Brothers Quintet at 8pm on Thursday, May 31; four-time Grammy-award winner Booker T. Jones at 8pm on Friday, June 1; and the internationally-renowned Hubert Laws Quintet at 8pm on Saturday, June 2.

Tickets for these headline performances cost $34 general admission or $17 for students.

The festival’s full schedule has been announced and features more than 40 free shows throughout the community. The schedule includes:

Wednesday, May 30

-          4:30 PM          Murl Allen Sanders Duo – Pianist

Lincoln Square 1st Floor [ FREE ]

-          6:00 PM          June Tonkin – Pianist

El Gaucho Bellevue * [ FREE ]

-          8:00 PM          Thomas Marriott – Trumpeter

Grand Cru Mixologie Lounge * [ FREE ]

-          8:00 PM          Tom Grant – Pianist

Bake’s Place [ Make reservations ]

-          9:00 PM          Stephanie Porter Quartet – Vocalist

Lot No. 3 [ FREE ]

-          9:00 PM          Lamar Lofton’s Rhythm Quartet with special guest Assia Hamani

520 Bar & Grill [ FREE ]

Thursday, May 31

-          4:30 PM          Clayton Murray Duo – Pianist

Lincoln Square 1st Floor [ FREE ]

-          6:00 PM          June Tonkin – Pianist

El Gaucho Bellevue * [ FREE ]

-          8:00 PM          Clayton Brothers Quintet

Theatre at Meydenbauer Center [ Buy tickets ]

-          8:00 PM          Tom Grant – Pianist

Bake’s Place [ Make reservations ]

-          9:00 PM          Heather Sullivan Jazz Piano Trio

520 Bar & Grill [ FREE ]

Friday, June 01

-          4:30 PM          Karin Kajita Duo – Pianist

Lincoln Square 1st Floor [ FREE ]

-          6:00 PM          June Tonkin – Pianist

El Gaucho Bellevue * [ FREE ]

-          8:00 PM          Booker T. Jones

Theatre at Meydenbauer Center [ Buy tickets ]

-          8:00 PM          Jovino Santos Neto Quinteto – Pianist

Bake’s Place [ Make reservations ]

-          8:00 PM          Dawn Clement Duo – Keyboard & Vocalist + Jon Hamar on Bass

Grand Cru Mixologie Lounge * [ FREE ]

-          8:00 PM          Isabella Du Graf – Vocalist

Cypress Lounge and Wine Bar at The Westin Bellevue * [ FREE ]

-          9:00 PM          Heather Sullivan Jazz Piano Trio

520 Bar & Grill [ FREE ]

Saturday, June 02

-          12:00 PM        Bellevue High School Jazz Combo

Bellevue Square Center Court [ FREE ]

-          1:15 PM          Music Works NW Honor Jazz Ensemble

Bellevue Square Center Court [ FREE ]

-          2:30 PM          Edmonds-Woodway High School Jazz Combo

Bellevue Square Center Court [ FREE ]

-          3:45 PM          Mountlake Terrace High School Jazz Combo

Bellevue Square Center Court [ FREE ]

-          5:00 PM          Newport High School Jazz Combo

Bellevue Square Center Court [ FREE ]

-          5:00 PM          June Tonkin Duo – Pianist & Vocalist

El Gaucho Bellevue * [ FREE ]

-          6:15 PM          Ingraham High School Jazz Combo

Bellevue Square Center Court [ FREE ]

-          7:30 PM          Fusion – High School Jazz Combo

Bellevue Square Center Court [ FREE ]

-          8:00 PM          Hubert Laws Quintet

Theatre at Meydenbauer Center [ Buy tickets ]

-          8:00 PM          Lary Barilleau and the Latin Jazz Collective

Bake’s Place [ Make reservations ]

-          8:00 PM          Patti Summers – Vocalist

Cypress Lounge and Wine Bar at The Westin Bellevue * [ FREE ]

-          9:00 PM          Lamar Lofton’s Rhythm Quartet with special guest Faith Beattie

