ABOUT THIS EVENT

“No harpist thus far has been more capable of combining all of the modern harp traditions — from Salzedo, through Dorothy Ashby, through Alice Coltrane — with such strength, grace and commitment.” –  The New York Times

BRANDEE YOUNGER is revolutionizing the harps’ role in modern music. Over the past fifteen years, she has worked relentlessly to stretch boundaries and limitations for harpists.  In 2022, she made history by becoming the first Black woman to be nominated for a Grammy® Award for Best Instrumental Composition. That same year, she was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award and later, the winner of the 2024 NAACP Image Award in the category of Outstanding Jazz Album for her latest album Brand New Life.  Ever-expanding as an artist, she has worked with cultural icons including Common, Lauryn Hill, John Legend, Pharoah Sanders and Christian McBride.

Her original composition “Hortense” was featured in the Netflix Concert-Documentary, Beyoncé: Homecoming and in 2019, Brandee was selected to perform her original music as a featured performer for Quincy Jones and Steve McQueens’ “Soundtrack of America”.  Brandee is often noted for standing on the shoulders of the very women who ushered in the harp as a clear and distinct voice in jazz & popular styles – particularly Detroit natives Dorothy Ashby & Alice Coltrane.  Her latest album, Brand New Life, builds on her already rich oeuvre, and cements the harp’s place in popular culture.  As the title of the album suggests, Brand New Life is about forging new paths–artistic, personal, political, and spiritual.  Younger’s music is imbued with a sense of purpose and respect of legacy, creating a larger platform for the harp to reach newer and wider audiences than ever before.  In addition to performing and recording, Brandee Younger is on the faculty at New York University, Steinhardt School and The New School College of Performing Arts. Follow: @harpista

PDX Jazz Member Presale: Tuesday, August 13 at 10AM PST
General On Sale: Friday, August 16 at 10AM PST

New Orleans-born Branford Marsalis is an award-winning saxophonist, band leader, featured classical soloist, and a film and Broadway composer. In the process, he has become a multi award-winning artist with three Grammys, a citation by the National Endowment for the Arts as a Jazz Master and an avatar of contemporary artistic excellence.

The Branford Marsalis Quartet, formed in 1986, remains his primary means of expression. In its virtually uninterrupted three-plus decades of existence, the Quartet has established a rare breadth of stylistic range as demonstrated on the band’s latest release: The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul. But Branford has not confined his music to the jazz quartet context. A frequent soloist with classical ensembles, Branford has become increasingly sought after as a featured soloist with acclaimed orchestras around the world, performing works by composers such as Copeland, Debussy, Glazunov, Ibert, Mahler, Milhaud, Rorem, Vaughan Williams and Villa-Lobos. And his legendary guest performances with the Grateful Dead and collaborations with Sting have made him a fan favorite in the pop arena.

His work on Broadway has garnered a Drama Desk Award and Tony nominations for the acclaimed revivals of Children of a Lesser God, Fences, and A Raisin in the Sun. He received an EMMY nomination for composing the music for the History Channel’s documentary, Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre. His screen credits further include original music composed for: Spike Lee’s Mo’ Better Blues, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks starring Oprah Winfrey, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom starring Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman, and Rustin starring Chadwick Boseman.

PDX Jazz Member Presale: Friday, August 23 at 10AM PST
General On Sale: Monday, August 26 at 10AM PST

Portland Jazz guitar legends combine forces to honor their hero the great Wes Montgomery. Balmer and Faehnle will be joined by organist George Mitchell and drummer Michael Raynor to perform Montgomery compositions and tunes Wes made famous from all phases of his career. Like their tribute to Grant Green the two virtuosi will pay homage to one of their greatest influences reflecting Wes' style and music while still playing in their own distinctive styles.

Dan Balmer: From coffee house gigs at fifteen to chart-topping success with the Tom Grant Band in the 90s, world tours with two-time Grammy Award winner Diane Schuur and contemporary jam-bands, Dan Balmer brings fire and heart every time he plays the guitar. His playing spans nearly one hundred CDs including twelve as a leader from which his original works have appeared internationally in television, film and radio.

An in-demand educator, Dan maintains a busy schedule of private lessons, group clinics and master classes throughout the US and abroad. He adjudicates student jazz band competitions at events such as the Monterey Next Generation Festival and Reno Jazz Festival along with being a long-term teacher at the Centrum Jazz Workshop. He is the director of jazz combos at Lewis and Clark College while also on faculty at virtually every other college in the greater Portland, Oregon area.

Dan has performed or toured with Joey DeFrancesco, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Les McCann, Javon Jackson and Karrin Allyson, Benny Golson, Jeff Hamilton, Gerald Clayton, John Clayton, Terell Stafford, Ingrid Jensen, Duduka da Fonseca, Kendrick Scott, Taylor Eigsti, Buddy De Franco, Bruce Forman and countless others.

Dan’s love of guitar and making music combined with discipline, technique and restless curiosity provide an ever-deepening experience for himself and his listeners. In every performance he finds himself in the middle of the path, amidst a continuous and compelling process of discovery.

Dan Faehnle: There is little doubt that jazz guitar has entered a new and exciting realm when Dan Faehnle takes the stage. Beginning in 2000, Faehnle stepped into the guitar chair with Diana Krall, performing on numerous world tours, television shows, radio and media events. As an integral part of the Diana Krall quartet for three years, Dan garnered accolades from such publications as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, JazzTimes and Downbeat magazines, as well as many international publications.

While based in Portland, Oregon, Dan established relationships with such legendary jazz artists as Leroy Vinnegar, Chuck Israels, Dave Frishberg and Dick Berk. His ongoing association with these musicians has led to numerous live performances and CD recordings. Faehnle has also worked with such noted musicians as Joey DeFrancesco, Eddie Harris, Clark Terry, Zoot Sims, and Jeff Hamilton. Other significant colleagues have been Mel Brown, Ron Steen, Nancy King, Dave Friesen and Rebecca Kilgore.

