Not a whole lot of places parents can take their kids to hear live jazz.
A whole mess of kiddos and I went to EMP's January Family Day and caught a set by New York-based quintet JazzReach. The band was tight and intense, but there were so few children in the audience (hardly anyone in the audience at all, really) that it was kind of heartbreaking. It was supposed to be a family friendly thing, and clattering subway visuals were projected on a huge screen behind the band. One of the 7-year-olds leaned over to me and murmured, "This is complicated music."
I murmured back, "Well, yes."
Doesn't mean you shouldn't try, though. Today's Jazz4Kids show by the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra introduces kids to jazz with instrument demos and a Q&A. Best of all? It's free, free, free. (But call or email to get tickets -- we can't guarantee what will happen if you just show up and hope for the best.)