Jam in the Atrium
Vashon Center for the Arts
Saturday, November 1st
1-3 PM

The final Jam In The Atrium for 2025 will cap this year’s amazing series with a bang, as JAM host Bruce Phares celebrates his 70th birthday at the JAM. He will welcome Grammy Award-winning percussionists Gordy Ryan (Vashon’s own!) and Sanga Of The Valley, along with their fellow Olatunji Drums of Passion alum Ricardo Guidy, who will lead an exciting 11-piece Afro-Jazz ensemble. With Phares on fretless electric bass, the band includes islanders Chris O’Brien on keys, guitarist Steve Amsden, saxophonist Van Crozier, trumpeter Richard Person, shekere player and vocalist Zoe Ryan, and vocalists Victoria Amsden and Melanie Salonen. The ensemble centers around African Djembe drum rhythms and songs. These are led by Sanga and Gordy, who, along with Ricardo, were students and, later, members of the groundbreaking African drum movement led by their mentor and band leader Babatunde Olatunji.

This event is free thanks to the generous support provided by Flintworks, JR Crawford and 4Culture.