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COMMUNITY EVENTS

Jessie Marquez: Cuban Jazz Exchange

Get to know Filin (feeling), the Cuban musical tradition born in the 1940s and 50s of the bolero and American jazz through a month-long residency presented by Montavilla Jazz in Partnership with Milagro! Led by Portland vocalist Jessie Marquez and inspired by the music of master composer Enrique Cárdenas, this is a rare opportunity for Portlanders to take a deep dive into Cuban culture.
Cuban Jazz Exchange(2)

EVENTS

Saturday, August 15, 2:00 PM at El Centro Milagro (525 SE Stark St., Portland, OR 97214)

enfoque: Exploration of Cuban Musical Styles

Gather for an educational presentation featuring Jessie Marquez, trumpeter Lorenzo Molina, and Milagro Education Director Yosmel López Ortiz. Topics include the history of Filin, Afro-Cuban rhythm, clave, and ensemble interplay. Following the presentations, guests will transition to Milagro’s community gathering space, El Zócalo, for a descarga, a participatory jam session celebrating improvisation, dancing, food, and community. Musicians and audience members are invited to jam along, or guests may simply soak up of one of Cuba’s enduring musical traditions while sharing food and conversation.

Free or Pay-What-You-Wish. Advance reservations required. Tickets available at milagro.org.  

Wednesday, August 19, 6:30 PM at El Zócalo at El Centro Milagro  (525 SE Stark St., Portland, OR 97214)

tertulia art+conversation with Jessie Marquez

This intimate evening features an artist-led conversation and songs, with guitarist Ben Graves accompanying Jessie Marquez. Presented in an informal café-style setting, Marquez delves into her artistic journey, living and studying in Cuba, the history of Filin, the story behind Enrique Cárdenas’ music, and her 20-year collaboration with Juan Carlos Marin.

Free or Pay-What-You-Wish. Advance reservations required. Tickets available at milagro.org.Tickets available at milagro.org.  

Sunday, August 23, Noon at El Zócalo at El Centro Milagro  (525 SE Stark St., Portland, OR 97214)

tertulia art+conversation with Yosmel López Ortiz

Join Milagro’s Education Director Yosmel López Ortiz and artists from the upcoming Milagro season show in an interactive conversation about Ignacio Villa (Bola de Nieve), a legend of Cuban popular music and the subject of Un Piano para Ignacio, which comes to Milagro Jan 27-Feb 14, 2027.

Free or Pay-What-You-Wish. Advance reservations required. Tickets available at milagro.org.Tickets available at milagro.org.  

Saturday, September 5 at 7:30 PM at Caldera Amphitheater at Mt. Tabor Park

Jessie Marquez y Su Conjunto — Cantando con CUBA

The residency culminates with the fully realized ensemble performing the complete arrangements developed through this long-standing artistic collaboration, as part of Montavilla Jazz Festival 2026.

Festival passes are required and are available at montavillajazz.org/tickets.

 

Meet Jessie Marquez:

Portland vocalist Jessie Marquez's artistic journey was shaped by her grandmother's love for and longing to return to Cuba. Marquez first traveled to Havana in 1996, later returning with her two young sons to study at Cuba's National School of Art. Her debut album, Sana Locura, was recorded in Havana in 2003 with collaborators Juan Carlos Marín, David Alfaro, and Julito Padrón. In 2005–2006, she was invited by the Cuban Ministry of Culture to perform in the international Los Boleros de Oro festival. For more than two decades, Marquez has served as an artistic bridge between Cuba and Oregon, connecting local audiences to Cuban musical traditions and engaging in creative mutual support projects.

Montavilla-Jazz_Jessie-Marquez-2_credit_Rachel-Hadiashar