Billy Brandt sings and swings with a style marked by soul, grit and groove. His original music speaks to everyman themes of love, loss and possibility, reflecting a depth of influences from Ray Charles and Lou Rawls to Frank Sinatra and Mose Allison. Armed with persuasion, stage presence and his rockin‘ group The Thing & the Stuff Jazz Band, Billy charms audiences with a confection of jazz, rock, blues and soul. Placing a high value on collaboration, Billy is inspired by the wealth of talent in the Seattle arts community. For the past six years, he has produced the highly successful variety shows The Big Gig and The Big Giggle, which feature the talents of Northwest artists from a mix of disciplines. Billy and his band have performed at nightspots across Seattle, including the Triple Door, the Musicquarium, the Columbia City Theater, Tula’s, 13 Coins and Egan’s Ballard Jam House. In addition, Billy hosts a jam session the first Tuesday of each month at the Paragon Bar on Queen Anne Hill. His first CD, “The Ballad of Larry’s Neighbor,” was released in 2012 and continues to receive national airplay.