The Staaf Quartet on KPLU FM: Our Egan's show will be broadcast on KPLU 88.5 FM's Jazz Northwest  show (hosted by Jim Wilke) on Sunday the 14th at 1 pm Pacific time, as well as at www.kplu.org (where it is also available as a podcast for a week).  We had a great time with special guests Michael Brockman,  Ben Roseth and Michael Glynn. Swinging, bluesy Seattle jazz! Klezmer shows in Philadelphia and NYC area: Carmen will perform with Susan Watts and Elaine Hoffman Watts in Philadelphia with an all-female klezmer group featuring Carol Jantsch, the 21-year-old tubist in the Philadelphia Orchestra (and the only female tubist in a major orchestra).  For more info, go to www.susanwattsonline.com. Also, Carmen will perform a number of shows around New York with Metropolitan Klezmer (www.metropolitanklezmer.com) as well as Michael Winograd (www.michaelwinograd.com). Berklee KeysFest: As a member of Berklee's piano department, Carmen will perform at KeysFest 2007 on March 6th.  Her group will play a set mostly comprised of originals to be recorded on her upcoming album at 1 pm in 1140 Boylston rm 1A, then she will perform that night in the AllKeys concert at the Berklee Performance Center. For more information about Berklee, please visit www.berklee.edu. Staaf Quartet CD: The Staaf Quartet CD is now available online at www.cdbaby.com as well as www.amazon.com and www.discoweb.com.  The album was recently featured on Jim Wilke's Jazz Northwest show on KPLU 88.5 FM, with a warm recommendation from Jim.  In the Seattle area, it is also available for purchase at Bud's Jazz Records in Pioneer Square.  To hear sound clips from the CD, please visit www.carlstaaf.com. Mary Lou Williams Festival:  Carmen played at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. with the Sisters in Jazz, as part of the 2005 Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival.  The group, which was coached by drummer Sylvia Cuenca, played twice on the Millenium Stage, gave two schoolclinics, and hosted a jam session at the Kennedy Center KC Jazz Club.  To view the Millenium Stage performances, please visit the Kennedy Center website at www.kennedy-center.org, click on "Millenium Stage" and go to "View Past Performances", which will allow you to find the two Sisters in Jazz performances. Performance in Portugal:  Carmen recently performed at the Festa do Jazz do Teatro Sao Luiz in Lisbon, Portugal with the Andreia Pinto-Correia Jazz Orchestra.  The group, led by up-and-coming Portuguese composer/arranger Andreia Pinto-Correia, also featured guest artists Marc Miralta and Perico Sambeat.  Sisters in Jazz winner: Carmen was recently chosen to perform at International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) Convention in Long Beach, CA as a winner of the Sisters in Jazz collegiate competition in January of 2005.  The ensemble was coached by jazz pianist Lynne Arriale and performed alongside such jazz luminaries as Herbie Hancock, Roy Haynes and Geri Allen.  The other members of the group, which will perform at other festivals throughout the year, are Jacquelyn Coleman, trumpet, Delandria Mills, flute, Lakecia Benjamin, alto sax, Maeve Royce, bass, and Hanne Pulli, drums. Panama International Jazz Festival: Carmen travelled to Panama City, Panama in January 2005 to perform at the Panama International Jazz Festival with fellow New England Conservatory students Bridget Kearney (bass) and Richie Barshay (drums) as well as professor and Dean of Faculty Allan Chase (alto saxophone) and alumnus Peter Kenagy (trumpet).  The festival, founded in 2002 by NEC faculty member Danilo Perez, also featured such greats as Jack DeJohnette, Joe Lovano and John Pattitucci.  The NEC quintet performed at various venues during the festival and gave workshops to local students, with a very warm response from the Panamanians and other international musicians in attendance.  Staaf Quartet CD Release Party:  The Staaf Quartet, featuring Carmen's brother Carl Staaf on tenor saxophone as well as Michael Glynn (bass) and Mark Ivester (drums), recently released its self-titled debut album.  The Quartet held an enthusiastically received release party on January 2nd at Patti Summers' Place in Seattle, featuring guest drummer Phil Parisot and Andrew Glynn on tenor  saxophone.  For more information about the Staaf Quartet and other upcoming performances, please click here. "Carmen Staaf is a remarkably mature young pianist, with a wide palette and secure rhythmic base.  In short, she swings!  Her command of language anchors a very secure improvisatory base and she has an extremely developed musical sense.  A most impressive pianist."                    -Bob Brookmeyer --2004 "Staaf came up with a subtly crafted, wonderfully realized arrangement of swing and professional quality."                     -Craig Jolley, All About Jazz, www.allaboutjazz.com --2005 "Pianist/accordionist Carmen Staaf is quite extraordinary..."                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   -Ari Davidow, Ari Davidow's Klezmer Shack, www.klezmershack.com --2004