PJCE Archives - Montavilla Jazz

Mel Brown and Gordon Lee to Headline Sixth Annual Montavilla Jazz Festival August 17–18

by Neil Mattson | Jun 29, 2019 | Press | 0 comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mel Brown and Gordon Lee to Headline Sixth Annual Montavilla Jazz Festival August 17–18

Montavilla Jazz Festival 2019 lineup and event details announced.

PORTLAND, Oregon, June 18, 2019—Portland jazz icon Mel Brown and his musical collaborator of three decades, Gordon Lee, will headline Montavilla Jazz Festival 2019 running August 17–18 at Portland Metro Arts, 9003 SE Stark, Portland, Oregon, 97216. For the sixth year, the nonprofit neighborhood festival features local jazz artists playing original music at the forefront of creative expression. This year, several extraordinary local musicians will perform new compositions and feature world-class musicians in their ensembles.

The complete festival lineup and schedule can be found at https://montavillajazz.org/. Advance day passes and headliner tickets are available for $15-30 at https://www.tickettomato.com.

The 2019 Montavilla Jazz Festival lineup includes:

Mel Brown and Gordon Lee with the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble–A celebration of their thirty-three-year musical partnership, Mel Brown and Gordon Lee reunite to perform Lee’s original works arranged for this performance with the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble.
Ezra Weiss Big Band: We Limit Not the Truth of God–The Ezra Weiss Big Band celebrates the release of their new album on Origin Records with this original suite of intensely personal reflections on the troubled world in which we live.
CMG Sound Foundry presents Wayne Horvitz–Michael Gamble, the artistic head of Portland’s most adventurous musical organizations, Creative Music Guild, performs an improvised set in collaboration with award-winning pianist Wayne Horvitz.
Mel Brown B3 Organ Group–Portland music legend Mel Brown and his all-star B3 Organ Group have wowed Portland audiences for 23 years and counting with their unique combination of jazz, soul, and blues, performed with fire and spontaneity.
Bobby Torres Ensemble–“Latin jazz with enough flavor and spice to satisfy your body and soul’s need for rhythmic nourishment.” – The Oregonian.
Charlie Porter Quintet–One of Portland’s best-known artists outside of the local area performing new original music with an all-star cast. The Palm Beach Post says, “Porter’s excellent stylish playing draws you in; you hang on each note!”
Dana Reason: Torque Songs–A new work utilizing the concept of torque to create thematic and generative sonic rotations that move through “forgotten” voices.
Sherry Alves with George Colligan–Newest member of the Portland State University jazz faculty, vocalist Sherry Alves fronts a quartet powered by new music from keyboard virtuoso, George Colligan.
Bryan Smith: Let Me Take You There–A nature-inspired multimedia collaboration between composer/saxophonist Bryan Smith and poet/photographer Matt Spohn, aiming to bring awareness to the importance of environmental conservation.
Ian Christensen’s Rolling House–A brand-new group of stellar locals performing Christensen’s newest work as a composer.
Kathleen Hollingsworth: Mad Love–Best described as having “East Coast drive and West Coast soul.” The trio’s music is rooted in the jazz tradition yet playfully branches out into Americana, singer-songwriter, and Rhythm & Blues territory.
Kerry Politzer: Bossa PDX–Brazilian jazz inspired by the masters of bossa nova.

“We want the Montavilla neighborhood to be the epicenter of arts and culture in East Portland,” said Neil Mattson, executive director for the festival. “We created the Montavilla Jazz Festival to capitalize on the neighborhood’s appreciation and support of local artists and world-class cultural events. Jazz is one of America’s greatest gifts to the arts community, and we are thrilled by what the talented lineup and quality of the festival mean to our neighborhood and community.”

Montavilla Jazz Festival generates community support for jazz education.

Addressing a national trend of limiting funding for music and arts programs, festival organizers continue to work closely with the Montavilla business community. In 2015, in order to bolster music education in our schools, MJF created the Montavilla Schools Fund (MSMF). Four for years, MJF earmarked a portion of each ticket sold to this fund. Montavilla’s four neighborhood public schools had the opportunity to apply for grants funded by these proceeds. In four grant cycles, MJF has allocated $7,500 for music education in Montavilla schools.

