Mt. Hood Jazz Festival


	SAVE THE DATE - August 15-16 - for the 2008 Mt. Hood Jazz Festival. Click here Mailing List to make sure you receive information

Mt. Hood Jazz Festival

2007 Mt. Hood Jazz Highlights

2008 Mt. Hood Jazz Festival - August 15 and 16

The Mt. Hood Jazz Festival returns to Mt. Hood Community College!

The Mt. Hood Jazz Festival and Mt. Hood Community College have joined forces again to provide an exciting musical and cultural collaboration for the 2008 Mt. Hood Jazz Festival, taking place August 15 and 16. Renowned for its excellent jazz performances, the festival returns to Mt. Hood Community College where it originally began in 1981. But the 2008 event will be unlike any jazz festival that has been produced before. Organizers from both the Jazz Festival and MHCC are working to make the new Jazz Festival an experience for the whole family. College programs will provide hands-on workshops for festival goers that could include experiences in everything from art activities to rock wall climbing. Stay tuned for talent updates and more coming soon! Interested volunteers, sponsors, or vendors may contact us for more information.

2007 Mt. Hood Jazz Highlights

The 26th annual Mt. Hood Jazz Festival had a stellar line up in 2007, serving up scorching national heavyweights. Dorado Schmitt and the Django Reinhardt Festival Band paid tribute to one of jazz's most respected guitarists with special guest Harry Allen on saxophone. Dorado Schmitt and his son Samson Schmitt bring the same passion and virtuosity to guitar playing that Django Reinhardt did in the 30’s and 40’s at the Hot Club de France. To the crowd’s delight Ludovic Beier proved that jazz accordion can be really hot!

Other headliners included celebrated bassist Christian McBride, probably THE bassist-in-demand in the jazz world and arguably the most acclaimed acoustic and electric bassist to emerge from the jazz world of the 1990’s. Herbie Hancock’s long-time guitarist Lionel Loueke appeared at the Festival after spending much of 2007 touring with the Herbie Hancock 4tet, (and also performing at Jimmy Mak’s last fall as one of our Adventures in Jazz performers.) Trumpeter and Marsalis protégé Nicholas Payton came with his Quintet, with local New Orleans transplant saxophonist protégé Devin Phillips as a surprise guest. Acclaimed singers Paula West, the River City’s own Rebecca Kilgore with the PDXV Jazz Quintet, as well as Patrick Lamb and Bobby Torres rounded out the main stage performances.

Music continued both Saturday and Sunday just a short walk away from the Main Stage at the local restaurants in Historic Downtown Gresham. Those who attended the Spirit of Django Gypsy Jazz Jam Session at the Main Street Ale House Friday night saw Oregon’s local version of gypsy jazz with Eddie Parente leading a talented group of musicians. And Ron Steen held a legendary jam session on Saturday night with a stellar turnout of local and visiting headliners at the Main Street Ale House. By the time they closed down the place at 2:00 AM, the musicians and crowd had seen it all, including Dorado Schmitt playing fiddle and Ludovic Beier showing some drum action.

As part of its mission to develop jazz musicians and fans for the future, the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival offered numerous opportunities for young musicians to gain exposure to professional musicians and play in front of audiences. The Festival High School All-Star Band and Mt. Hood Community College Jazz Band played on the Main Stage. Local jazz favorites Tim Gilson, Dan Balmer and Stan Bock led strong ensembles of aspiring jazz students at local restaurants.