PDX Jazz Festival at various venues

Chris Azorr Trio at Jupiter NEXT 900 East Burnside Street Portland, OR, 97214 - 4:00p - Free

Chris is a Portland native who has been playing, composing, and performing jazz, and Latin jazz for over 40 years. After studying jazz at the University of Oregon, he spent the 90’s recording and touring the country in a successful rock/swing band. Since returning to Portland in the late 90’s, he has performed regularly with Latin Jazz groups Conjunto Alegre, Cuba Ache and others. He currently performs across the NW as a solo artist and with multiple jazz groups.

Michelle Medler Quartet at the AC Hotel 888 Southwest 3rd Avenue Portland, OR, 97204 - 5:00p - Free

Pacific Northwest native, Michelle Medler, is thoroughly dedicated to music and art. She’s a multi-instrumentalist who wears many hats. Performing, composing and recording with passion, in multiple styles; you may catch her with the Quadraphonnes sax quartet (part of the 2023 Oscar nominated musical film score to “The Holdovers”). Michelle plays hard-bop Jazz with the Medler Sextet,1920’s-40’s swing with the Shanghai Woolies & Salsa with Melao de Cuba. She’s been sharing music with students since age 19, working her way through college by teaching high school band. Emerging as an acclaimed educator, she co-founded and co-directs the Portland Youth Jazz Orchestra. Michelle is addicted to groove, harmony and improvisation. Her band MMQ has been together since the early 2000’s performing, traveling, recording and giving clinics. Michelle Medler Quartet is releasing a new album ‘Music Rules the World’ at the 2024 PDX Jazz Festival with Dan Gildea on guitar, Ben Medler on electric bass and Jason Palmer on drums. Michelle fronts the band on tenor saxophone, flute and vocals. She is also responsible for the mixed media original cover artwork for her albums using oil pastels, alcohol ink, photography and graphic design to create her album covers.