Eric Olson

Eric Olson is a Seattle-based novelist and essayist living in the Central District. He works as an environmental engineer, managing polluted sites west of the Cascades, and also plays guitar in local outfit Caveman Ego. You can learn more about him and his work at ericolsonwriting.com.

Review: Dave Holland, at Inspiration’s Edge

It’s perhaps unsurprising that the man behind In a Silent Way and Bitches’ Brew should put on one of the winter’s more inscrutable shows.

Review: Karl Denson Puts in the Work

Alternating between heavy, Parliament-style funk, bluesy singing numbers, and hip-hop breakbeats, the seven-man corps tapped into impressive reserves, maintaining a fiery energy late into the night.

Review: esperanza spalding and Fred Hersch @JazzAlley

I’ve been alternately intrigued and puzzled by jazz duos ever since the winter of 2015

Review: Yellowjackets and the Sum of Four Parts

What’s unique about the Yellowjackets, especially in the world of jazz, is their unabashed “band-ness,” which affects the quartet’s song arrangement, stage demeanor, and everything in between.

2022: Escaping the End-of-Year Doom Loop

Pessimism is a hungry beast. Most Decembers, I’m all too happy to feed it. But this year feels different. Faced with our typical naysaying, our 12-month doom loop, I’ve been suffering knee-jerk optimism.

Sad Girl Rock: Soccer Mommy’s Moody Blues at the Moore

Sophie Allison freely admits to writing sad songs – she attributes this to low states of mind while touring, a family sickness, and the ever-intensifying pressure of online celebrity.

Inherently Fused: Marcus Miller @Jazz Alley

Miller grew up at the arguable epicenter of global jazz, 1960s Brooklyn, and internalized music via his father’s organ playing.

Decoding Jazz: Tuesdays @Seattle’s Owl N’ Thistle

A primer on jazz, with weekly "classes" at the Owl 'N Thistle Pub. .

Obsession and Betrayal in Darkest Academia

It doesn’t matter if the protagonist's peers understand Tessa or not. Ambition grants her but one gear – fifth – even if it sometimes leaves her “raw, unhappy, and desolate.”

What if Seattle Hadn’t Boomed? Thomas Kohnstamm’s Novel, ‘Lake City’

“The tech boom delivered Seattle to the precipice of becoming the world-class city it had always wanted to be. But not here. All Lake City has going for it are still a few good trees.”

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