520 Bar & Grill [ FREE ]

-          10:00 PM        Collaborative Works Jazz Trio – Traditional & Modern Jazz

Black Bottle Postern [ FREE ]

Sunday, June 03

-          11:00 AM        Jose Gonzales Trio – Funk, Swing & Pop

Z’Tejas Southwestern Grill Jazz Brunch [ FREE ]

-          11:00 AM        Red Shoes

520 Bar & Grill Patio [ FREE ]

-          11:00 AM        Edmonds-Woodway High School Jazz Combo

Bellevue Square Center Court [ FREE ]

-          12:15 PM        Mount Si High School Jazz Combo

Bellevue Square Center Court [ FREE ]

-          1:30 PM          Hamilton International Middle School Jazz Combo

Bellevue Square Center Court [ FREE ]

-          2:30 PM          Jeff Johnson Duo – Bassist + Dave Peterson on Guitar

Ruth’s Chris Steak House [ FREE ]

-          4:00 PM          Hamilton International Middle School Vocal Jazz

Bellevue Square Center Court [ FREE ]

-          5:00 PM          Primo Kim Duo – Pianist

El Gaucho Bellevue * [ FREE ]

-          5:15 PM          Sammamish High School Jazz Combo

Bellevue Square Center Court [ FREE ]

-          5:30 PM          Human Spirit – Thomas Marriott, Mark Taylor, George Colligan & Matt Jorgensen

Rock Bottom Brewery & Restaurant * [ FREE ]

-          7:00 PM          Rising Stars

Bake’s Place [ Make reservations ]

-          7:00 PM          Lamar Lofton’s Rhythm Quartet with special guest Eric Fridrich

520 Bar & Grill [ FREE ]

-          9:00 PM          4 on 6 – House Jazz Band

Black Bottle Postern [ FREE ]

*Please note: Venue is for ages 21 and up.

Cypress Lounge showcases local winemakers and features Seattle-area indie and jazz musicians on Friday and Saturday nights. The events typically start at 8pm and there’s no cover charge.

Cypress Lounge & Wine Bar is located at The Westin Bellevue, 600 Bellevue Way NE.

Upcoming performances include:

• Friday, April 27 – Andre Feriante at 8pm
• Friday, May 4 – Cool Water Duo at 8pm
• Friday, May 11 – Eric Fridrich
• Friday, May 18 – Gina Alibrio & Justin Froese at 8pm
• Saturday, May 19 – Tenor/Matthews Wine Dinner at 6pm
• Friday, May 25 – Joachim Nordansson & Kate Lynn Logan at 8pm
• Friday, June 1 – Bellevue Jazz Festival / Isabella duGraf at 8pm
• Saturday, June 2 – Bellevue Jazz Festival / Patti Summers at 8pm
• Friday, June 8 – Kiko Freitas & Nikki DeCaires Bossanova Duo at 8pm
• Friday, June 15 – Brooks Giles at 8pm
• Friday, June 22 – Sandy Carbary at 8pm
• Friday, June 29 – Dave Abramson at 8pm

Munchbar and Piano Bash are changing things up.  The 2 spaces in their current form will be transforming into 3. Munchbar and Piano Bash will become Mirror Nightclub after 10PM, which will allow for the popular “nightclub” business to take full advantage of the maximum amount of space.

The wall that is currently between the 2 spaces will be taken out, making the nightclub a more cohesive element. In addition, both spaces will be fully redesigned. The new designs will remain a mystery until the grand opening, but according to the management team it will be very impressive and will “have people talking.”

Another change that is important to note is that Munchbar will change its name to “Munch Sports Grill” and will focus on its food, as well as continuing to be a premier location to watch sporting events.

