Local jazz director launches inaugural Sherwood Summer Jazz Festival
“Jazz is for everyone,” director says
SHERWOOD, Ore. — Sherwood’s inaugural jazz music festival is going live this July at the Sherwood Center for the Arts, offering accessible alternatives to Portland’s distant, expensive concerts.
The local jazz fest was conceptualized by Tristan Weitcamp, local jazz musician and jazz band director at Sherwood High School.
“There are a lot of students who play jazz and are passionate about it, but don't have great access in Sherwood to see this music live,” Weitcamp said. “As an educator I'm always trying to bring opportunities closer to my students, so (a local festival) is more accessible for them to see the music live, and that built the vision to do this.”
On July 10-11, everyone is welcome to attend the three jazz concerts featuring a variety of mostly local artists.
“They’re some of the same acts you’d see downtown (in Portland), just out here in the valley, more accessible for our students and our families, and something to get excited about artistically,” Weitcamp said.
Friday evening features Kerry Politzer and Bossa PDX. Politzer is a jazz pianist with classical and Brazilian influences, who is an adjunct jazz piano instructor at Portland State University and the bandleader of the Brazilian jazz and bossa nova group.
On Saturday afternoon, SSJ Big Band with James Miley is on the schedule. Miley is a jazz and improvised music pianist and composer, and a professor of jazz ensembles at Willamette University. He is a founding member of the Radiohead Jazz Project, and his compositions for jazz big bands have been performed internationally.
“Miley lives in Portland and writes really cool, contemporary jazz and teaches,” Weitcamp said. “Bossa Nova has played all over the Northwest. (Politzer) is great.”
Headlining Saturday night is jazz drummer Matt Wilson with Randy Porter. Hailing from New York, Wilson has led and released 13 albums, and co-led another dozen, while leading workshops and masterclasses at colleges and universities.
“(Porter) is a Steinway recording artist and lives in Lake Oswego, but he tours the world playing with all sorts of types of people,” Weitcamp said. “That’s going to be a really great show, and a lot of people would enjoy that one.”
Wilson is also slated to teach at the Sherwood High School’s summer jazz camp, which is in its second year. Local jazz summer camp high school students will also perform at the festival. Last year, 42 students participated in the camp, forming two large ensembles, and Weitcamp predicts the same this year.
“The camp is there at the high school for five days, giving students learning opportunities and hands-on focus on jazz with coaching on their instruments,” Weitcamp said. “Then Friday and Saturday, the students will perform during that lineup, but the three ticketed concerts and festival pass is for everybody who is interested in seeing some live music downtown and doesn’t want to drive all the way to Portland.”
All revenue from ticket sales becomes a fundraiser to help the parent volunteer organizer Sherwood Booster Club and support music education in the district, paying for the headline acts, and sharing summer jazz again next year.
“It’s important for us to be doing more music in the community, closer to the community, and in the public view,” Weitcamp said.
He said it is great for the students to get a performance opportunity, and for the public to see what’s happening in the band program at Sherwood High School and Sherwood Middle School.
“If you’re a fan of Sherwood, you should be a fan of what’s happening at the concert hall,” Weitcamp said. “Jazz is for everyone, live music is for everyone, and I’d encourage people to come check it out.”
Sherwood Summer Jazz festival
When: Friday, July 10, 7 p.m. and Saturday, July 11, 2 p.m., 7 p.m.
Where: Sherwood Center for the Arts, 22689 S.W. Pine St.
Cost: $25-30 per concert, or $60 for a festival pass
Tickets: sherwoodsummerjazz.ludus.com/index.php
