The 2014 Portland Jazz Festival offers a bonanza of 50 shows at 15 venues over 11 days. This much music can overwhelm most fans so here are 5 different paths through the programming that focus on specific themes. Tickets and more information are available at portlandjazzfestival.org.
Solo Piano
If you prefer solo artists performing on a top flight piano in an intimate setting, check this schedule out. I confess that this is my favorite slice of the festival. Award winning Juilliard graduate Aaron Diehl will likely perform some of his ragtime interpretations. Toshiko Akiyoshi plans to honor the 40th anniversary of Duke Ellington’s passing with “Sophisticated Lady.” Dan Tepfer will play Bach’s Goldberg Variations with each movement followed by a related improvisation. Janice Scroggins will draw on her wide ranging repertoire to match her spontaneous mood. Geoffrey Keezer will share some tracks from his latest solo recording Heart of the Piano.
|
Artist |
Date, Time |
Venue |
|
Aaron Diehl |
02/22 3:00 pm |
Classic Pianos |
|
Toshiko Akiyoshi |
02/23 5:00 pm |
Classic Pianos |
|
Dan Tepfer: Goldberg Variations/Variations |
02/26 7:00 pm |
Classic Pianos |
|
Janice Scroggins |
03/01 3:00 pm |
Classic Pianos |
|
Geoffrey Keezer |
03/02 3:00 pm |
Classic Pianos |
Big Stars
If you like to hear internationally touring artists in formal auditoriums, try this on for size. This program includes piano perfectionists from around the world – Brazilian Eliane Elias, American Ahmad Jamal (a.k.a. Fritz Russell Jones), Chinese Toshiko Akiyoshi and Norwegian Tord Gustavsen. Add bristling ensembles with drummer Brian Blade, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, saxophonist Bobby Watson and guitarist Pat Metheny and there is absolutely no low point on this schedule. As of the deadline for this article, the festival was also adding public conversations with festival artists for audiences to learn more.
|
Artist |
Date, Time |
Venue |
|
Eliane Elias |
02/20 7:00 pm |
Winningstad Theatre |
|
Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band |
02/20 9:30 pm |
Winningstad Theatre |
|
Ahmad Jamal
|
02/21 7:00 pm |
Newmark Theatre |
|
Toshiko Akiyoshi Trio with Lew Tabackin |
02/22 9:30 pm |
Winningstad Theatre |
|
Tord Gustavsen Quartet |
02/25 7:30 pm |
Mission Theater |
|
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis |
02/28 7:30 pm |
Arlene Schnitzer Hall |
|
Bobby Watson & Horizon 30th Anniversary and James Carter
Organ Trio |
03/01 7:30 pm |
Newmark Theatre |
|
Pat Metheny Unity Group |
03/02 7:30 pm |
Newmark Theatre |
Listen Locally
If you want your theater listening experience to include artists with a connection to the Pacific Northwest, try this set of performances. Darrell Grant is a chart topping pianist and Portland State University professor who will perform his new Chamber Music America New Jazz Works Commission. Seattle trombonist Julian Priester joins Mwandishi band mates Buster Williams and Bennie Maupin along with PSU Assistant Professor George Colligan. Portland’s Dave Frishberg will wend his songwriting wit with Bob Dorough. Home town hero Esperanza Spalding will mix her young Grammy winning talent with leading jazz statesmen. Glen Moore and Ralph Towner reunite the band Oregon from their college days, joined by Portland double reed expert Paul McCandless, who joined the band in 1970. The Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble harvests their grassroots effort to build and sustain local talent. Portland born Andrew Oliver joins Portland resident Mark DiFlorio along with Seattle’s Chad McCullough and Brady Millard-Kish in the Kora Band. We are fortunate to have such talented artists call the Northwest home.