This year, MJF is redirecting efforts from the grant program to focus on developing jazz education initiatives in Montavilla schools. MJF recently completed its pilot program the Montavilla Jazz Artist-in-Residency at Vestal School, initiated by a 2018 MSMF grant. In the first months of 2019 Vestal students experienced how the sound and spirit of jazz are woven into the fabric of American life during six weeks with our Jazz Artist-in-Residence, Portland-based jazz saxophonist and educator, Mary-Sue Tobin.

Montavilla Jazz Festival is possible thanks to more than 30 dedicated, community-minded sponsors and partner organizations from Montavilla and beyond.

Dates and Location:

When: Saturday and Sunday, August 17–18, 2019,
1:30-9:00 pm; Doors at 12:30 pm

Where: Portland Metro Arts, 9003 SE Stark, Portland, OR 97216

Day Passes: General admission and VIP day passes for both Saturday and Sunday are available for presale purchase at https://www.tickettomato.com/, and at the box office during festival hours on both days. Seating is limited, re-entry is not guaranteed, and no refunds are given. General Admission day passes are $15, VIP day passes are $30.

Headliner Show Tickets: General admission and VIP tickets to both Saturday and Sunday headliner shows are available for presale purchase at https://www.tickettomato.com/, and at the box office during festival hours on both days.

ADA Reservations: ADA reservations available upon request, please call (971) 220-6051.

Arts for All: Montavilla Jazz Festival is proud to offer Oregon Trail card-holders up to two (2) day passes for $5 each when they present their Oregon Trail card at the box office. MJF is proud to partner with the “Arts for All” program to introduce this new offering to the festival. Go to https://racc.org/artsforall/ to learn more about this program and to see a list of participating arts organizations.

Arts Card: Montavilla Jazz Festival is also proud to be an official Work For Art: Arts Card event! Arts Card-holders can get 2-for-1 MJF day passes. Go to https://workforart.org/ to learn more about this program and to see a list of participating arts organizations.

Note: Arts for All and Arts Card discounts are available for general admission day passes and headliner show tickets only, and do not apply to VIP passes and headliner tickets.

Contact:

For more information, please visit www.montavillajazzfest.com and www.facebook.com/montavillajazzfestival.

About Montavilla Jazz Festival: The mission of Montavilla Jazz Festival is to support and strengthen local music culture and enrich our community by showcasing the best of Portland’s originally composed, progressive jazz. Montavilla Jazz Festival is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

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Platinum Partner Spotlight: PJCE

by Neil Mattson | Aug 14, 2016 | Partner Spotlight | 0 comments

Thank you to the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble (PJCE) for their partnership with the Montavilla Jazz Festival! This local 12-piece jazz chamber orchestra commissions and performs original works, including the suite “Fathers and Sons” by George Colligan, which will premiere this Saturday night at MJF 2016.

The PJCE’s mission is to commission and perform original works by jazz composers in the Portland music community and elsewhere and to engage and enrich community awareness and appreciation of contemporary music. They also operate a grassroots label, PJCE Records, which releases albums of original music by local jazz artists.

Executive Director, Doug Detrick had this to say about the PJCE’s partnership with MJF:

The PJCE is tremendously proud to be a MJF sponsor for the third year in a row. This festival is a jewel in the crown of Portland’s jazz scene for all kinds of people including musicians, students, fans, and people in the Montavilla neighborhood. We can’t wait to give the world premiere of George Colligan’s new suite “Fathers and Sons” on Saturday night!

(In 2015, the PJCE produced an episode of their “Beyond Category” podcast featuring interviews with MJF fans, musicians, and volunteers. Find it here.)

We’re thrilled to collaborate with this incredible Portland institution. If you would like to collaborate with them yourselves, they are always looking for new members!

Portland’s George Colligan to Headline Montavilla Jazz Festival August 20–21, 2016

by tina | May 19, 2016 | Press | 0 comments

Download PDF | Photos

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Portland’s George Colligan to Headline Montavilla Jazz Festival August 20–21, 2016

Montavilla Neighborhood Association also announces grants to local schools that expand music education opportunities for youth.

PORTLAND, Oregon—May 19, 2016—One of Portland’s most celebrated jazz performers and composers, multi-instrumentalist George Colligan, will headline Montavilla Jazz Festival 2016. Now in its third year, the festival features local jazz artists on the forefront of creative expression.

The Montavilla Neighborhood Association is pleased to announce that the festival will be hosted at Portland Metro Arts on August 20–21, 2016. This year, several extraordinary local musicians will perform new compositions as well as host world-class musicians in their ensembles:

Pianist Kerry Politzer will perform works from her new album, Below the Surface, and feature New York City saxophonist, Laura Dreyer.
Guitarist Mike Gamble’s group, the InBetweens, will feature New York City drummer Conor Elmes and bassist Noah Jarrett (acclaimed pianist Keith Jarrett’s son).

