Different Soundz

We're excited to announce that contemporary American and Norwegian jazz artists will preside over the urban stages of the 2010 Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Portland Jazz Festival presented by U.S. Bank, February 22 - 28, throughout downtown Portland, Oregon.

featuring...
Pharoah Sanders | Dave Holland Quintet | Mingus Big Band | Dave Douglas | Luciana Souza

plus, New Music From Norway...
Trygve Seim & Frode Haltli | Christian Wallumrod Ensemble | In The Country



This year's provocative theme...
and spotlight on Norway, Is Jazz Dead (Or Has It Moved to a New Address)? - New Music from Norway, comes to us via British jazz writer Stuart Nicholson's book on the globalization of jazz that recognizes Norway as a forefront of redefining America's indigenous art form. The showcase features three North American premieres that exemplify what Nicholson calls the "Nordic Tone", as a counterpoint to contemporary American jazz masters who push the boundaries of jazz.

Hailed as one of the major annual jazz events in North America by the Jazz Journalists Association and lauded by critics as a "bullet train to jazz nirvana", the Portland Jazz Festival is the place to experience leading, international jazz innovators, with performances showcasing NW artists and stimulating jazz outreach programs.

We've priced tickets for the 2010 festival as low as $20, with packages as low as $50 for the three Norwegian shows and $300 for all eight headline performances. Keep an eye out for special limited-time "fresh ticket" offers coming to either your in-box or fans and folllowers on Facebook and Twitter.

TICKETS GO ON SALE OCTOBER 27 AT PDXJAZZ.COM OR BY CALLING 503-228-JAZZ
Become a member and purchase your tickets today

New this season: Student memberships at $25

PDX JAZZ WELCOMES DON LUCOFF, THE NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR
Scoring a major coup, PDX Jazz has appointed music industry veteran Don Lucoff as the organization's next Managing Director. Lucoff, president of DL Media, has represented nearly every major jazz label and a wide spectrum of jazz artists throughout his 26-year career. He has also driven the national publicity efforts of the Portland Jazz Festival for the past two seasons.

Lucoff joins Artistic Director and PDX Jazz co-founder Bill Royston, who holds his own impressive resume in jazz as an artistic director and event producer. Royston was nominated as Jazz Producer of the Year in both 2007 and 2008 by the Jazz Journalists Association (JJA) and has been a driving force behind bringing groundbreaking jazz to the Portland area for 14 years.

Read more about Don in his interview with Oregonian Music Editor, Ryan White.
MORE ABOUT THE 2010 FESTIVAL ARTISTS
PHAROAH SANDERS - a most distinctive tenor saxophone player and a legend, he's one of the last living members of John Coltrane's late ensembles of the mid-'60s.

DAVE HOLLAND QUINTET - multi-award and poll-winning bassist, composer, arranger and bandleader, he brings his renowned quintet to Portland.

MINGUS BIG BAND - an all-star ensemble dedicated exclusively to the music of the composer and bassist, Charles Mingus, this 15 piece big band operates under the artistic direction of Sue Mingus, and features some of the top names in jazz.

DAVE DOUGLAS BRASS ECSTASY - two-time Grammy-nominated trumpeter, and arguably the most prolific and original musician/composer of his generation, Douglas brings a new project this year, Brass Ecstasy - an ensemble of trumpet, french horn, trombone, tuba, and drums.

LUCIANA SOUZA - a Grammy winning vocalist, and one of the jazz world's leading singers and interpreters.Hailing from São Paulo, Brazil, her performance transcends traditional boundaries around musical styles.

TRYGVIE SEIM & FRODE HALTLI- a unique saxophone/accordion duo, these key figures of the new Norwegian music scene share an interest in the expressive potential of acoustic music across all stylistic boundaries.

CHRISTIAN WALLUMROD ENSEMBLE - a gifted pianist and considered one of the most prominent musicians of the younger Norwegian generation Wallumrød, explores the intersection of improvisation and classical composition.I

IN THE COUNTRY - an acoustic trio (piano, bass, drums) that combines rock influences with jazz, All About Jazz has already put In The Country's latest album "Whiteout" on their "best of 2009" list.


From Norway we have borrowed the rallying cry of Uten Jass Blitz eb Treg du Tass (loosely translated as 'Without Jazz my life would have less meaning'), which you can experience in February. While for now... Vi ses snart ('See you soon')!