|
Artist |
Date, Time |
Venue |
|
Darrell Grant’s “The Territory” with Joe Locke
|
02/21 9:30 pm |
Winningstad Theatre |
|
Buster Williams “Something More” w/ opening performance by
Cécile McLorin Salvant |
02/22 7:00 pm |
Newmark Theatre |
|
Dave Frishberg & Bob Dorough: “Who’s On First” |
02/23 3:00 pm |
Winningstad Theatre |
|
Jack DeJohnette, Joe Lovano, Esperanza Spalding & Leo
Genovese |
02/23 7:30 pm |
Newmark Theatre |
|
Oregon featuring Glen Moore, Ralph Towner, Paul McCandless and
Mark Walker |
02/24 7:30 pm |
Evans Auditorium
|
|
Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble Records Showcase Presented by
Dan Duval |
02/28 8:00 pm |
Mission Theater |
|
The Kora Band |
03/01 9:30 pm |
Mission Theater |
On the Scene
If you prefer to hear music from big name artists in a club setting, follow this list. Pianos bookend this lineup, starting with Kenny Werner and closing with Helen Sung. The first time I heard Kenny Werner, he was performing with Portland saxophonist Jim Pepper. This time he brings his “effortless mastery” in trio format. Next, you won’t want to miss the Yellowjackets with their new bassist – Jaco Pastorius’ son Felix. Saxophonist Bob Mintzer takes up residence with the Yellowjackets, a student big band and then a night of performing his own work with educators. Newcomer saxophonist Grace Kelly follows and Houston pianist Helen Sung caps the festival shows.
|
Artist |
Date, Time |
Venue |
|
Kenny Werner Trio |
02/22 7:00 pm |
Jimmy Mak's |
|
Kenny Werner Trio |
02/22 9:30 pm |
Jimmy Mak's |
|
Yellowjackets |
02/24 7:00 pm |
Jimmy Mak's |
|
Yellowjackets |
02/24 9:30 pm |
Jimmy Mak's |
|
The PDX Jazz All-Star Student Big Band conducted by Bob Mintzer |
02/25 7:00 pm |
Jimmy Mak's |
|
The PDX Jazz Educators Septet with Bob Mintzer |
02/25 9:30 pm |
Jimmy Mak's |
|
Grace Kelly Quartet |
02/26 7:00 pm |
Jimmy Mak's |
|
Helen Sung Quartet |
02/27 8:00 pm |
Jimmy Mak's |
Free Bird
If you don’t want to pay for a ticket and like to move around, here’s your itinerary. By the way, this is one of the coolest ways to show your love to the Portland scene. You can hear some of the city’s best talent and at the same time demonstrate to the local businesses that the community includes an audience for live music.
|
Artist |
Date, Time |
Venue |
|
Dave Captein & Greg Goebel |
02/21 4:00 pm |
Hilton Executive Tower |
|
Gordon Lee Duo |
02/21 6:00 pm |
Hotel Monaco |
|
Reggie Houston’s Box of Chocolates |
02/21 7:00 pm |
Aloft Hotel |
|
Ezra Weiss & Shirley Nanette |
02/21 8:00 pm |
Riverplace Hotel |
|
John Stowell |
02/22 5:00 pm |
The Mark Spencer Hotel |
|
PSU Student Trio with Jon Lakey |
02/22 6:00 pm |
Hotel Monaco
|
|
Dan Balmer Trio |
02/22 7:00 pm |
Aloft Hotel |
|
Marilyn Keller with George Mitchell |
02/22 8:00 pm |
The Benson |
|
Greg Goebel Trio |
02/23 11:00 am |
Hotel Modera |
|
David Evans & Todd Strait |
02/25 5:00 pm |
Marriott Waterfront |
|
John Gross & Cameron Morgan |
02/27 5:00 pm |
Marriott Waterfront |
|
Soul Jazz with Jarrod Lawson, Chance Hayden & Reinhardt
Melz |
02/27 9:00 pm |
Hotel Modera |
|
Nicole Glover & Jonathan Lakey |
02/28 4:00 pm |
Hilton Executive Tower |
|
Ryan Meagher |
02/28 5:00 pm |
The Mark Spencer Hotel |
|
Larry Nobori & Larry Munson |
02/28 8:00 pm |
Riverplace Hotel |
|
Naomi LaViolette & Tim Ellis |
03/01 8:00 pm |
The Benson |
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