The 2009 Portland Jazz Festival is canceled due to a lack of sponsor funds, and the festival's board of directors has voted to disband the annual winter festival.
Portland is losing its prestigious jazz festival, after event organizers said they lost their major sponsor and could not find enough grants and funds to keep the annual event going. The 2009 Portland Jazz Festival, planned for Feb. 12-22, has been canceled.
Since its inception in 2004, the Portland Jazz Festival consistently drew such top musicians as Ornette Coleman, Chick Corea and Cecil Taylor to Portland every February, quickly becoming one of the nation's most acclaimed jazz events.
But on Monday, Brad Nelson, operations director of the nonprofit festival, sent out a news release and posted on the group's Web site that the festival was ending.
When reached in Portland Monday afternoon, Nelson explained that the fest's major sponsor, Qwest — which usually contributed $50,000 — pulled out this spring, and other sponsors either gave less or didn't contribute this year, citing tough economic conditions.
Portland is losing its prestigious jazz festival, after event organizers said they lost their major sponsor and could not find enough grants and funds to keep the annual event going. The 2009 Portland Jazz Festival, planned for Feb. 12-22, has been canceled.
Since its inception in 2004, the Portland Jazz Festival consistently drew such top musicians as Ornette Coleman, Chick Corea and Cecil Taylor to Portland every February, quickly becoming one of the nation's most acclaimed jazz events.
But on Monday, Brad Nelson, operations director of the nonprofit festival, sent out a news release and posted on the group's Web site that the festival was ending.
When reached in Portland Monday afternoon, Nelson explained that the fest's major sponsor, Qwest — which usually contributed $50,000 — pulled out this spring, and other sponsors either gave less or didn't contribute this year, citing tough economic conditions.
For more information contact All About Jazz.
