<\/a>(Los Flacos presented by Sustainable Music NW, August 5. WSB photo by Jason Grotelueschen)<\/small><\/em><\/p>\n By Hayden Yu Andersen Music is a part of Seattle\u2019s identity as much as good coffee and bad traffic. But the community-centered, grassroots performances often associated with our neck of the woods have faded away as time has gone on. At least, that\u2019s how West Seatte musician Kevin Nortness<\/strong> sees it. To solve this problem, Nortness and four other Seattle-based musicians and music educators have banded together to create Sustainable Music Northwest<\/strong><\/a>, Seattle\u2019s newest music nonprofit. <\/p>\n Sustainable Music Northwest is a nonprofit that performs free concerts at community gatherings and events, and local music shows. \u201cThe Seattle music community is missing something \u2013 giving music to the public that\u2019s outside of nightclubs and concert halls,\u201d said Nortness, who\u2019s made his living as a performer and teacher for the better part of 20 years. Through this nonprofit work, Nortness and his fellow board members \u2013 Marc Fendel, Samantha Boshnack, Chuck Demonnin<\/strong>, and Adam Gross<\/strong> \u2013 want to redefine what a concert can be. \u201cWe\u2019re making it about the gathering as much as it is the music,\u201d Nortness said. \u201cThe performance and the conversations should be at equal sound levels, we want people to be able to use the music as an enhancement of the occasion.\u201d<\/p>\n On August 5th, the nonprofit made its debut at a Delridge gathering for Night Out<\/strong><\/a>, featuring local band Los Flacos<\/strong>. The event was a surreal experience for Nortness, who has been working on this project for the better part of a year and a half. \u201cI put so much time into this,\u201d he joked, \u201cthat I didn\u2019t realize I was slowly going broke.\u201d Fortunately, though, his efforts have paid off, and in cooperation with the Musicians\u2019 Association of Seattle<\/strong><\/a>, he\u2019ll be receiving a stipend for his work on the nonprofit. They\u2019ll also be working with Seattle-based consultant firm Scandiuzzi Krebs<\/strong><\/a>, which specializes in local community-building organizations. <\/p>\n With the combined support from both the Musicians\u2019 Association and Scandiuzzi Krebs, and the collective effort of Nortness and his fellow musicians over the past year and a half, Sustainable Music Northwest is now budgeted for ten more shows in 2025.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s especially heartwarming to see it come together,\u201d said Nortness, \u201cand it\u2019s so nice to finally be in a position to say \u2018this is what we\u2019re doing\u2019, and we\u2019ve gotten nothing but positive feedback.\u201d <\/p>\n Now that they\u2019re finally established, they\u2019re going to take a breath and keep pushing forward. Nortness has his eye set on the Alki Beach promenade, Kenyon Hall<\/strong><\/a>, and the lobbies of West Seattle\u2019s condos and apartments for performances. The nonprofit is also continuing to apply for grants, looking for new board members, and scoping out new locations to perform at. If you\u2019re interested in any of those areas, Nortness says they\u2019d love to hear from you. <\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re trying to get the word out,\u201d He said, \u201cThis exists, and it\u2019s a resource. We\u2019re essentially offering a free band for people to gather their communities together, create connections, and maintain those connections.\u201d (The musicians, like Los Flacos on Night Out, do get paid.)<\/p>\n For more information about Sustainable Music Northwest, to apply to become a board member, or to book them for an event, check out their website here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Reporting for West Seattle Blog<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/westseattleblog-assets.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2025\/08\/nightout_delridge_IMG_6587.jpg\")
<\/a>(Photo courtesy Sustainable Music Northwest)<\/small><\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>(Sustainable Music Northwest photo: Board member Kevin Nortness)<\/small><\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>(Sustainable Music Northwest photo: Board member Marc Fendel)<\/small><\/em><\/p>\n