A group of esteemed musicians gathers in the Flathead Valley for more than a week of free concerts and events at locations throughout the area. 

The first is on Friday, Feb. 7, is part of the Chocolat Affaire in downtown Kalispell. A chocolate walk will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., sponsored by the Kalispell Downtown Association, and then from 7 to 10 p.m. there will be romantic dance music at The Red Lion Hotel with The Cocoanuts. 

The Cocoanuts are made up of legendary pianist Billy Wallace, Jay Thomas on saxophone and trumpet, Chuck Kistler on bass, Neil Batterson on drums and Miriam Singer with the vocals.

Many of the out-of-town musicians will be staying in the valley for performances with the Billy Wallace Quartet, which includes Wallace, Thomas, Kistler and Singer. 

 Saturday, Feb. 8, 8 to 11 p.m.

Whitefish Lake Golf Club Lounge

Call 862-5285 for reservations

 Sunday, Feb. 9, 7 to 10 p.m.

McGarry’s Roadhouse

Call 862-6223 for reservations

The Billy Wallace Quartet swaps out a few musicians for a few more performances, with Chris Johansen taking over on saxophone and Nate Parker on bass.  

 Thursday, Feb. 13, 7 to 10 p.m.

Tupelo Lounge, Whitefish 

Call 862 -6136 for reservations

 Friday, Feb. 14, 7 to 10 p.m. 

Cooper’s Lounge, Whitefish 

Call 730-1018 for reservations

 Saturday, Feb. 15, 8 to 11 p.m.

Tupelo Lounge, Whitefish

Call 862-6136 for reservations

Sunday, Feb. 16, 7-10 pm  

The Bigfork Inn

Call 837-6680 for reservations

 All shows are sponsored by Don 'K' Subaru and brought to you by Singer & Simpson Productions.

 More about the musicians: 

 Denver pianist Billy Wallace earned his extraordinary chops during the vibrant years of jazz in Chicago and on 52nd Street in New York. In Chicago, Wallace played and recorded with artists such as Illinois Jacquet, Von Freeman, Billy Mitchell and Charlie Parker (Parker's last night in Chicago). In New York, Billy worked with Clifford Brown and with Max Roach (recording the exceptional “In 3/4 Time”). He accompanied singers such as Carmen McRae, Anita O'Day, Johnny Hartman, Arthur Prysock and Lou Rawls. Wallace has toured Europe and Japan, and enriched the jazz scenes in Seattle, Las Vegas and now Denver. He is a gifted jazz pianist utilizing unique beautiful harmonies and a vast repertoire.

 Chuck Kistler, now of Seattle and a graduate of the Berklee College of Music, appears regularly as a bass player with many leading Northwest groups. He has accompanied Eartha Kitt, Petula Clark, Ernie Watts and Kurt Elling. He played bass with Diane Schuur’s band at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center in March, 2013. Kistler has shared the stage with Eric Alexander, Ernie Watts and Kurt Elling. 

 Jay Thomas on saxophone, trumpet and flute,  received a Down Beat scholarship to the Berklee School of Music. From Boston, he moved to New York City in the late 1960s and spent the ’70s in the San Francisco area. When he returned to Seattle in 1980, his father Marv had bought Parnell’s jazz club where where Thomas heard people such as  Ornette Coleman, and was able to play with Cedar Walton, Zoot Sims, Sonny Stitt and Chet Baker.

Like his mentor, the legendary Floyd Standifer, Thomas enjoys the rare talent of being equally skilled on the trumpet and the tenor saxophone. He also plays the alto and soprano saxophones, flugelhorn and flute.

 Miriam Singer on vocals is the singer of Singer & Simpson, and (Simpson sings too). She studied voice for many years with Merry Kimball, who also taught Smash star Meghan Hilty. Singer has worked with Jay Thomas, Billy Wallace, Doug Montgomery and Floyd Standifer.

Neil Batterson plays percussion and drums with Cocinando Latin Jazz Orchestra and Nova Combo. He is a former Jazz Radio show host for WPKN in Bridgeport, Conn.

Saxophonist Chris Johansen has toured Europe and performed at jazz festivals all over the world including the North Sea, Montreaux and Montreal Jazz Festivals. He studied at the New England Conservatory of Music and the Royal Conservatory in the Netherlands. He is currently based in Seattle, where he performs and teaches.

 Nate Parker is becoming one of the busiest bass players in Seattle chosen for his swinging beat and tasteful solos. Nate is an up and coming bassist on the Seattle Jazz Scene. He is part of the Chris Morton Trio and the Steve Albach Quartet. Nate is building a reputation as a solid, swingin' timekeeper and is an adventurous and melodic soloist. He spent a summer being mentored by the great Ben Wolfe at the Centrum Jazz Workshop and has dedicated himself to the old-school approach to bass playing.