2022 Biamp PDX Jazz Festival
Presented by PDX Jazz
Welcome to the 2022 Biamp PDX Jazz Festival, February 17 – 26, 2022, celebrating jazz music and culture in Portland for 19 consecutive years!
ON SALE NOW – Full Schedule
Ticket Policy & COVID-19 Policy : Full Vaccination and Masks Required
The 2022 Biamp PDX Jazz Festival includes artists spanning the full breadth of the genre; artists who are driving the evolution of jazz figure prominently alongside GRAMMY® Award-Winning masters.
*NEA Jazz Masters RON CARTER, BILLY HART, and DONALD HARRISON, JR. to perform at the 2022 Biamp PDX Jazz Festival*
*GRAMMY® Award Winners RON CARTER, ROBERT GLASPER, GARY BARTZ, DIANE SCHUUR, BRAD MEHLDAU, FLOR DE TOLOACHE and CHUCK ISRAELS take the stage at the 2022 Biamp PDX Jazz Festival*
*2022 Biamp PDX Jazz Festival features DownBeat Rising Stars MAKAYA MCCRAVEN, LAKECIA BENJAMIN, BRANDEE YOUNGER, DEZRON DOUGLAS, ANGEL BAT DAWID, SASHA BERLINER, JAMES BRANDON LEWIS, CHAD TAYLOR, IMMANUEL WILKINS, and GERALD CLAYTON*
The music begins with shows on Thursday with a special solo piano performance by Brad Mehldau, 2020 GRAMMY® Winner – Best Instrumental Jazz Album ‘Finding Gabriel’.
Opening weekend shows set the tone for the coming musical journey featuring NEA Jazz Master Ron Carter, the most recorded jazz bassist in the world; jazz steward and pioneer Diane Schuur…Stan Getz once said about Schuur “she’s taking from the tradition, and what comes out is her own conception and advancement of the tradition”; guitarist Marc Ribot performing solo who as Rolling Stone points out helped Tom Wait’s refine a new Americana on ‘Rain Dogs’; Carlos Niño and Friends featuring Nate Mercereau and Josh Johnson weaving free jazz-ambient-new age-hip hop-contemporary classical-and beat music; beat scientist, cutting edge drummer, producer, and sonic collagist Makaya McCraven; the R&B psychedelia jazz of MNDSGN accompanied by a free beat making workshop; jazz legend Gary Bartz whose indelible playing influenced hip hop and reshaped the trajectory of jazz; Flor de Toloache, the GRAMMY® Winning all-female Mariachi group whose members hail from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Australia, Colombia, Germany, Italy and the United States; Icelandic-Chinese Gen Z singer-songwriter Laufey bringing to life a modern-day Ella Fitzgerald; and Max Ribner’s unique classical and improvisational jazz blend on flugelhorn and trumpet.
Additional layers unfold during the first full-week with trumpeter Marquis Hill who tirelessly breaks down barriers that divide musical genres – contemporary and classic jazz, hip hop, R&B, Chicago house, and neo soul, are essential elements woven into his work; Immanuel Wilkins whose debut ‘Omega’ was named NPR Music’s ‘Best Debut Jazz Recording of 2020’ and the New York Times number one Jazz Recording of 2020; jazz supergroup The Cookers, featuring Billy Harper, Cecil McBee, George Cables, Eddie Henderson, David Weiss, Billy Hart, and Donald Harrison, Jr.; genre defying harpist Brandee Younger and bassist Dezron Douglas; and vibraphonist Sasha Berliner hailed as “a young mallet master” by Jazz Times; five-time GRAMMY® nominated Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah featuring Weedie Braimah; and keyboardist-composer-producer John Carroll Kirby.
During the final weekend of the Festival a high energy musical kaleidoscope emerges, The Soul Rebels affectionately coined ‘New Orleans finest brass ensemble’ Vice and ‘the missing link between Public Enemy and Louis Armstrong’ Village Voice share the stage with Nate Smith + KINFOLK’s blend of jazz, R&B, pop, and hip hop; Angel Bat Dawid, whom The Washington Post proclaims, “will bring you to tears”; our hometown drum prodigy Domo Branch brings his trio to town featuring four-time GRAMMY® nominated Gerald Clayton and emerging bassist Ben Feldman; James Brandon Lewis “a saxophonist who embodies and transcends tradition” the New York Times is joined on stage by percussionist Chad Taylor; charismatic and dynamic saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin shares a fusion of jazz, hip hop, and soul; and Robert Glasper whose Black Radio was the first album in history to debut in the top 10 of 4 different genre charts simultaneously: hip hop, R&B, Urban Contemporary, and Jazz and Contemporary Jazz, closes out the Festival with ‘a black radio production’ around the third much anticipated installment of Black Radio.
