Portland Jazz Festival is calling it quits

[Jazzmoose]

From the Oregonian...

The Portland Jazz Festival, strapped for cash after losing its title sponsor in April, plans to stop operating as of Sept. 15. Barring a "miracle" infusion of about $100,000, the February 2009 festival -- previously slated to be the exclusive 70th anniversary celebration for seminal jazz label Blue Note -- won't happen. Nor, most likely, will there be any festivals after that.

Portland's small jazz community has been bolstered by the festival since its 2004 inception. The threatened cancellation would shake not only those musicians and fans but also Portland's place in the national jazz scene.

more here...

[jazzkrow]

As a Portlander, I am very bummed about this :bwallace2:

The 2009 Festival in Feb was supposed to be dedicated to the 70th Anniversay of Blue Note Records and both Cuscuna and Lundvall were supposed to come out here for a panel discussion as well.

The artistic director, Bill Royston, from Philly, had indicated that he was trying to bring out some of the older BN artists such as Sam Rivers, Lonnie Smith and Lou Donaldson, and others to balance out the current roster of less interesting (to me) BN artists.

Royston claimed that the Portland Festival was to be the "official" 70th Anniversary BN Festival-which I kind of doubted to be true...

Does anyone know of any other 2009 Jazz Festival that have similar plans?

If so, I am definetely interested to check out other Festivals in 2009 that will have a Blue Note Theme and would plan a vacation around those dates...

[jazzkrow]

GREAT NEWS!

Due to a $50,000 cash infusion from Alaska Airlines, the Portland Jazz Festival is back on!

Hopefully, they will continue with a Blue Note 70th Anniversary theme

This is super news for us Northwesterners!

Jeff

[BruceH]

Glad to hear the good news.

[Rooster_Ties]

Moose -- can you update the title of this thread?? (Or put the good news in the sub-head.)

Thanks!!