Faehnle's recording credits begin with his own debut release, "My Ideal", a straight ahead jazz CD which showcases Faehnle's strength of melodic content and groove. "My Ideal" also features longtime friend and pianist Larry Fuller, bassist Ed Bennett, pianist Tony Pacini, and Mel Brown on drums. Other recording credits include CDs with Leroy Vinnegar, Chuck Israels, Dave Frishberg, Rebecca Kilgore, Ben Wolfe, Dick Berk and Tom Grant. Dan also appears on the CD "Sympathique" with the popular band Pink Martini.

George Mitchell: George has been pop superstar Diana Ross’ first-call pianist for more than three decades. He continues to tour with her musical ensemble and play before audiences throughout the United States and worldwide.

Mitchell’s keyboard talents were featured in command performances for the Queen of England, and more recently at Super Concerts in T’ai-Pei and Japan with Ms. Ross and renowned opera singers Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo. In 2009, he was center stage with Ms. Ross and a 40-piece orchestra at the extravagant Symphonica in Rosso held at the Gelredome, in Arnhem, Netherlands.  He performed with Ms. Ross at the 2008 Nobel Peace Price ceremonies, in Oslo, Norway; at a command concert for Prince Charles in Hyde Park, London; the 2001 private benefit and farewell salute to Bill Clinton in Los Angeles; a 2001 private concert in Los Angeles honoring Motown founder Berry Gordy; and the 2000 VH1 Divas Live from Madison Square Garden, New York.

He has made numerous appearances as an ensemble player on top-rated television shows, including:  Oprah, The Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman, NBC’s Today Show and the Arsenio Hall Show. Since 2004, Mitchell has performed annually at the prestigious 10 Grands Concert, and is featured on its lively compilation CDs of top pianists from around the USA. When not touring, Mitchell pursues his first love—playing jazz piano, Hammond B-3 organ and keyboards.  He also is a highly sought-after studio musician and jazz piano instructor.

From an early age, the Portland, Oregon, native displayed a musical maturity and talent that landed him engagements with jazz legends such as Sonny Stitt, Philly Jo Jones, Richie Cole, Eddie Harris, Jon Hendricks and Kirk Whalum. Closer to home, he lends his musical voice to all jazz styles.  He is the keyboardist of choice for virtually every Northwest band leader, and for guest artists performing with the symphony or booked at local jazz venues and festivals. 

In 2008, Mitchell released his superb Ballads CD, a collection of popular jazz standards.  In 2003, his long-awaited second CD Play Zone, which showcases Mitchell’s unique styling, and features several of Portland’s best jazz artists, was released. Mitchell’s first recording, Perspectives, features all original songs in the classic jazz quartet.

It goes without saying…George Mitchell is not only one of the most talented and well-respected musicians around, but one of the busiest! 

Michael Raynor: Drummer Michael Raynor has been immersed in the Chicago jazz scene since moving there in 1988. After hearing tenor saxophone icon Von Freeman on the radio late one night, he found his way down to Von's weekly gig at the New Apartment Lounge on Chicago's south side and sat in with the band. Three days later Von asked him to the studio to record "Walkin' Tuff" (Southport Records), and Raynor has been his regular drummer ever since. A later recording with Von, "The Improviser" (Premonition Records), was included in Downbeat Magazine's "Best CDs of 2002."

His association with Von lead to numerous gigs with other Chicago greats including Eddie Johnson, John Young, Jodie Christian, Johnny Frigo, Bobby Broom, Charles Earland, Ryan Cohan, and Fareed Haque. Over the course of his career, he has also worked with a host of New York and Internationally based musicians such as Johnny Griffin, Freddie Hubbard, Sam Rivers, Ira Sullivan, Steve Coleman, Jon Faddis, Eric Alexander, Bob Sheppard, Rick Margitza, and Arturo Sandoval.

Raynor began working with vocalist Kurt Elling in 1996 with a weekly engagement at Chicago's Green Mill Lounge, and over the next four years the group toured extensively throughout North America, Europe, Scandinavia, and Australia. He can be heard on three of Elling's recordings for the Blue Note label, including "Live In Chicago," which features, among others, vocalese master Jon Hendricks.

In 2004, Raynor toured southeast Asia as a U.S. Jazz Ambassador with the Chicago Jazz Quartet. This program, co-sponsored by the U.S. State Department and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, included concerts, clinics, and collaborations with local musicians in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. He has also performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland, the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, Jazzfest Berlin in Germany, the Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy, the Natt Jazz Fest in Norway, both the Montreal and Toronto Jazz Festivals in Canada, and has played several times at the Chicago Jazz Festival.

Raynor enjoys sharing what he has learned on the bandstand and offers lessons on a sliding scale to reach out to a variety of students. Past students include David Bloom, founder and director of The Bloom School of Jazz, and Mike Reed, who was distinguished as "Rising Jazz Star" in last years Downbeat Magazine Critic's Poll. He has also served as adjunct faculty for Roosevelt University, directing the graduate jazz combo, and spent three years working with children in Chicago area schools through Urban Gateways.

Current projects include gigs with pianist Anthony Molinaro, and a collaboration with pianist Dennis Luxion, with whom he is working on a new recording. He continues to play with, and be inspired by, Von Freeman, and enjoys playing a more active roll in the weekly jam session, encouraging young musicians who continue to come sit in at the club where he got his start. 

PDX Jazz Member Presale: Friday, August 23 at 10AM PST
General On Sale: Monday, August 26 at 10AM PST

Portland Jazz guitar legends combine forces to honor their hero the great Wes Montgomery. Balmer and Faehnle will be joined by organist George Mitchell and drummer Michael Raynor to perform Montgomery compositions and tunes Wes made famous from all phases of his career. Like their tribute to Grant Green the two virtuosi will pay homage to one of their greatest influences reflecting Wes' style and music while still playing in their own distinctive styles.

Dan Balmer: From coffee house gigs at fifteen to chart-topping success with the Tom Grant Band in the 90s, world tours with two-time Grammy Award winner Diane Schuur and contemporary jam-bands, Dan Balmer brings fire and heart every time he plays the guitar. His playing spans nearly one hundred CDs including twelve as a leader from which his original works have appeared internationally in television, film and radio.