The transformation will be complete on May 17th and will be celebrated by a grand opening weekend bash will Carmen Electra, Mya and more at Mirror.  Below are the events that will be taking place on opening weekend:

• May 17th Hosted by Carmen Electra
• May 18th Live Set by Vegas’ DJ Hollywood
• May 19th Live performance by Ryan Leslie
• May 20th Performance by May

UPDATE: According to a representative at Munchbar the re-grand opening party with Carmet Electra will now take place on Thursday, May 31st. It’s not clear if the other artists will also still be performing.

The movies will be projected onto a 40-foot screen on Tuesday evenings from July 10 through Aug. 28 at the Bellevue Downtown Park. The public is invited to arrive at 7:30pm for pre-movie activities. The movies will start at dusk.

This family-friendly event, presented by the Bellevue Parks and Community Services and sponsored by Intelius Inc., is free and open to all ages. The event serves as a donation drive for local non-profit organizations. Cash and item donations will be accepted in lieu of admission.

The 2012 Summer Outdoor Movies in the Bellevue Downtown Park includes:

• Date                 Movie                                    Charity
• July 10              Puss in Boots                       The Sophia Way
• July 17              Happy Feet 2                        Highland Community Center
• July 24              Zookeeper                            Ashoka
• July 31              Adventures of TinTin          Kindering
• August 7           Soul Surfer                           iCareWeCare
• August 14         Big Miracle                           Bellevue LifeSpring
• August 21         Dolphin Tale                        Boys and Girls Club of Bellevue
• August 28         We Bought a Zoo                YouthCare

Bake’s Place will celebrate its grand opening on May 11-13 in downtown Bellevue.

This new jazz supper club will feature vocalist Dee Daniels at 7:30pm Friday and Saturday, May 11 and 12, and at 7pm Sunday, May 13. Daniels infuses her jazz style with blues and gospel.

Other upcoming performances at Bake’s Place include: the Greta Matassa Quartet with percussionist Jeff Busch; Geoffrey Castle; Kris Orlowski; and The Halyards.

Check out the complete line-up and make dinner reservations in advance. Bake’s Place is located at the corner of 108^th Avenue NE and NE 2^nd Street.

Bake’s Place
155 108th Ave NE
Bellevue, WA 98004
(425) 454-2776

The fifth annual Bellevue Jazz Festival will feature more than 40 free performances by local jazz musicians throughout downtown Bellevue. Headliners include the Clayton Brothers Quintet at 8pm on Thursday, May 31, Booker T. Jones at 8pm on Friday, June 1, and the Hubert Laws Quintet at 8pm on Saturday, June 2.

Individual show tickets cost $34 general admission or $17 for students. A theatre package offers preferred seating to all three shows for $78. The headline performances will take place at the Theatre at Meydenbauer Center.

The full festival line-up will be announced in May.

Here is a list of headliners on each weekend throughout the month:

March 8-10 Headliner: Gary Valentine
Thursday, March 8 -7:30pm ($15/$20/$25)
Friday, March 9 -7:30 and 10pm ($20/$25/$30) Saturday, March 10 -7:30pm and 10pm ($20/$25/$30)

March 15-17 Headliner: Alonzo Bodden
Thursday, March 15 -7:30pm ($15/$20/$25)
Friday, March 16 -7:30 and 10pm ($20/$25/$30) Saturday, March 17 -7:30pm and 10pm ($20/$25/$30)

March 22-24 Headliner: Faizon Love (Special Engagement)
Thursday, March 22 -7:30pm ($20/$25/$30)
Friday, March 23 -7:30 and 10pm ($25/$30/$35) Saturday, March 24 -7:30pm and 10pm ($25/$30/$35)

March 29-31 Headliner: Mike Vecchione & Cy Amundson
Thursday, March 29 – 7:30pm ($15/$20/$25)
Friday, March 30 -7:30 and 10pm ($20/$25/$30) Saturday, March 31 -7:30pm and 10pm ($20/$25/$30)

Koral Bar & Kitchen is the newest restaurant to premiere in the heart of Downtown Bellevue, and it’s looking to make good on putting the “comfort” into comfort foods. Located in the Hyatt Regency Bellevue, Koral is described as a “New American Kitchen.” The dining area is scattered with small tables and instead of typical booths, leather sofas are backed against the wall for small gatherings. Long, heavy tables made with reclaimed wood are set up for larger parties. Lit candles cast a flickering glow, highlighting the warmth and grain of the old wood. The ceiling is a collection of vintage-style lighting, adding to Koral’s overall mood, which is to provide a comfortable, lived-in feeling for patrons. For all the times when Bellevue dresses to the nines, sometimes it’s okay to kick back and relax, which is what the duo behind Koral, Bradley Dickinson and Mikel Rogers, are aiming for.

