Read a preview in this morning’s Oregonian of the Portland Jazz Festival coming in February. Wow! I can’t believe the lineup: Among others, Chick Corea and Gary Burton, Charles Lloyd with Geri Allen, Don Byron, Dave Douglas Quintet, Branford, Roy Hargrove, Kurt Elling, Jacky Terrasson, and several names I’ve heard but don’t know. I think I’ve heard Polish trumpet player Tomasz Stanko but can’t place him.
Any two of these would be more live music than I usually hear in a year, and it’s all happening over nine days.
The festival is loosely a tribute to ECM, and founder Manfred Eicher will be participating in afternoon discussions and presentations, which will also feature videos of Keith Jarrett, among others. The festival is going out on a limb, booking concert halls that exceed any previous ticket sales.
It’s my job to support them. (Whee!) My first thought was I’m going to make the whole thing. I have friends who have a condo on the MAX line, which runs straight downtown in about twenty minutes. I just won’t teach this winter and will get tickets to everything. I’m not getting any younger.
Then I thought maybe I could arrange a three- or four-day weekend and get to see a large portion of the offerings. I’m not sure I could handle nine straight days of this level of music. My head might explode.
Anybody interested in being in Portland Feb 16-25? Info at www.pdxjazz.com
ross
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