Jazzing up Columbia City

Besides meaning no one would've ever heard "Every Breath You Take" (Crazy Fun Fact: before P. Diddy recorded it, apparently it was released by an obscure Irish musician!) -- a strict no-cover policy is also how The Royal Room (opened by a Seattle composer w/ some help from the Rendezvous/OK Hotel dudes) is bringing a mostly free, mostly jazz lineup to the Columbia City not famous for ubiquitous kidnappings.

There's almost no way to, um, cover all the sweet stuff at RR, including:

The Space: This triangular 99-seater boasts a full bar/restaurant, and a tricked-out performance area that -- so it can host multiple gigs a night -- features a "permanent backline" including a Steinway Model B Piano, drum kit, and a Fender Rhodes suitcase model, the last of which is a pretty tough job to get a handle on... because of all the baggage.

The Music: Aural offerings are free Thurs through Mon, and'll include sets from NY-based sax-siren Roxy Coss, the acoustical stylings of local indie duo Thousands, and stuff from the JazzED New Works Ensemble, whose billing as "Seattle's finest alternative high school big band" is also notable for managing to somehow spell "only" in such a way that it looks exactly like "finest".

The Food: The RR'll offer dinner in the new year, but for now they've got lounge eats ranging from Steamed Mussels & Clams w/ roasted tomato and garlic pesto, to a ground chuck burger w/ handcut fries, to a Mezze Plate, which is just an Italian way of describing Diddy's favorite thing to eat: Snacks and S**t.

Photo by Daniel Sheehan