An in-demand educator, Dan maintains a busy schedule of private lessons, group clinics and master classes throughout the US and abroad. He adjudicates student jazz band competitions at events such as the Monterey Next Generation Festival and Reno Jazz Festival along with being a long-term teacher at the Centrum Jazz Workshop. He is the director of jazz combos at Lewis and Clark College while also on faculty at virtually every other college in the greater Portland, Oregon area.

Dan has performed or toured with Joey DeFrancesco, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Les McCann, Javon Jackson and Karrin Allyson, Benny Golson, Jeff Hamilton, Gerald Clayton, John Clayton, Terell Stafford, Ingrid Jensen, Duduka da Fonseca, Kendrick Scott, Taylor Eigsti, Buddy De Franco, Bruce Forman and countless others.

Dan’s love of guitar and making music combined with discipline, technique and restless curiosity provide an ever-deepening experience for himself and his listeners. In every performance he finds himself in the middle of the path, amidst a continuous and compelling process of discovery.

Dan Faehnle: There is little doubt that jazz guitar has entered a new and exciting realm when Dan Faehnle takes the stage. Beginning in 2000, Faehnle stepped into the guitar chair with Diana Krall, performing on numerous world tours, television shows, radio and media events. As an integral part of the Diana Krall quartet for three years, Dan garnered accolades from such publications as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, JazzTimes and Downbeat magazines, as well as many international publications.

While based in Portland, Oregon, Dan established relationships with such legendary jazz artists as Leroy Vinnegar, Chuck Israels, Dave Frishberg and Dick Berk. His ongoing association with these musicians has led to numerous live performances and CD recordings. Faehnle has also worked with such noted musicians as Joey DeFrancesco, Eddie Harris, Clark Terry, Zoot Sims, and Jeff Hamilton. Other significant colleagues have been Mel Brown, Ron Steen, Nancy King, Dave Friesen and Rebecca Kilgore.

Faehnle's recording credits begin with his own debut release, "My Ideal", a straight ahead jazz CD which showcases Faehnle's strength of melodic content and groove. "My Ideal" also features longtime friend and pianist Larry Fuller, bassist Ed Bennett, pianist Tony Pacini, and Mel Brown on drums. Other recording credits include CDs with Leroy Vinnegar, Chuck Israels, Dave Frishberg, Rebecca Kilgore, Ben Wolfe, Dick Berk and Tom Grant. Dan also appears on the CD "Sympathique" with the popular band Pink Martini.

George Mitchell: George has been pop superstar Diana Ross’ first-call pianist for more than three decades. He continues to tour with her musical ensemble and play before audiences throughout the United States and worldwide.

Mitchell’s keyboard talents were featured in command performances for the Queen of England, and more recently at Super Concerts in T’ai-Pei and Japan with Ms. Ross and renowned opera singers Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo. In 2009, he was center stage with Ms. Ross and a 40-piece orchestra at the extravagant Symphonica in Rosso held at the Gelredome, in Arnhem, Netherlands.  He performed with Ms. Ross at the 2008 Nobel Peace Price ceremonies, in Oslo, Norway; at a command concert for Prince Charles in Hyde Park, London; the 2001 private benefit and farewell salute to Bill Clinton in Los Angeles; a 2001 private concert in Los Angeles honoring Motown founder Berry Gordy; and the 2000 VH1 Divas Live from Madison Square Garden, New York.

He has made numerous appearances as an ensemble player on top-rated television shows, including:  Oprah, The Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman, NBC’s Today Show and the Arsenio Hall Show. Since 2004, Mitchell has performed annually at the prestigious 10 Grands Concert, and is featured on its lively compilation CDs of top pianists from around the USA. When not touring, Mitchell pursues his first love—playing jazz piano, Hammond B-3 organ and keyboards.  He also is a highly sought-after studio musician and jazz piano instructor.

From an early age, the Portland, Oregon, native displayed a musical maturity and talent that landed him engagements with jazz legends such as Sonny Stitt, Philly Jo Jones, Richie Cole, Eddie Harris, Jon Hendricks and Kirk Whalum. Closer to home, he lends his musical voice to all jazz styles.  He is the keyboardist of choice for virtually every Northwest band leader, and for guest artists performing with the symphony or booked at local jazz venues and festivals. 

In 2008, Mitchell released his superb Ballads CD, a collection of popular jazz standards.  In 2003, his long-awaited second CD Play Zone, which showcases Mitchell’s unique styling, and features several of Portland’s best jazz artists, was released. Mitchell’s first recording, Perspectives, features all original songs in the classic jazz quartet.

It goes without saying…George Mitchell is not only one of the most talented and well-respected musicians around, but one of the busiest! 

Michael Raynor: Drummer Michael Raynor has been immersed in the Chicago jazz scene since moving there in 1988. After hearing tenor saxophone icon Von Freeman on the radio late one night, he found his way down to Von's weekly gig at the New Apartment Lounge on Chicago's south side and sat in with the band. Three days later Von asked him to the studio to record "Walkin' Tuff" (Southport Records), and Raynor has been his regular drummer ever since. A later recording with Von, "The Improviser" (Premonition Records), was included in Downbeat Magazine's "Best CDs of 2002."

His association with Von lead to numerous gigs with other Chicago greats including Eddie Johnson, John Young, Jodie Christian, Johnny Frigo, Bobby Broom, Charles Earland, Ryan Cohan, and Fareed Haque. Over the course of his career, he has also worked with a host of New York and Internationally based musicians such as Johnny Griffin, Freddie Hubbard, Sam Rivers, Ira Sullivan, Steve Coleman, Jon Faddis, Eric Alexander, Bob Sheppard, Rick Margitza, and Arturo Sandoval.

Raynor began working with vocalist Kurt Elling in 1996 with a weekly engagement at Chicago's Green Mill Lounge, and over the next four years the group toured extensively throughout North America, Europe, Scandinavia, and Australia. He can be heard on three of Elling's recordings for the Blue Note label, including "Live In Chicago," which features, among others, vocalese master Jon Hendricks.

