A&E Dispatch | Live music, interviews at EMP this weekend

The EMP is showcasing a whole weekend of beautiful music and to top it off, tickets for this weekend's events go at a bargain price.

• On Thursday, Jan. 8, EMP will have an onstage interview with David Bryan, keyboardist and founding member of Bon Jovi (www.davidbryan.com). As a Bon Jovi songwriter, Bryan has sold more than 130 million albums. And his newest musical, "Memphis, soon be at the 5th Avenue Theatre, where it plays Jan. 27-Feb. 15 (5thavenue.org). Bryan co-wrote the musical with Joe DiPietro.

Tickets to the Thursday-night interview — part of the Oral History Live! series — are free for EMP|SFM members and 5th Avenue Theatre subscribers, and only $5 for the general public. It starts at 7 p.m. Jan. 8 and is in the JBL Theater at EMP|SFM.

• Some of the most accomplished Seattle high-school jazz bands — the Roosevelt Jazz Program and the Garfield Jazz Ensemble — will be performing at the Sky Church as part of Jazz in January. Roosevelt will be accompanied by renowned trumpeter Cuong Vu, with composer, producer and trumpeter Thomas Marriott playing with Garfield.

Their concert starts 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9, at the Sky Church at EMP|SFM. Tickets are $7 — EMP|SFM members, $10 — general public.

• Finally, Jazz in January continues Saturday with an onstage interview with Holland-born multi-instrumentalist Han Bennink (www.hanbennink.com). Bennink is known for his free rein drumming, which utilizes not only his body, but floors, doors and walls. He's being interviewed by Jim Wilke of Public Radio International, also for the oral history project.

The interview event starts at 3 p.m. Saturday, in the JBL Theater; free to EMP|SFM members and $5 to the general public.

Jazz in January wraps up with a concert at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, with the Cuong Vu Trio and Paul Rucker; $12-$15.

For all these events, call 206-770-2702 for more information, or check www.empsfm.org. EMP|SFM is located in Seattle Center at 325 Fifth Ave. N., in Seattle.

Marian Liu: 206-464-3825 or mliu@seattletimes.com