PORTLAND, Ore. — A world-class lineup of artists will be blending jazz, soul and blues music this weekend in the St. Johns neighborhood.
The Cathedral Park Jazz Festival is back for its 43rd year. The event is free and runs from Friday, July 14 through Sunday, July 16.
This year's schedule features a myriad of musicians from across the region like Friday night's headliner, the Curtis Salgado Band. Their namesake vocalist and songwriter inspired the iconic Blues Brothers movies. Other groups performing include the Terry Robb Trio, The Gold Experience, The 1905 Orchestra, and Ural Thomas and The Pain.
Latin jazz vocalist Jessie Marquez will make an appearance Sunday afternoon. Her music combines Cuban, Brazilian, jazz and pop sounds. She performs regularly at wine bars and festivals around Oregon, and has also recorded with members of the Afro Cuban All-Stars in Havana, Cuba.
Marquez said she has loved to sing since she was a young kid.
"I remember singing for my parents, like getting up on the bed and singing for them and really wanting them to clap for me," she said.
She added that music helped her process difficult feelings at a young age.
"I think that throughout high school, music was a way to process all those big feelings that you have as you’re growing up, like to understand them, to kind of feel them fully, to work through them," she said. "And I think that that’s still true for me today, that I’m still using music that way to help me navigate life, feel things, understand feelings."
The festival will have food carts and a beer and wine garden, making it easy for anyone who wants to spend the day in the park.
People planning to go are encouraged to take public transportation or arrive early to find street parking.