Koral’s owners are particularly in-tune to the needs of the Eastside crowds – Dickinson and Rogers are behind Pearl Bar & Dining, which has been a popular restaurant and happy hour hangout since opening in 2008. Speaking with Bradley Dickinson during the preview night, he points out the experience Koral will bring to people just wanting a place to relax at, after a long day. “No white tablecloths,” he compares between Pearl, which has more of an urban chic mood. He describes Koral as the place for people to gather their friends around a table, drink wine, eat their favorite foods and just talk the night away. The location in the Hyatt gives Koral the unique opportunity to become the go-to spot after the many events and conferences that occur daily in the hotel’s meeting halls. The restaurant’s cozy atmosphere masks a sizeable restaurant space, including private dining areas that are able to seat groups of 10 to 30 people.

Menu items include creamy artichoke dip on crostini, braised oxtail “sliders” with the slow-cooked tender meat served between a Chinese-style bun, and a house made pub cheese, a spreadable cheddar and horseradish dip served with pretzel sticks. The menu focuses more on small plates and appetizers, items meant to be shared and sampled with a group, but there are larger entrée-sized meals as well. The dishes focus on classic meat-and-potatoes fare, like a bleu cheese meatloaf, lamb loin chops in a lemon rosemary rub, and fresh gnocchi with braised oxtail. Bradley Dickinson points out one of the items they offer, roasted bones served with crostini to slather the butter-like, rich marrow on. If there’s any room for dessert, along with a number of rich, delectable options like a sticky toffee pudding covered in caramel, they offer the simplest, but most comforting of items: milk and cookies. The menu continues to grow and evolve — they anticipate starting a brunch service later in the month, during weekends from 9am to 2pm.

Koral is now open daily, 4-10pm Monday through Saturday, 4-9pm on Sundays, on the lobby floor of the Hyatt Regency Bellevue.

Koral Bar & Kitchen, 900 Bellevue Way NE, Suite 100, 425-623-1125

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Last year, Chop Shop’s performances sold out, so securing tickets in advance is highly suggested. They are $25 for adults and $20 for students and seniors. Saturday’s show (2/11) is at 7:30 PM, and Sunday’s show (2/12) is at 3 PM. Purchase your tickets here.

Additional information about the festival is below:

Reading Dance: Experience a behind the scenes look at how contemporary dances are formed. Learn about meaning and imagery behind the choreographer’s unique movement language, and explore how the creative process is developed and refined. This event is FREE on Sunday, Feb. 12th at 1 PM in the Theatre.

Master Classes (2/11 and 2/12) by the Artistic Directors and company members of the participating companies will be held during daytime hours of the festival in the Theater (Saturday and Sunday starting at 10 AM). Please call (206) 799-6004 for schedule and reservations. Classes are $18 each, 3 for $45, or 5 for $50.

More Chop Shop Info.

Blue Martini will host its grand opening at 4pm on Friday, Feb. 10, at The Shops at The Bravern. The event includes live music by Remix and Ashley Red.

The lounge features more than 40 specialty martinis as well as casual dining. Food and drink specials will be offered throughout the grand opening weekend.

Blue Martini is open from 4pm to 2am Monday through Friday, and noon to 2am Saturday and Sunday. Happy hour runs from 4pm to 7pm daily, and each night offers live music.

On Wednesdays, patrons can participate in a raffle drawing for a chance to win a designer handbag or an iPad.