The 2013 U.S. Bank Portland Jazz Festival, presented by Alaska Airlines, will be Friday, Feb. 15 through Sunday, Feb. 24 at venues throughout Portland, Ore. The 10th anniversary celebration will include a heady mix of world and West Coast premieres and For Portland Only performances with a series of concerts featuring an imposing array of internationally recognized and local musicians playing a wide-range of jazz styles. Education and outreach, as always, amplify the festival’s recognition of Black History Month through a series of community-wide initiatives.
This year’s headliners are NEA Jazz Master Jack DeJohnette in a For Portland Only special quartet configuration featuring Ravi Coltrane, Matt Garrison and George Colligan; The Jazz Message Celebrating Art Blakey in a world premiere featuring Javon Jackson, Bobby Watson, Eddie Henderson, Curtis Fuller, George Cables, Buster Williams and Lewis Nash; The west coast premiere of ACS featuring Geri Allen, Terri Lyne Carrington and Esperanza Spalding; Afro Cuban All-Stars and Alfredo Rodríguez; Steve Kuhn Trio featuring special guest Devin Phillips;Kurt Rosenwinkel Quartet; Kenny Garrett Quartet; Patricia Barber Quartet; Sexmob Plays Fellini; Portland Jazz Master Nancy King with Steve Christofferson and Glen Moore; Barry Harris Trio; Matt Wilson’s Arts & Crafts; Gerald Wilson leading two Portland ensembles; Scott Hamilton Quartet; Art Abrams Swing Machine Big Band In Tribute to Stan Kenton featuring Rebecca Kilgore; The Blue Cranes; and more.
“This year’s vast programming of 17 ticketed shows reflects the eclecticism that is uniquely Portland,” said Don Lucoff, States Managing Director, in a news release. “In our 10th anniversary, we welcome back festival favorites Portland Jazz Master Nancy King, Esperanza Spalding, Patricia Barber, Afro Cuban All Stars, Scott Hamilton, and Rebecca Kilgore. A rare PDX appearance by NEA Jazz Master Jack DeJohnette and The Jazz Message celebration of Steel City icon Art Blakey enhance a robust roster, a drum feast for the ages, as we host the top drummers in jazz throughout the festival: Lewis Nash, Joey Baron, Terri Lyne Carrington, Justin Faulkner and Matt Wilson in the City of Roses.”
Other festival highlights include: Berlin-based Kurt Rosenwinkel playing Portland for the first time,Gerald Wilson’s first PDX appearance since 1949 when he last played lead trumpet in the Count Basie band at McElroy’s Ballroom, the PDX debut by Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodríguez, Art Abrams premiering his 20 strong aggregation in tribute to Stan Kenton, featuring Rebecca Kilgoreand a long overdue PDX appearance by 83-year-old NEA Jazz Master Barry Harris.
Community outreach programming including the Student Stage is set to take place at Portland State University on February 16 and 17, “The Incredible Journey of Jazz” school program, Jazz Conversations and more to be announced soon. For more information, go to www.pdxjazz.com, like PDX Jazz on Facebook or follow on Twitter.