In 2004, Raynor toured southeast Asia as a U.S. Jazz Ambassador with the Chicago Jazz Quartet. This program, co-sponsored by the U.S. State Department and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, included concerts, clinics, and collaborations with local musicians in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. He has also performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland, the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, Jazzfest Berlin in Germany, the Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy, the Natt Jazz Fest in Norway, both the Montreal and Toronto Jazz Festivals in Canada, and has played several times at the Chicago Jazz Festival.

Raynor enjoys sharing what he has learned on the bandstand and offers lessons on a sliding scale to reach out to a variety of students. Past students include David Bloom, founder and director of The Bloom School of Jazz, and Mike Reed, who was distinguished as "Rising Jazz Star" in last years Downbeat Magazine Critic's Poll. He has also served as adjunct faculty for Roosevelt University, directing the graduate jazz combo, and spent three years working with children in Chicago area schools through Urban Gateways.

Current projects include gigs with pianist Anthony Molinaro, and a collaboration with pianist Dennis Luxion, with whom he is working on a new recording. He continues to play with, and be inspired by, Von Freeman, and enjoys playing a more active roll in the weekly jam session, encouraging young musicians who continue to come sit in at the club where he got his start. 

PDX Jazz Member Presale: Tuesday, August 13 at 10AM PST
General On Sale: Friday, August 16 at 10AM PST

Born in Mexico City and currently based out of New York City, Magos Herrera is a dazzling jazz singer-songwriter, producer, and educator declared as "One of the greatest contemporary interpreters of song” by The Latin Jazz Network. With a sultry voice and an unparalleled presence in the contemporary Latin American jazz scene, she is best known for her eloquent vocal improvisation and her singular bold style, which embraces elements of contemporary jazz with Ibero-American melodies and rhythms  in a style that elegantly blends and surpasses language boundaries.

“She gets way under the skin of the song, recalling great communicators like Edith Piaf or Billie Holiday” is how NPR describes Herrera’s talents who has recorded 9 albums including joint collaborations with producer Javier Limón in addition to having participated as a guest artist of several recordings and albums. An accomplished artist, Magos has performed in leading international cultural venues such as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in NYC, Kennedy Center in DC, Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City,  Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid, Union Chapel in London, Palau de la Musica in Valencia, and has been part of the line-up of some of the most memorable jazz festivals including Montreux Jazz Festival and Montreal Jazz Festival, to mention a few. Featured as one of the most creative Mexicans in the world by Forbes Magazine, throughout her career, Magos has garnered important awards and recognitions, including a Grammy short-list nomination in the Best Jazz Vocal Album category for her album Distancia (2009), and received the Berklee College of Music’s Master of Latin Music Award.

In 2018 Magos released her album Dreamers (Sony Music) in collaboration Brooklyn Rider. ”Dreamers is not only a work of art, setting musicians of the highest order to accomplished music with purpose, but it is a work of love as well” wrote Sounds and colors on this highly acclaimed album that rapidly got into the Top lists of The New York Times, Billboard classical, NPR Music,  among others and was nominated for the Grammys for Best arrangement with the song “Niña”.

Created and recorded remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic and in collaboration with composer Paola Prestini, in December 2020 Herrera released her tenth album “Con Alma” (National Sawdust Tracks) exploring the question of how we can find communion a in a time of isolation. With more that 30 musicians around the globe  this artifact of our time was presented as a virtual digital experience. In March 2023 Con Alma concert was presented as part of the UN Women 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women at the UN Headquarters to celebrate the power of creative activism, innovation, solidarity and resilience, as well as the leadership of women while humanity faced the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In May 2023 Magos Herrera released her eleventh album Aire (Sunnyside records) a celebration of our humanity and the healing power of music featuring The Knights orchestra, her trio with Vinicius Gomes, Sam Minaie, Alex Kautz and guests Ingrid Jensen and Dori Caymmi with Magos original music and jewels from the Great Latin American Songbook with arrangements by Gonzalo Grau, Diego Schissi and Jaques Morelenbaum.

PDX Jazz Member Presale: Tuesday, August 13 at 10AM PST
General On Sale: Friday, August 16 at 10AM PST

Richard Bona bass
Jesus Pupo piano
Ludwig Alfonso drums

Richard Bona is a Grammy-winning musician, one of the most accomplished international bass players, composers and multi-instrumentalists. With his unique sound and vocal gift he is continuously representing his African origins. Bona’s music addresses the continent’s traditions, culture, beauty and issues. His purpose, and the way he connects with his audience has turned him into a staple name in world, jazz and Afropop music.

He is currently producing and recording for Latin and Brazilian artists in the realm of pop, Brazilian songbook, Flamenco and Caribbean music. 

Richard Bona has toured, composed, recorded, and created musical forms of art with the greatest: Herbie Hancock, Harry Belafonte, Steps Ahead, Quincy Jones, Chick Corea, Buena Vista Social Club, Cesária Évora, Sting, Mike Stern, Pat Metheny, Stevie Wonder, Bobby McFerrin, Chucho Valdés, George Benson, Oumou Sangaré and many more. Along the diverse notable collaborations Richard has also taught Jazz Improvisation at NYU and is constantly teaching and mentoring young talents throughout the world. He’s also a TED speaker and ambassador for various non-profit projects.

He is highly involved in developing better music business practices and ethics. His Signature Series collaboration with Italian-based MARKBASS has positioned him as one of the most creative and best-selling bass amp and bass guitar tailor-made manufacturers in the world.

Constantly touring around the world and exploring new musical directions, Richard continues to redefine his sound, while still performing live. He’s currently working on new Afrobeats, Afropop, Latin and Flamenco projects throughout Europe, the US and Latin America.

Doors: 6:00 PM
Show: 7:00 PM

The hottest new musical sensation on TikTok right now is undoubtedly Stella Katherine Cole. As if grabbing the attention of Michael Buble', James Taylor, and Meghan Trainor on social media wasn't enough, she's racked up over 5 million likes with her infectious covers of Sara Vaughn, Julie Andrews, Ella Fitzgerald, and other classic favorites that she brings to a new audience of eager listeners. She's also fresh off of a successful national tour with the Postmodern Jukebox that spawned an infectious cover of Flowers by Miley Cyrus.