“The Montavilla neighborhood is becoming an epicenter of arts and culture in Portland,” said Neil Mattson, development director for the festival. “We created the Montavilla Jazz Festival to capitalize on the neighborhood’s appreciation and support of local artists and world-class cultural events. Jazz is one of America’s greatest gifts to the arts community, and we are thrilled by what the talent lineup and quality of the festival means to our neighborhood and community.”

Additional artists will also perform new, original work and offer attendees the opportunity to explore music that makes Portland a unique city on the forefront of moving jazz into the next millennium.

Homegrown artist George Colligan is a central player on the national jazz scene.

George Colligan is one of the most original and compelling jazz artists of his generation. An award-winning composer (a Chamber Music America/Doris Duke Foundation grant recipient) and performer, Colligan is highly in demand as a sideman. He has worked with jazz greats like Cassandra Wilson, Don Byron and Buster Williams and has appeared on more than 100 albums, including 24 of his own recordings as a composer. His latest album on the Origin Records label, The Endless Mysteries, features Larry Grenadier and Jack DeJohnette. Colligan is an assistant professor at Portland State University and was previously on the faculty of the Juilliard School.

As the headliner for both nights of the festival, pianist Colligan will perform new original compositions in two different incarnations. On the opening night of the festival, he’ll showcase Fathers and Sons, a set of original music that features Colligan performing with the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble. Led by executive director Douglas Detrick, the ensemble is a 12-piece jazz chamber orchestra that commissions and performs original works by its members and by other jazz composers in the Portland music community.

On the second night of the festival, the George Colligan Trio will take the stage. The group will feature an array of talent in the form of New York City stalwarts Rudy Royston and Boris Kozlov. Drummer Rudy Royston is a formidable powerhouse, having performed with greats like Bill Frisell, Les McCann and Ravi Coltrane. Bassist Boris Kozlov is a two-time Grammy Award winner who currently serves as bassist, arranger and musical director for the Mingus Big Band, Mingus Dynasty and The Orchestra.

“I’m looking forward to the festival, which will be a great opportunity to unveil some of my recent projects,” noted Colligan. “It’s important to create a supportive environment in Portland that allows artists to experiment and push the boundaries of music. The Montavilla Jazz Festival not only delivers a wonderful cultural experience for artists and fans but also paves the way for the next generation of local artists.”

Montavilla Jazz Festival generates community support for music education.

As a project of the Montavilla Neighborhood Association and a small group of Portland residents, the festival is also focused on supporting the next generation of local creative students.

With a national trend of limited funding for music and arts programs, festival organizers worked closely with the Montavilla business community to create new opportunities for area youth in the form of the Montavilla Schools Music Fund. This year, the festival has granted $2,000 to three neighborhood schools, made possible with proceeds from festival ticket sales. The grants were awarded to Bridger Elementary, Creative Science School and Vestal School through a competitive proposal process. Each school will use the grants to enhance music education through inclusive opportunities for students to explore their creative potential.

“Schools are a vibrant reflection of their community,” said Emily Glasgow, principal of Vestal School. “The joy of music is something that every student should have the opportunity to experience. With the opportunity to bring new resources to our students through the Montavilla Schools Music Fund, we are thrilled by the support of the community to enrich the creative environment of our school.”

In the spirit of jazz, everyone has something to bring to the table. The Montavilla Jazz Festival believes that everyone has a part to play in the support of music, culture and experiences that bring us together. Individuals, businesses and organizations are encouraged to get involved with the Montavilla Jazz Festival through volunteer and sponsor opportunities.

Dates and Location:

When: Saturday and Sunday, August 20–21, 2016
Where: Portland Metro Arts, 9003 SE Stark, Portland, OR 97216
Festival Passes: Information about day-pass prices and availability to be announced soon

Contact:

For more information, please visit: www.montavillajazzfest.com and www.facebook.com/montavillajazzfestival.

About Montavilla Jazz Festival:

The Montavilla Jazz Festival supports and strengthens local music culture and enriches the community by showcasing the best of Portland’s originally composed, progressive jazz. Montavilla Jazz Festival is a project of the Montavilla Neighborhood Association and is fiscally sponsored by SE Uplift, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and coalition of twenty Portland neighborhoods.

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