Jazz Music in Portland, OR

Discover the best Jazz Music in Portland, OR and beyond. Check out our calendar of events and join us for a night of great Jazz Music.

The Portland Jazz Scene

The history of jazz in Portland

In the early years of the twentieth century, Portland was a major destination for jazz musicians traveling up the West Coast from California. Some of the most famous names in jazz, including Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, performed in Portland clubs and theaters. Jazz was so popular that radio station KGW devoted an entire hour of programming to it every night.

The Great Depression hit the city hard, and the jazz scene began to decline. But in the 1950s, a new generation of Portlanders rediscovered their love for jazz, and the scene began to rebound. Clubs like John Handy’s Blue Note and Ronnie Scott’s became popular gathering spots for jazz fans.

Today, Portland is home to a vibrant jazz scene, with performances happening every night of the week at venues all over the city. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or just getting started, there’s a place for you in Portland’s jazz community.

The Portland Jazz Festival

The Portland Jazz Festival is one of the biggest and most well known jazz festivals in the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 2001, the festival takes place every February and features a wide range of local, national, and international jazz musicians. In addition to the musical performances, the festival also offers workshops, panel discussions, and film screenings.

Local jazz clubs in Portland

Portland provides a variety of options for live jazz music. The city has a few local clubs that are dedicated to the genre, as well as many bars and restaurants that feature jazz musicians on certain nights. If you’re looking for a place to enjoy some live music, here are a few of the best spots in town.

Local jazz clubs in Portland:

-The Blue Monk: This aptly-named club is one of the most popular spots for live jazz in Portland. The Blue Monk features local and touring musicians seven nights a week, with no cover charge on weeknights.
-Jimmy Mak’s: Another popular spot for live jazz, Jimmy Mak’s features national and international touring acts, as well as local talent. There is usually a cover charge for shows.
-The Observatory: This North Portland bar features live music every night, with a focus on jazz on Wednesday nights. There is no cover charge for shows.
-White Eagle Saloon: This downtown bar has a nightly happy hour with live music, including jazz on Thursdays. There is no cover charge for shows.

The Best Jazz Musicians in Portland

If you’re a fan of Jazz music, you’ll be happy to know that Portland is home to some of the best Jazz musicians in the country. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the top Jazz musicians in Portland and what makes them so special.

John Nilsen

As a child, John Nilsen was drawn to the family piano. After years of practice, he became a skilled jazz musician. He relocated to Portland, Oregon, in 1984 and soon became an important part of the city’s music scene. Nilsen has released 23 albums as a solo artist and has collaborated with many other musicians. He toured internationally with his band, The John Nilsen Trio, and has performed at festivals and clubs around the world.

Mel Brown

Pianist, bandleader, and composer Mel Brown is one of the most respected and prolific figures in Oregon’s music scene. He has been a fixture on the Portland jazz scene for over two decades, and his contributions to the music community are numerous.

A native of Portland, Brown began his musical career as a member of the city’s renowned jazz ensemble, The Paul Winter Consort. He went on to perform with some of the world’s most celebrated jazz musicians, including Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and Wynton Marsalis. In addition to his work as a sideman, Brown has also released several highly acclaimed solo albums.

Over the years, Brown has received many honors and awards for his contributions to the music community. He was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and in 2012 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Lewis & Clark College.

The Dan Balmer Trio

The Dan Balmer Trio is one of the best jazz groups in Portland, OR. They have been playing together for over 20 years and have developed a sound that is uniquely their own. Dan Balmer is an accomplished guitarist and composer, and his trio is able to create complex and beautiful music that is accessible to all audiences.

The Dan Balmer Trio has released five albums, all of which have received critical acclaim. They have been featured on NPR, in The New York Times, and in many other publications. If you are looking for an exciting and innovative jazz group, you should definitely check out the Dan Balmer Trio.

The Future of Jazz in Portland

Jazz has been a prevalent and well-loved genre of music for over a century now. It has origins in blues and ragtime, and has since evolved into many different subgenres. In recent years, Portland has become a hub for jazz music. With its diverse and supportive community, Portland is primed to become the next great jazz city.

The Portland Jazz Collective

The Portland Jazz Collective is a group of jazz musicians who are working to keep the Portland jazz scene alive and vibrant. The collective was founded in 2014 by pianist and composer Andrea passionate about creating opportunities for jazz musicians to perform and connect with each other.

Andrea and the other members of the collective have organized numerous concerts and events, including the weekly Jazz Jam at The Rosewood Initiative, which provides a space for musicians to come together to play and improvisation. The collective also offers monthly jazz workshops, open to all levels of experience.

The Portland Jazz Collective is committed to supporting the jazz community in Portland and helping it grow. If you’re interested in learning more about jazz or getting involved in the Portland jazz scene, please check out our website or contact us at [email protected].

The Rose City Jazz Orchestra

The 16-piece Rose City Jazz Orchestra (RCJO) was founded in 2013 and is dedicated to perpetuating the big band jazz tradition by performing and commissioning new music specifically written for the ensemble. The group has been featured at the Oregon Bach Festival, the Northwest Religious Liberty Association Convention, and on OPB’s Oregon Art Beat. They have also performed at premier jazz clubs and concert venues throughout the Pacific Northwest. The RCJO is composed of some of the finest musicians in the region and features a rotating cast of vocalists.