Stella is part of this younger generation herself, having just graduated in 2021 from Northwestern University with a double major in theatre and international relations, a German minor and a musical theatre certificate. She graduated half a year early to start developing a pop fusion project with GRAMMY Award winning Producer Dave O'Donnell (James Taylor, Katy Perry, Ray Charles). The resulting EP was met with great reviews from indie music publications, and the music video has been awarded in over international film festivals.

Stepping into the spotlight of New York's jazz scene might be daunting to some, but Stella has proven that she is ready to stake her claim in the ever-changing, live music landscape and follow in the footsteps of inspirational artists that have come before her.

Doors: 7:00 pm
Stella Cole: 8:00 pm

Join us for “Bubbles and Bivalves at Argyle Winery featuring Stella Cole”

Each ticket includes admission to the event, one complimentary glass of award-winning Argyle Brut, and a complimentary flight of a half-dozen local, farm-fresh oysters. 

A full selection of Argyle Wines and additional oysters will be available for purchase. Stella Cole, the hottest new sensation on TikTok will entertain event guests with a live performance. This is an exclusive and intimate event, and Stella’s only appearance in Oregon, following her Sold-Out 2024 Portland Jazz Festival show. 

Stella Cole
To watch Stella Cole perform is to be transported back in time. One is immediately struck by her rich tone and extraordinary vocal control. However, what is particularly rare is her ability to interpret songs from the Great American Songbook that were initially intended for actors in character in a direct, personally vulnerable way that connects to something within herself, placing her in the lineage of the greatest interpreters of the repertoire.

Argyle Winery + PDX Jazz – Celebrating 10 Years of Partnership!
Argyle Winery was founded by Rollin Soles in 1987 with the purpose of growing and making World Class Sparkling Wine in the ‘true-cool’ climate of Oregon’s Willamette Valley. In the wine industry’s two most influential publications, the Wine Spectator and the Wine Advocate, Argyle has produced the world’s highest rated Sparkling Wines outside of Champagne.

Votum Restaurant-Hood River
Owners Chef Sarah Doyle and Nathan Ricks both have an impressive and extensive background in fine dining, originally meeting at Manresa Restaurant, a three Michelin Star establishment. Votum Restaurant offers a seafood forward cuisine, featuring the best of local fish and shellfish, accompanied by the bounteous produce of the surrounding small farms.

Baywater Shellfish Co. – Fresh. Beautiful. Bivalves.
At Baywater Shellfish, we are proud to bring you the very best of the Pacific Northwest's oceanic bounty. Our family-run shellfish farms are nestled in the idyllic setting of Thorndyke Bay and the northern Hood Canal, where the pristine ocean quality, revitalizing tides, and plankton-rich waters come together to imbue our products with a unique and unparalleled flavor. We are dedicated to cultivating our shellfish using simple, sustainable, and environmentally sensitive methods, ensuring that every harvest is not only delicious but also respectful of the fragile ecosystem that surrounds us.

All seating is general admission shared table seating inside the tasting room and outside on the patio, arrive early to choose your seating preference.

21 & over.
Tickets non-refundable. 

Join us for the annual Jazz in the Schools student art exhibit at the Portland Art Museum, open to the public from 10:30am – 6:00pm! Student artwork from the 2023-2024 school year will be on display in the Portland Art Museum, Fred and Suzanne Fields Sunken Ballroom, which is in the Museum's Mark Building. Complimentary hors d'oeuvres, Argyle wine, and coffee will be served from 5:00pm – 6:00pm with music by Overbridge Jazz Quartet.

This FREE exhibit is a chance to see student artwork from our Jazz in the Schools program - where students create their own pieces of album art in response to jazz. 

We invite you to come and choose your favorite Elementary, Middle, and High School pieces of art. The pieces in each category with the most votes will become the student art posters for the 2024-2025 school year! This event is free for everyone - teachers, students, parents, and community members.

Learn more about Jazz in the Schools and view our digital gallery here.

Providence Health Plan presents 2024 Juneteenth Oregon Celebration! Parade starts from King Park south on MLK turns west on Knott ends at Lillis-Albina Park.

PDX Jazz Member Presale: Tuesday, April 16 at 10AM PST
General On Sale: Friday, April 19 at 10AM PST

Bill Frisell’s career as a guitarist and composer has spanned more than 40 years and many celebrated recordings, whose catalog has been cited by Downbeat as "the best recorded output of the decade."

In recent years, Frisell has forged a distinctive and fruitful collaboration with the Blue Note label, releasing HARMONY, Valentine and FOUR to great acclaim.

"Frisell has had a lot of practice putting high concept into a humble package. Long hailed as one of the most distinctive and original improvising guitarists of our time, he has also earned a reputation for teasing out thematic connections with his music... There’s a reason that Jazz at Lincoln Center had him program a series called Roots of Americana."  - New York Times

Recognized as one of America’s 21 most vital and productive performing artists, Frisell was named an inaugural Doris Duke Artist in 2012.  He is also a recipient of grants from United States Artists, Meet the Composer among others.  In 2016, he was a beneficiary of the first FreshGrass Composition commission to preserve and support innovative grassroots music.  Upon San Francisco Jazz opening their doors in 2013, he served as one of their Resident Artistic Directors.  Bill is the subject of a documentary film by director Emma Franz, entitled Bill Frisell: A Portrait, which examines his creative process in depth, as well as an extensive biography by Philip Watson, Beautiful Dreamer: The Guitarist Who Changed The Sound of American Music.

PDX Jazz Member Presale: Wednesday, March 20 at 10AM PST
General On Sale: Friday, March 22 at 10AM PST

Multifaceted American jazz pianist and composer Emmet Cohen has emerged as one of his generation's pivotal figures in music and the related arts. A recognized prodigy, Cohen began Suzuki method piano instruction at age three, and his playing quickly became a mature melding of musicality, technique, and concept. Downbeat observed that his "nimble touch, measured stride and warm harmonic vocabulary indicate he's above any convoluted technical showmanship." In the same spirit, Cohen himself has noted that playing jazz is "about communicating the deepest levels of humanity and individuality; it's essentially about connections," both among musicians and with audiences. He leads his namesake ensemble, the "Emmet Cohen Trio," is a vibrant solo performer, and is in constant demand as a sideman. Possessing a fluid technique, an innovative tonal palette, and an extensive repertoire, Cohen plays with the command of a seasoned veteran and the passion of an artist fully devoted to his medium.