Additional shows and events to be announced.
Become a PDX Jazz Member at the Soloist level or higher and receive member ticket discounts and access to members only seating at select GA shows!
HOW TO PURCHASE TICKETS TO FESTIVAL EVENTS
Purchase a ticket(s) to any Festival event (show) here.
FREE PUBLIC PERFORMANCES
The Festival will feature several free public performances. Artists and locations will be announced soon.
Upcoming Events
News & Announcements
2022 BIAMP PDX JAZZ FESTIVAL – ON SALE NOW
RIP BILL ROYSTON Original Portland Jazz Festival founder
PDX JAZZ RADIO HOUR TUESDAYS 6PM (PST) on KMHD 89.1
Biamp PDX Jazz Festival
The PDX Jazz Festival is a two-week multi-venue celebration of jazz, ‘live’ concerts and education events, presented each February in Portland, Oregon. Nationally and regionally supported as a cultural tourism initiative in celebration of Black History Month, PDX Jazz Festival is dedicated to evolving America’s indigenous art form, featuring recognized jazz masters and rising jazz stars, alongside local jazz heroes.
PDX Jazz Presents
In addition to the PDX Jazz Festival, PDX Jazz produces a variety of year-round performances showcasing acclaimed national and international jazz musicians, as well as the renowned talent of Portland’s musician community. Our programming explores the center and the fringe of jazz, connecting jazz to many Portland neighborhoods and to communities beyond the region’s boundaries. On-going partnerships with Lan Su Chinese Garden and Juneteenth Oregon anchor our summer programming.
2022 Biamp PDX JAZZ FESTIVAL Playlist
PDX JAZZ RADIO HOUR Weekly on KMHD 89.1FM from 6-7pm PST celebrates Jazz in ALL its Diversity. New releases, Classics, Instant Classics, New Discoveries + LIVE Unheard performances from the PDX JAZZ Archive (these can be heard on Mixcloud/pdxjazz) – Shuffle for maximum enjoyment !
PDX Jazz Promotional Video
Song: Archie Shepp, 'Hipnosis'
Thundercat covers "What's the Use?" by Mac Miller
During the 2020 BIAMP Portland Jazz Festival, Thundercat closed his set at the Kridel Grand Ballroom with one of our favorite tracks off of the late rapper's "Swimming."
Kassa Overall: Backpack Jazz Producing In Portland
In February 2020, backpack jazz producer Kassa Overall brought his mobile studio to Portland for the PDX Jazz Festival and the release of his second, and most personal, album through Brownswood Recordings.
Along the way, he dished out real talk on his nomadic creative process and why music is his secret for a balanced life.
Meet Mel Brown, The Portland Jazz Legend Who Plays For Something Greater Than Himself
If you've heard any '70s-era Motown record, you've probably heard Mel Brown's drumming. But if you happen to live in Portland, it's much more likely that you've seen him play live jazz.
Select Artist Photos
All photos used with permission. Please visit our Media Credits page for more information.
PDX Jazz Podcast
PDX JAZZ RADIO HOUR
Episode 1 - Air Date 1.19.2021
The PDX Jazz podcast series will be online soon!
Sign-up on our mailing list to be notified when the first episode is available:
Interviews with PDX Jazz Festival Artists
Archie Shepp / Ashley Kahn Jazz Conversation
Portland Jazz Festival at Art Bar 2020
Giant of the Jazz avant-garde Archie Shepp talks music with journalist Ashley Kahn at the Art Bar for the 2020 Portland Jazz Festival.
Stanley Jordan/Ashley Kahn Jazz Conversation
Portland Jazz Festival 2020 at the Art Bar, February 21, 2020.
Listen to guitarist Stanley Jordan and Jazz journalist Ashley Kahn talking music. Portland Jazz Festival Jazz Conversation.
PDX Jazz Partners
