2014 U.S. Bank Portland Jazz Festival Presented by Alaska Airlines: February 20 - March 2, 2014

2014 U.S. Bank Portland Jazz Festival 

Presented by Alaska Airlines:

February 20 - March 2, 2014 

11th Annual Festival Celebrates The Finest in Jazz:

Blue Note @ 75 Among Highlights 

Featuring Universally Acclaimed Artists and Portland Favorites:

Ahmad Jamal, JLCO w/ Wynton Marsalis, Pat Metheny Unity Group, Oregon

Spring Quartet: Jack DeJohnette, Joe Lovano, Esperanza Spalding & Leo Genovese

Bobby Watson & Horizon, Eliane Elias, Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band

 Yellowjackets, Kenny Werner Trio, Geoff Keezer, Christian McBride Trio

Buster Williams & Something More, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Aaron Diehl,
Toshiko Akiyoshi Trio feat. Lew Tabackin, Bob Dorough & Dave Frishberg,
Darrell Grant's "The Territory" feat. Special Guest Joe Locke,
Tord Gustavsen Quartet, Grace Kelly Quartet and more

The 2014 U.S. Bank Portland Jazz Festival Presented by Alaska Airlines will be held Thursday, February 20 through Sunday, March 2 at venues throughout Portland, OR. The 11th annual celebration in the City of Roses will include a rare appearance by the 83-year-old piano icon and NEA Jazz Master Ahmad Jamal; the return of Portland's hometown favorite, Esperanza Spalding as part of a new collective; The Spring Quartet featuring Spalding's musical director Leo Genovese and enduring collaborators, Jack DeJohnette and Joe Lovano; celebrated jazz stars Wynton Marsalis fronting the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra; and Pat Metheny's long overdue festival appearance with his recalibrated Unity Group.

States Managing Director Don Lucoff, "We strive to produce a festival that reflects the fabric of a vibrant jazz community who responds positively to a highly evolved musical aesthetic from artists who range from their young 20s to upper 80s. Additionally, there is no city of a similar size in America that boasts such a wealth of talented artists as Portland, and each year we feature these celebrated artists in selected settings as headliners and special guests."

"Fans may recall that the 2009 edition here was the only U.S. festival to honor the 70th anniversary of Blue Note Records throughout the entire 10 days. For the 2014 festival we recognize a selection of artists who made an impact on the storied imprint, tagging their performances Blue Note @ 75. These performances will include: Who's on First Bob Dorough & Dave Frishberg; the long overdue reunion of Hard Bop masters Bobby Watson & Horizon featuring Victor Lewis, Terell Stafford, Edward Simon, and Portland native Essiet Essiet; Eliane Elias in a special program recasting the works of Bill Evans, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Chet Baker; Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band; and imposing leaders who certainly made their mark in the past 20 years - Jack DeJohnette, Joe Lovano, Wynton Marsalis and Kenny Werner."

This year's For Portland Only production features bass stalwart Buster Williams and Something More with two esteemed colleagues from the Herbie Hancock-Mwandishi early '70s ensemble: Julian Priester and Bennie Maupin, alongside Portlander George Colligan, and celebrated drummer, Cindy Blackman-Santana.

Members of the 43-year veteran ensemble Oregon will serve as this year's Portland Jazz Masters, which is the first time in the Festival's history that an ensemble has been honored with the title. The Yellowjackets will make their first Portland appearance in nearly 12 years along with rare visits by piano masters Kenny Werner, Geoff Keezer, Eliane Elias, Tord Gustavsen, and Toshiko Akiyoshi, while emerging young artists Aaron Diehl, Cécile McLorin Salvant and Grace Kelly will celebrate their Portland debuts. The classic jazz tradition will also be upheld and spoken for by Bobby Watson & Horizon (30th Anniversary Tour), Christian McBride Trio and the Kenny Werner Trio. Artists with connections to Portland include: Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, Dave Frishberg paired with likeminded jazz celebrity wordsmith Bob Dorough, and Darrell Grant who will lead The Territory featuring special guest Joe Locke, on a program which examines the rich cultural Oregon landscape with a heady Portland ensemble.

Education and outreach, as always, amplify the Festival's recognition of Black History Month through a series of community-wide initiatives. The outreach programming will include the Student Stage at Portland State University on March 1 and 2, "The Incredible Journey of Jazz" middle school program, Jazz Conversations, Round About Midnight Jam Sessions hosted by Ron Steen, and an extensive free performance schedule which will be announced later this Fall. Continue to check www.pdxjazz.com for up-to-date festival information and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Tickets

Portland Jazz Festival Box Office

Hours of Operation: 11:00AM - 5:00PM, Monday - Friday

Order by Phone: 503-228-5299

Walk Up: 133 SW 2nd Ave, Ste 420, Portland, OR 97204

Email: Keith Imper - kimper@pdxjazz.com

Tickets are available online at www.pdxjazz.com with complete details on our ticketing page. 

PDX Jazz Members and Citizens of Jazzlandia have the advantage of reserving the best seats first during the exclusive pre-sale period from October 11-20. To become a member, check the membership options on our website. Tickets will be on sale to the public starting on Monday, October 21 on our website starting at 9:00AM PST, or at the Festival box office starting at 11:00AM PST.

Mission Statement:

PDX Jazz, a non-profit cultural arts organization founded in 2003 in partnership with Travel Portland, produces the annual Portland Jazz Festival. The organization's mission is to inspire, educate and develop future jazz audiences for generations to come.

The Portland Jazz Festival is a multi-venue series of jazz events presented each February within Portland, Oregon. Nationally and regionally supported as a cultural tourism initiative in celebration of Black History Month, Portland Jazz Festival is dedicated to preserving America's indigenous art form by presenting internationally recognized jazz masters alongside local jazz musicians. A series of jazz education and outreach programs that extend into Portland's schools and neighborhoods is at the heart of the annual event.

PDX Jazz is dedicated to year around programming at various Portland venues including the monthly PDX Jazz @ The Mission Theater series and the popular PDX Jazz @ Jimmy Mak's performances of nationally acclaimed artists.

PDX Jazz wishes to especially thank Festival co-founder and sponsor Travel Portland, Regional Arts & Culture Council, The Miller Foundation, The Jackson Foundation, and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. 

  

For more information, please call 503-228-5299

or contact us by email here:

Franny Kane · fkane@pdxjazz.com

Don Lucoff  · dlucoff@pdxjazz.com