Emmet Cohen is committed to the intergenerational transfer of artistic knowledge, history, and traditions. His signature professional undertaking is the "Masters Legacy Series," a celebratory set of recordings and interviews honoring legendary jazz musicians. He serves as both producer and pianist for each album in the series. The goal of this landmark, ongoing project is to provide musicians of multiple generations a forum to transfer the unwritten folklore that is America's unique musical idiom.  Cohen has observed that playing jazz "is enriched immeasurably by connecting and studying with jazz masters, forging backward to the very creation of the art form." Volume one of the "Masters Legacy Series" features drummer Jimmy Cobb, and volume two spotlights bassist Ron Carter. Future "Masters Legacy Series" releases will include Cohen's recordings with Benny Golson, Tootie Heath, and George Coleman.

Emmet Cohen's exacting keyboard artistry has garnered numerous accolades from the international jazz community. He placed first in both the American Jazz Pianists competition (2014) and the Phillips Piano Competition at the University of West Florida (2011). He was a finalist in the prestigious American Pianists Association's Cole Porter Fellowship (2015, 2011) and the Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition (2011). Cohen has appeared in world-renowned jazz events, including the Newport, Monterey, North Sea, Bern, Edinburgh, Detroit, and Jerusalem jazz festivals, as well as the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia. He has also performed at the Village Vanguard, the Blue Note, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Birdland, Jazz Standard, London's Ronnie Scott's, Jazzhaus Montmartre in Copenhagen, Lincoln Center's Rose Hall, the Cotton Club in Tokyo, and the Kennedy Center, and was received in the Oval Office by President Obama. He is currently Hammond B-3 organist-in-residence at Harlem's SMOKE jazz club.

Besides leading the "Emmet Cohen Trio," Cohen has appeared regularly with Ron Carter, Benny Golson, Jimmy Cobb, George Coleman, Jimmy Heath, Tootie Heath, Houston Person, Kurt Elling, Billy Hart, and Brian Lynch, among others. Cohen is also a member of Christian McBride's trio "Tip City," the "Herlin Riley Quartet," and the "Ali Jackson Trio," and serves as pianist and music director for jazz vocalist and television personality Lea DeLaria. His recordings include "Masters Legacy Series featuring Ron Carter" (2018); "Masters Legacy Series featuring Jimmy Cobb" (2017); "New Directions" (2016) with Herlin Riley; "Questioned Answer" (2014), co-produced with Brian Lynch; "Infinity" (2013), featuring his Italian Trio; and his acclaimed debut CD "In the Element" (2011), with bassist Joe Sanders and drummer Rodney Green.

Buster Williams has played, recorded and collaborated with jazz giants such as Art Blakey, Betty Carter, Carmen McRae, Chet Baker, Chick Corea, Dexter Gordon, Jimmy Heath, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt, Herbie Hancock, Larry Coryell, Lee Konitz, McCoy Tyner, Nancy Wilson, Elvin Jones, Miles Davis, The Jazz Crusaders, Sarah Vaughan, Benny Golson, Hank Jones, Lee Morgan, Bobby Hutcherson, Sonny Rollins, Count Basie, and Freddie Hubbard to name a few.

Lenny White is still best-known for being part of Chick Corea's Return To Forever in the 1970's. He largely started his career on top, playing regularly with Jackie McLean (1968) and recording "Bitches Brew" with Miles Davis in 1969. White was soon working with some of the who's who of jazz including Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Woody Shaw, Gato Barbieri, Gil Evans, Stanley Clarke and Stan Getz among others.

Pianist Noah Haidu has arrived as an important new voice in jazz who combines modernism, soul, and swing into his own unique approach. Recently the national media has focused on Noah as a force to be reckoned with: The Wall Street Journal singled out Haidu for a major write-up stating that “by now he has his own unique approach…sounding buoyant and and free like a pent up spirit released.”

Buster Williams has played, recorded and collaborated with jazz giants such as Art Blakey, Betty Carter, Carmen McRae, Chet Baker, Chick Corea, Dexter Gordon, Jimmy Heath, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt, Herbie Hancock, Larry Coryell, Lee Konitz, McCoy Tyner, Nancy Wilson, Elvin Jones, Miles Davis, The Jazz Crusaders, Sarah Vaughan, Benny Golson, Hank Jones, Lee Morgan, Bobby Hutcherson, Sonny Rollins, Count Basie, and Freddie Hubbard to name a few.

Lenny White is still best-known for being part of Chick Corea's Return To Forever in the 1970's. He largely started his career on top, playing regularly with Jackie McLean (1968) and recording "Bitches Brew" with Miles Davis in 1969. White was soon working with some of the who's who of jazz including Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Woody Shaw, Gato Barbieri, Gil Evans, Stanley Clarke and Stan Getz among others.

Pianist Noah Haidu has arrived as an important new voice in jazz who combines modernism, soul, and swing into his own unique approach. Recently the national media has focused on Noah as a force to be reckoned with: The Wall Street Journal singled out Haidu for a major write-up stating that “by now he has his own unique approach…sounding buoyant and and free like a pent up spirit released.”

Members Discount of $5 per ticket available on Advance Purchase Tickets Only.
Discount not valid on the Day of Show.

In 16 albums, Ibrahim Maalouf has gone from being the winner of the world's greatest international classical trumpet competitions to the most popular jazz artist on the French music scene. Filling the Volkswagen Arena in Istanbul, the Lincoln Jazz Center in New York, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., in 2016 he became the first jazz musician in history to sell out France's largest concert hall, the Accor Arena in Paris Bercy.

Spotted by living legend Quincy Jones and described as a "Virtuoso" by the New York Times, Ibrahim has collaborated in recent years with Wynton Marsalis, Angelique Kidjo, Melody Gardot, the Chronos Quartet, Trilok Gurtu, Josh Groban, Marcus Miller, Salif Keita, and many others.

