May 26, 2026 11:08 AM
Sonny Rollins Passes Away at 95
Sonny Rollins, the iconic saxophonist, composer and improviser whose career stretched from the origins of bebop to 21st…
Alaska Airlines has agreed to a multiyear title sponsorship of the Portland Jazz Festival, providing the financial support necessary to revive the festival that had announced in early September that it was ceasing operations after five years. The support ensures that the 6th Annual Alaska Airlines Portland Jazz Festival will take place, as scheduled, February 13-22, 2009. The festival will be dedicated to the 70th anniversary of Blue Note Records.
Founded by Smith and artistic director Bill Royston in 2003, the Portland Jazz Festival has become one of the country’s top jazz showcases, attracting musicians and visitors from around the world. The 2008 Festival featured 150 separate events over 10 days, attracting an estimated 36,000 patrons.
“Portland is a great jazz town and there was no way we were going to let this festival go without exhausting every means,” said Portland City commissioner and support committee leader Nick Fish. “The commitment made by Alaska Airlines is a remarkable gift for jazz lovers. Their support, and that of several area businesses and individuals like Sho Dozono, allows us to continue to grow a festival that attracts some of the world’s top jazz talent and attracts thousands of visitors to Portland every year.”
More info: pdxjazz.com
Onstage, Rollins would move about restlessly, thrusting his tenor sax in the air as he blew.
May 26, 2026 11:08 AM
Sonny Rollins, the iconic saxophonist, composer and improviser whose career stretched from the origins of bebop to 21st…
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