WEDNESDAY, DEC. 21, 2011 >>>

1. Olympia saxophonist icon Steve Munger lost his battle with cancer Sunday morning, Dec 11. The jazz community will host a fundraising concert for Munger's family, as well pay homage to the man whose name was in every sentence that described Olympia jazz. Scheduled to perform at 7 p.m. inside the Royal Lounge will be The Bob Nixon Tribute Band, Sour Owl, The Steve Munger Septet, Hurts Like Hell and many others. There will be a silent auction and a potluck dinner.

2. Spanaway has some similarities with Texas. For one, Spanaway likes to go big - in the drive-thru line, and when it comes to holiday light displays. In its wattage-chowing 17th year, Fantasy Lights offers oohers and ahhers a night of blinking and glowing bliss from 5:30-9 p.m. The two and a quarter mile long parade of lit-up scenery has its own peculiar sense of majesty, and it goes without saying that it's the perfect treat for a family to soak up the holiday spirit.

3. Are visions of sugar plums dancing in your head keeping you awake all night?  Then we suggest you exorcise those dancing demons by facing them head on: Go see Washington Contemporary Ballet's The Nutcracker at 7:30 p.m. Mt. Tahoma High School will be awash with creepy Drosselmeyers giving little Claras vividly painted nutcrackers that spring to life and kill kids dressed up like mice. Amazing, huh?

4. Like a little Jewish slant to your "world" music? The Klezmatics hit the Washington Center stage at 7:30 p.m. with their special mix of Arab, African, Cuban, Latin and Balkan rhythms and a little bit of jazz and punk for the folks in the back of the room. Pete Seeger said of the group, "The Klezmatics are wonderful. (The song) ‘Gonna get Through This World' is a piece of genius."

5. Jazzbones's Wednesday Sessions series continues with Phasers On Kill, True Holland and Cadillac Radio kicking it beginning at 8:30 p.m. without a cover charge in sight.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: This week's freebies

LINK: Santa Says Blog