In 2021 he appeared on Stephen Colbert's Late Show with Jon Batiste, who introduced him as a living jazz legend.

After participating alongside Sting in the reopening of the Bataclan in Paris, then paying tribute at his funeral to Tignous, one of the cartoonists of Charlie Hebdo murdered, then honoring the memory of the victims of the attacks of autumn 2015 during a national tribute by composing an anthem sung by the young Louane, the musician and composer of film music, multi-awarded (Victories of Music, Caesars, Lumières, ...) has become in a few years an essential artist and a symbol of intercultural dialogue to the point of being chosen to interpret the national anthem in front of 6 million viewers on July 14, 2021 at the foot of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Never where one expects him to be, with his 17th album "Capacity To Love", Ibrahim Maalouf intends to leave his mark on the world with a popular, original, surprising and innovative music.

In 2022, he became the first Lebanese instrumentalist nominated for a Grammy Award for his album Queen of Sheba in collaboration with Angelique Kidjo.

featuring Vicente Archer & Bill Stewart

Aside from being one of the principal innovators of modern jazz guitar, John Scofield is a creative artist of an even rarer sort: a stylistic chameleon who has forged a consistent, rock-solid aesthetic identity. A triple Grammy award winning artist with more than 40 recordings to his credit, Scofield has expressed himself in the vernacular of bebop, blues, jazz-funk, organ jazz, acoustic chamber jazz, electronically tinged groove music, jam band style and orchestral ensembles with ease and enthusiasm. Now he adds yet another credit to his resume: solo guitarist.
 
“My main focus in guitar playing has always centered around being part of a group; exploring the music that happens when musicians listen to each other and improvise together. Quite frankly, until now, I’ve avoided playing solo concerts and before starting this endeavor had done only one solo performance in public since I was a child. I still have occasional nightmares about playing Greensleeves for my sixth grade class!  It gets pretty lonely up there by yourself and I hadn't considered solo guitar as the perfect platform for improvising. Not to mention that I’m no Segovia either! All that said, after playing guitar for 56 years, I’m finally interested in going it alone and exploring the possibilities. It's taken me decades to realize that I’ve been playing unaccompanied guitar at home or in hotel rooms every day since 1962! I’ve put a lot of thought in lately to how I can present an evening of solo guitar that represents my passions and sensibilities. My idea is to keep it song based, playing jazz, country and rock tunes that I love as well as some of my original compositions. I plan to employ my Looper pedal occasionally when I want to play over myself. I've been preparing for nearly a year, working my brain in new directions while looking forward to these shows with excitement and a small bit of trepidation. I hope you enjoy being on this journey with me.” - JS

featuring Vicente Archer & Bill Stewart

Aside from being one of the principal innovators of modern jazz guitar, John Scofield is a creative artist of an even rarer sort: a stylistic chameleon who has forged a consistent, rock-solid aesthetic identity. A triple Grammy award winning artist with more than 40 recordings to his credit, Scofield has expressed himself in the vernacular of bebop, blues, jazz-funk, organ jazz, acoustic chamber jazz, electronically tinged groove music, jam band style and orchestral ensembles with ease and enthusiasm. Now he adds yet another credit to his resume: solo guitarist.
 
“My main focus in guitar playing has always centered around being part of a group; exploring the music that happens when musicians listen to each other and improvise together. Quite frankly, until now, I’ve avoided playing solo concerts and before starting this endeavor had done only one solo performance in public since I was a child. I still have occasional nightmares about playing Greensleeves for my sixth grade class!  It gets pretty lonely up there by yourself and I hadn't considered solo guitar as the perfect platform for improvising. Not to mention that I’m no Segovia either! All that said, after playing guitar for 56 years, I’m finally interested in going it alone and exploring the possibilities. It's taken me decades to realize that I’ve been playing unaccompanied guitar at home or in hotel rooms every day since 1962! I’ve put a lot of thought in lately to how I can present an evening of solo guitar that represents my passions and sensibilities. My idea is to keep it song based, playing jazz, country and rock tunes that I love as well as some of my original compositions. I plan to employ my Looper pedal occasionally when I want to play over myself. I've been preparing for nearly a year, working my brain in new directions while looking forward to these shows with excitement and a small bit of trepidation. I hope you enjoy being on this journey with me.” - JS

featuring Vicente Archer & Bill Stewart

Aside from being one of the principal innovators of modern jazz guitar, John Scofield is a creative artist of an even rarer sort: a stylistic chameleon who has forged a consistent, rock-solid aesthetic identity. A triple Grammy award winning artist with more than 40 recordings to his credit, Scofield has expressed himself in the vernacular of bebop, blues, jazz-funk, organ jazz, acoustic chamber jazz, electronically tinged groove music, jam band style and orchestral ensembles with ease and enthusiasm. Now he adds yet another credit to his resume: solo guitarist.
 
“My main focus in guitar playing has always centered around being part of a group; exploring the music that happens when musicians listen to each other and improvise together. Quite frankly, until now, I’ve avoided playing solo concerts and before starting this endeavor had done only one solo performance in public since I was a child. I still have occasional nightmares about playing Greensleeves for my sixth grade class!  It gets pretty lonely up there by yourself and I hadn't considered solo guitar as the perfect platform for improvising. Not to mention that I’m no Segovia either! All that said, after playing guitar for 56 years, I’m finally interested in going it alone and exploring the possibilities. It's taken me decades to realize that I’ve been playing unaccompanied guitar at home or in hotel rooms every day since 1962! I’ve put a lot of thought in lately to how I can present an evening of solo guitar that represents my passions and sensibilities. My idea is to keep it song based, playing jazz, country and rock tunes that I love as well as some of my original compositions. I plan to employ my Looper pedal occasionally when I want to play over myself. I've been preparing for nearly a year, working my brain in new directions while looking forward to these shows with excitement and a small bit of trepidation. I hope you enjoy being on this journey with me.” - JS

PDX Jazz Member Presale: Wednesday, March 20 at 10AM PST
General On Sale: Friday, March 22 at 10AM PST

Cyrille Aimée grew up in a multilingual household full of music where dancing was an everyday activity, soundtracked by the Afro-Caribbean sounds of her mother’s native Dominican Republic. The family home was in Samois-sur-Seine, the location of the Django Reinhardt Festival, and the teenage Cyrille would climb out of her bedroom window at night to mingle with the players, igniting a passion for jazz.

