Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio photo by Lisa Hagen Glynn. l-r Jimmy James, Dan Weiss, and Delvon Lamarr
BY REBECCA JANE
OREGON FESTIVAL OF AMERICAN MUSIC
July 27-August 6 (Eugene, Oregon) Oregon Festival of American Music’s theme, “Pennies From Heaven,” reveals the innovation and upliftment that music provides during hard times. Attendees will enjoy jazz rhythm maestro Chuck Redd welcoming Directors Shirley Andress, Siri Vik, Lynnea Barry, and the Anderson Brothers. Taking inspiration from music during The Great Depression, the festival explores American popular music’s journey through the 1920s and ‘30s. The Golden Age of Radio and the Swing Era sustained people and brought them together, giving them resilience. Some shows are sing-a-longs. Vocalists and instrumentalists include Howard Alden, Julie Alsin, Steve Arriola, Vicki Brabham, Lyn Burg, Daniel Cathey, Tim Clarke, Jonathan Corona, Keri Davis, Doug Doerfert, Marisa Frantz, Glenn Griffith, Theo Halpert, Bruce Harris, Bill Hulings, Paul Keller, Randy Napoleon, Devin Perez, Randy Porter, Ted Rosenthal, Dylan Stasack, Michael Stone, Matt Taylor, and Paul Wells. 541-434-7000, theshedd.org.
MONTAVILLA JAZZ FESTIVAL
August 19-21 (Portland, Oregon) Rooted in neighborhood friendliness and social activism, this East Portland community comes together to host the Montavilla Jazz Festival. Their mission is to provide accessible and diverse jazz performances that honor the tradition as well as welcome experimentation. This year, songwriters Rebecca Sanborn and Marilyn Keller will debut new songs about the power of dreams. Rich Halley’s performance with the Matthew Shipp Trio is sure to inspire deep emotional response. Jazz mentors will showcase new and rising young talent. A debut suite of sextet and spoken word will guide the audience on an artistic pilgrimage along the Columbia River’s winding banks. Headlining the festival is the Kerry Politzer Quintet featuring trumpeter/composer Alex Norris. Plus, there will be new and familiar works from these artists: Idit Shner & Mhondoro, James Powers Relativity Ensemble, the Noah Simpson Quartet, George Colligan and Jazz Millennium, Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble’s The Heroine’s Journey featuring Darrell Grant, Keller, and Sanborn. Tunnel Six performs the Columbia River Suite and there will be a rare performance of original music by the Barra Brown Quintet. 971-220-6051, montavillajazz.org.
THING
August 26-28 (Port Townsend, WA) Amidst 400 miles of forested hiking trails, saltwater beaches, and commanding views of the Puget Sound, hear music from Jungle, Modest Mouse, Father John Misty, Goose, Sparks, Freddie Gibbs, José González, the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, Durand Jones & The Indications, L’Rain, and more. Since 2019, this festival has been bringing together diverse musical voices and performers, artists, comics, and speakers. Port Townsend, originally a military base then a movie set for An Officer and a Gentleman, is now known as the “Paris of the Pacific Northwest.” Held at the historic Fort Worden, THING showcases joyful music that pushes the BPM through the ceiling. THING is also proud to host the limited-run Jazz Is Dead Tour presented by Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammed featuring influential musicians such as Brian Jackson, Doug Carn, and Henry Franklin, with Katalyst. 206-467-5510, thingnw.org.
VANCOUVER WINE & JAZZ FESTIVAL
August 26-28 (Vancouver, WA) Since it’s inception in 1998, when Diane Schuur entertained a crowd at the former Luck Lager brewery, the Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival has attracted celebrated musicians, performers, visual artists, and enological artists. This world-class event provides education opportunities, builds community, and welcomes tourists to Southwestern Washington. Over 68% of attendees visit from other countries such as Japan, China, Canada, and Europe, making this once-so-little town (often confused with B.C.) an international hub of its own. The festival takes place at Esther Short Park in Downtown Vancouver. The lineup includes Reggie Houston, Triveni Ensemble, the Bottleneck Blues Band, Marcia Ball, the John Nastos Trio, Jim Fischer & Friends feat. Alyssa Schwary, The Quadraphonnes, Lao Tizer Trio, Coco Montoya, Tierney Sutton, Shemekia Copeland, Dave Lee & Sheila Wilcox, C-Mo Jazz Quartet, Claudia Vellejo, John Jorgenson Quintet, and the festival’s final performer is the legendary Judy Collins. 360-906-0441, vancouverwinejazz.com.
BELLHAVEN JAZZ FESTIVAL
August 27 (Everson, WA) In its 11th year, The Jazz Project’s annual Bellhaven Jazz Festival returns to the Samson Estates Winery featuring the musical stylings of the Jennifer Scott Quartet, Brian Cunningham Trio, Jerry Steinhilber Trio, Danned If We Do (a Steely Dan cover band) with Cheryl Hodge on piano, Jud Sherwood on drums and vocals, Cunningham on guitar, and John Meyers on bass. With funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and generous sponsors, the festival is free to Jazz Project members, and only $20 for a day pass, $10 for students. 360-650-1066, jazzproject.org/bellhaven-jazz-festival.
DJANGOFEST NW
September 21-25 (Whidbey Island, WA) Celebrating 22 years of gathering the community together, DjangoFest offers Whidbey Island a cultural family reunion. Visitors come from around the world to enjoy concerts, workshops, and late-night “Djams.” These workshops invite all to come and learn such things as how to teach yourself a new tune using a color method, or how to tackle the tricky song “Stompin’ at Decca,” right-hand picking technique, and many more. This year, artists include The Hot Club of Troy, Greg Ruby 5-tet, Leah Zeger with New West Guitars, the Gonzalo Bergara Quartet, Samuel Farthing Sextet feat. Eric Vanderbilt-Mathews, Paulus Schäfer Quartet, Hot Club of Cowtown, and The Nick Lehr Memorial Djam. Festival passes are only available through the box office. 360-221-8268, djangofest.com.
