Mt. Hood Jazz Festival
The Mt. Hood Jazz Festival was an annual jazz festival held in Gresham, Oregon, United States. The festival is produced by the Gresham/Mt. Hood Jazz Association (GMHJA) which is a non-profit, public-benefit corporation whose goal is to "promote the appreciation of jazz as a unique American art form." The Mt. Hood Jazz Festival is the signature production of the association, which produces other jazz performances and workshops year round.
Mt. Hood Jazz Festival | |
---|---|
Genre | Jazz |
Date(s) | August |
Frequency | annual |
Location(s) | Gresham, Oregon |
Years active | 38 |
Inaugurated | 1982 |
Most recent | 2009 |
Attendance | up to 10,000/day[1] |
Website | mthoodjazz.org |
History
The first festival was held in 1982,[2] and took place on the campus of Mt. Hood Community College for several years, then moving to downtown Gresham for five years (2003 through 2007) before returning to the college.[1] Attendance dropped in the 2000s, from an earlier peak of around 10,000 per day to about 1,200 per day at the 2007 festival.[1]
The event was held every year through 2009 and featured guests such as Sonny Rollins, Dave Brubeck, Tito Puente, Arturo Sandoval and B.B. King.
Possible revival
The festival was set to return to the MHCC campus in April of 2020[3] but the COVID-19 pandemic forced cancellation of the event.[4] As of May 2020 the festival is intended to return in April 2021.[4]
References
- Williams, Heidi (August 14, 2008). "The Mt. Hood Jazz Festival Preview". The Oregonian. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
- Bingham, Larry (April 19, 2012). "Gresham Focus: The legacy of the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival". The Oregonian. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
- "The Mt. Hood Jazz Festival 2020 Announcement Page". Retrieved May 29, 2020.
- "The Mt. Hood Jazz Festival Home Page". Retrieved May 31, 2020.