Let’s talk about sax
and trumpet, and trombone, and more at the Oregon Coast Jazz Party
If fall weather has got you Kind of Blue, remind yourself What a Wonderful World we live in with a visit to the Oregon Coast Jazz Party, returning to the Newport Performing Arts Center for three days of exceptional live jazz starting this Friday, Oct. 6.
Known nationally for its incredible talent draw, beautiful venue and picturesque setting in beautiful Nye Beach, the party is a festival like no other, offering the very best in live jazz just steps from the Pacific Ocean.
This year’s lineup, thoughtfully curated by Music Director Ken Peplowski, features both Pacific Northwest talent and sought-after artists from across the United States.
“We have a very exciting and eclectic lineup this year,” Peplowski said. “Some jazz party favorites joined by some new-to-this-event performers that will absolutely blow you away!”
Peplowski will also be taking to the stage himself. One of the finest jazz instrumentalists on the scene today, this clarinetist and tenor saxophonist is well-known by jazz enthusiasts worldwide. With his innate sense of rhythm, incredible technical fluency and rich, full sound, he is admired by audiences and critics alike, with BBC Two’s Russell Davies referring to him as "the greatest living jazz clarinetist." Peplowski is also one of the world's most recorded jazz players, and has played with epic talent that includes Benny Goodman, Mel Tormé, Peggy Lee, Charlie Byrd, Rosemary Clooney and many others.
Oregon Coast Council for the Arts staff, festival organizers and an army of volunteers have been mobilized, as party preparations kick into high gear.
“It takes a village, as they say, to bring an event of this scale to life,” said Executive Director Jason Holland, “and we’re fortunate to have a wealth of local music-lovers pitching in. I couldn’t be more excited about the lineup of musicians in store for our audiences.”
The star-studded affair takes place across four sessions — kicking off this Friday, Oct. 6, with a 7 pm opening night performance and reception; followed by two Saturday, Oct. 7, performances at 2 pm and 7 pm. The party concludes on Sunday, Oct. 8, with a grand, all-Gershwin finale session at 1 pm.
“I hope everyone attends all four sessions, as they're all slightly different,” Peplowski said. “This year is the 125th anniversary of George Gershwin's birth, and 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the premiere of ‘Rhapsody in Blue,’ one of the earliest attempts by any composer to write a classical/jazz hybrid — and write it in a long-form mode. The influence Gershwin had on the jazz world is immeasurable, the proof being that we're all still performing his songs all these years later. This will be the first time this jazz party has ever honored a specific composer, and if you like it, we'll keep up the tradition!”
Performances take place in Newport Performing Arts Center’s state-of-the-art Alice Silverman Theatre, which delivers an extraordinary live sound experience via its Meyer Constellation acoustic system. Audiences can reserve seats for individual sessions, with tickets priced from $55 to $75, or purchase a “Party Pass” to gain access to every session, all weekend long for $210. All proceeds benefit Oregon Coast Council for the Arts. Tickets are available in person at the box office at 777 W Olive Street; by calling 541-265-ARTS; or online, at www.oregoncoastjazzparty.org.
• This year’s lineup features musicians including Diego Figueiredo, Ada Rovatti, The Monty Alexander Trio (Monty Alexander, Luke Sellick, Jason Brown), Katie Thiroux, Randy Porter, Kenny Washington, Lewis Nash, Dave Captein, Tom Ranier, Todd Strait and Tom Wakeling.