{"id":127,"date":"2008-10-01T09:44:06","date_gmt":"2008-10-01T13:44:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/2008\/10\/alaska_airlines_to_the_rescue\/"},"modified":"2011-04-28T16:34:23","modified_gmt":"2011-04-28T20:34:23","slug":"alaska_airlines_to_the_rescue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2008\/10\/alaska_airlines_to_the_rescue.html","title":{"rendered":"Alaska Airlines to the rescue: Portland Jazz Fest revived"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Portland Jazz Festival<\/a>, pronounced dead on September 8 due to the pullout of Seattle-based title sponsor Qwest Communications, now rises from its ashes on the wings of Alaska Airlines and an advisory board of local businesses and individuals. According to a press release issued today by PDX Jazz, the fest’s umbrella organization, “the 6th Annual Alaska Airlines Portland Jazz Festival presented by The Oregonian A&E will take place, as scheduled, Februrary 13-22, 2009.” The 10-day fest’s theme will be the 70th anniversary of Blue Note Records. Does this suggest corporate and community support for jazz is available — if you know where to find it?<\/p>\n


\nBill Royston, producer of the Portland Jazz Fest, explained the turnaround thusly: “Last Wednesday, two things happened. First, we were asked to meet with member of Portland City Council and a coalition of local leaders to explore ways to revitalize PDX Jazz. Later that day we also received an unsolicited phone call expressing interest [from] Alaska Airlines on a multi-year title sponsorship . . \u00c2\u00a0This will both meet our immediate needs and provide the beginning of long-term stability.”<\/span><\/p>\n


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Back to the press release:\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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“Alaska Airlines is pleased to sponsor the Portland Jazz
\nFestival,” said Steve Jarvis, Alaska Airlines vice president of marketing
\nsales and customer experience. “Portland is home to many customers and
\nemployees of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, and we’re happy to help showcase
\ngreat artists and their music through this important community event.”\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n


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A force for regional integration, Horizon Air operates shuttle flights on the hour and half-hour between Portland and Seattle.\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n


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With further support for the fest coming from Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish, businessman Sho Dozono (a former mayoral candidate and head of Azumano Travel Service), U.S. Bank, Precision Cast Parts, Oregonian A&E (the daily newspaper’s arts and entertainment section), Travel Portland, the Portland Trailblazers, Rogue Ales, the record store Music Millennium, Amtrack, NW Natural (gas company), Enterprise Rent-A-Car\u00c2\u00a0<\/span>and a host of downtown hotels, even Qwest returned to the fold with a new funding pledge from the firm’s national foundation.<\/span><\/p>\n
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The resurgence of the Portland Jazz Fest strengthens the Pacific Northwest’s position as a burgeoning international showcase for new music:<\/span><\/div>\n

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