North City Jazz Walk brings fresh new talent to the 2012 line up

Hook Me Up
Photo by Dave Ellison

By Robin McClelland

Jazz Walk, Tuesday, August 14, 2012, The Jazz Walk is staged on 15th NE in North City, between NE 175th and NE 180th. Advanced tickets for $12 are on sale now. Capacity at indoor venues is limited so buy tickets early at designated locations or online. Tickets will be available at the event for $15. Parking is plentiful and free. Here is a map of the venues, artist profiles, parking, and Jazz Bite offerings.

Hook Me Up

When Tracey Hooker brings his variety band with a jazz flavor to the North City Jazz Walk on Tuesday, August 14th, folks can expect a treat.  Says Hooker, “I like to take the audience on an emotional journey. With Hook Me Up, you never know what we are going to do next.” This was true last year at Celebrate Shoreline when Keith McClelland, listening in the front row, decided immediately to add Hook Me Up to the 2012 Jazz Walk line up.

With its mix of jazz and pop, Hook Me Up gives familiar themes a fresh treatment.  The band will play outdoors in front of the Frank Lumber Delivery Store under the Integrity Surety sponsor banner. You can pull up a chair for free or with your entry bracelet, have a seat in the Rain City Rotary Club Beer and Wine Garden to enjoy new sounds.

Band leader Tracey Hooker hails from Olympia where he settled after 22 years in the US Navy.  He got “hooked” on music when his high school band performed all over Florida. “I knew I wanted to play the trumpet for a living at an early age and have had the pleasure to travel the world as a musician.” 

For the past 14 years Tracey has traversed the I-5 corridor and beyond. In addition to the annual Crystal Mountain Wine Festival, the band performed 14 times in July and is booked solid in August.

When not on the road, Tracey teaches music at two community colleges and gives private lessons in Olympia.

The Casey MacGill Group

Casey MacGill, Matt Weiner, and JoJo Mascorella form the Casey MacGill Group playing at Brown’s Coffee Shop under the Shoreline Breakfast Rotary sponsor banner. JoJo is new to the group but far from new to music. He was raised in a musical family – his father Frank plays the trombone and repairs instruments at Kennelly Keys. JoJo also plays in the familiar group Hot Club Sandwich. Bassist Matt Weiner plays with Wayne Horowitz and was in the Flying Neutrinos in New York back in the 1990s.

To the drums and bass, Casey adds his own special touch with piano, ukulele, and the coronet. But the instrumentation is just part of the repertoire. 

Casey, a long-time vocal chart arranger, says “Each voice brings a personal and unique quality to a song. I love to write compositions that expand the sound of a trio.”  Adds Casey, “That’s a reason I am really excited to have JoJo join the group.  He is a fantastic scat singer.”

Folk music first inspired Casey MacGill before he moved on to jazz, rock, and the blues. “After some years, I returned to jazz and found my passion. Older jazz resonates with me; I’ve concentrated on it for over 30 years.” MacGill credits Ahmad Jamal for influencing the way he plays the piano. As for his singing, Casey claims Nat King Cole as his all-time idol.    

Advanced tickets for the Jazz Walk may be purchased for $12 online or at several locations in Shoreline: Sky Nursery, Prosser Music, Shoreline Lake Forest Park Senior Center and these North City businesses: North City Bistro, Laughing Ladies Café, North City Eagles Aerie, Golden Bow and Flowers, and Dr. Larrance Commons. Tickets on the night of the event are $15. Parking is free. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit or call 206-399-0963.

The North City Jazz Walk is produced by the North City Business Association in partnership with the City of Shoreline, The Journal Media Group, the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council, American Solutions, and Cleanscapes.  The Jazz Walk is grateful to the generous 2012 stage sponsors:  Dr. Tim Norton, DC; Phoenix Art Restoration; Chuck Cady/Ann Babb-Nordling; Ben Kinney and Keller Williams Realty; the Law Office of Keith McClelland, Edward Jones-Stephanie Santeford; Integrity Surety, LLC; the Shoreline Breakfast Rotary, and the S/LFP Arts Council.