Moving to New York City, her talents quickly gained her a reputation among her peers as a matchless interpreter of song. She performed and recorded with Roy Hargrove and stole the show in front of the notoriously hard-to-please crowd at the Harlem Apollo. Steven Sondheim invited her to star in a tribute at New York’s City Centre, backed by Wynton Marsalis. Her 2019 album Move On featured versions of Sondheim’s songs which received praise from Sondheim himself, and her version of "Marry Me a Little", was nominated for a 2019 Grammy Award.

At the height of her New York success, new horizons beckoned. Visiting New Orleans, she fell in love with the energy and diversity of the city and made it her home. Linking back to New York to connect up all the dots, she teamed up with producer/multi-instrumentalist Jake Sherman, and together they have created her latest album, A Fleur de Peau. to be released on a new label, the London-based imprint Whirlwind Recordings.

Combining the depth and sophistication of jazz, the immediacy of pop, the irrepressible dance rhythms of the Caribbean, it’s more intimate and more accessible than anything Cyrille has done before.

Hailed as one of the most vital standard-bearers of modern African music, singer, songwriter, and guitarist Fatoumata Diawara is taking her artistry to fresh and thrilling heights. Boldly experimental yet respectful of her Malian roots, Fatoumata’s music defines her as the voice of young African womanhood – proud of her heritage but with a vision that looks confidently to the future. Her live performances “scream with energy” (NPR), her stage presence both “hypnotic” and “captivating” (Rolling Stone).

With her new album London Ko, Fatoumata Diawara continues to reinvent traditional African music, after taking us back to her Mandinka roots. Her last album, Fenfo, saw her really begin to invent her own style, it earned her nominations at the Grammy Awards and Victoires de la Musique in 2019. Still rewriting the rules, Fatou plunges us back into her eclectic, avant-garde universe. With the different colours she brings to her music (afrobeat, jazz, pop, electro and even hip hop), it is impossible to put London Ko into any one box. “I put all my love, my soul and my body into the creative process for this album.” Sharper than ever with her words, she strikes a perfect balance between synthetic sounds and traditional Malian rhythms. A central figure in the English music world and a real connoisseur of African music, Damon Albarn co-produced the album, and features on no fewer than six tracks.

As a singer, actress, songwriter, and activist, Fatoumata has shared her message and experience with audiences all over the world. With performances at Glastonbury and other major festivals, Fatoumata has also worked with some of the biggest names in contemporary music. She recorded with Bobby Womack and Herbie Hancock; assembled a West African super-group featuring Amadou & Mariam, Oumou Sangaré, and Toumani Diabaté to record a song calling for peace in her troubled homeland; climbed aboard Damon Albarn’s star-studded Africa Express, which culminated in her sharing a stage with Sir Paul McCartney; toured and collaborated with Gorillaz on the track “Désolé” from their 2020 album; and performed with countless other esteemed musicians such as Omara Portuondo, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Habib Koité, Roberto Fonseca, and Rokia Traoré. In fact, it was fellow Malian songstress Rokia Traoré who encouraged Fatoumata to pick up a guitar, a suggestion that opened the door to her career in music.

Arguably, the U.S.’ most popular avant-garde performance artist, the two-time GRAMMY award winner Anderson has created ground-breaking works that span art, theatre, experimental music, and technology. Her recording career, launched by Big Science in 1981, includes the soundtrack to her feature film Home of the Brave, and her 2001 album Life on a String. Anderson’s live shows range from simple spoken word to elaborate multi-media stage performances. In 2002, Anderson was appointed the first artist-in-residence of NASA, culminating in her 2004 touring solo performance The End of the Moon. In 2010, a retrospective of her visuals and installation work opened in São Paulo, Brazil. Her largest exhibition to date has been shows at The Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum of Modern Art in 2022.

‘X = X’ features the enduring avant-gardist Anderson  --backed by the New York underground jazz combo Sexmob-- in a set of revisited vintage and recent songs with a grooving spirit.

The New York Times called her recent Brooklyn Academy of Music performance a “thrilling multimedia show.”  As for the music, the Times says ‘X = X’ is not “a historical recreation of past recordings; Sexmob’s sound is a beefier one than on Anderson’s albums” with Sexmob contributing inventive arrangements that never over-power the show’s impish 76-year old frontwoman.

Sexmob is Steven Bernstein, Briggan Krauss, Tony Scherr, Kenny Wollesen, and Doug Wieselman.

Arguably, the U.S.’ most popular avant-garde performance artist, the two-time GRAMMY award winner Anderson has created ground-breaking works that span art, theatre, experimental music, and technology. Her recording career, launched by Big Science in 1981, includes the soundtrack to her feature film Home of the Brave, and her 2001 album Life on a String. Anderson’s live shows range from simple spoken word to elaborate multi-media stage performances. In 2002, Anderson was appointed the first artist-in-residence of NASA, culminating in her 2004 touring solo performance The End of the Moon. In 2010, a retrospective of her visuals and installation work opened in São Paulo, Brazil. Her largest exhibition to date has been shows at The Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum of Modern Art in 2022.

‘X = X’ features the enduring avant-gardist Anderson  --backed by the New York underground jazz combo Sexmob-- in a set of revisited vintage and recent songs with a grooving spirit.

The New York Times called her recent Brooklyn Academy of Music performance a “thrilling multimedia show.”  As for the music, the Times says ‘X = X’ is not “a historical recreation of past recordings; Sexmob’s sound is a beefier one than on Anderson’s albums” with Sexmob contributing inventive arrangements that never over-power the show’s impish 76-year old frontwoman.

Sexmob is Steven Bernstein, Briggan Krauss, Tony Scherr, Kenny Wollesen, and Doug Wieselman.