What makes the Oregon Coast Jazz Party special, first and foremost, is the excellent talent assembled each year. Add to that a superb location at the Oregon Coast – on the beautiful shores of Nye Beach in the “Dungeness Crab Capital of the World®” – and an incredible, state-of-the-art venue (Newport Performing Arts Center, which features an unparalleled Meyer Constellation sound system). In addition to drawing fans from across the Pacific Northwest and beyond, the Oregon Coast Jazz Party enjoys the support of a loyal local fan base, regional businesses, and a dedicated team of volunteers. The result is a Jazz event like no other – pairing extreme professional talent and tech with a friendly, casual environment…where the focus is on the music. It all adds up to a party you don’t want to miss.
Oregon Coast Jazz Party supports and is presented by Oregon Coast Council for the Arts, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization developing, promoting, supporting, and celebrating community arts.
HISTORY
Otter Crest Origins
As best as can be determined, serious jazz came to the central Oregon coast in 1978. That’s when the Jazz Society of Oregon (JSO) sponsored its first Otter Crest Jazz Weekend at the Inn at Otter Crest. Several big-name jazz musicians performed during this three-day event, and although the festival was not a financial success, it raised the JSO profile, which was established in 1973 to advance public acceptance of jazz music as a viable force in contemporary culture.
Black, Brown, and Beige
Promoters Jim and Mary Brown, who helped to inaugurate the Otter Crest Jazz Weekend, produced this three-day version. The concerts brought many nationally known players to the area and demonstrated that an audience for jazz existed outside the urban nightclub venues. They also proved that a highly concentrated program of top-flight jazz musicians, showcased in an intimate setting, was a successful formula.
Jazz on the Water
After 17 years of Otter Crest Jazz Weekends, which spanned the years 1978 to 1995, Geno Michaels produced Jazz on the Water for three years, from 1997 to 1999. These events were held on Newport’s Bayfront in South Beach around the Newport Marina.
Jazz at Newport
Initial discussions for an Oregon Coast Council for the Arts (OCCA) jazz event occurred over the period of a year, with board member Jeff Ouderkirk being the champion of the event to the board of directors. In 2003, OCCA and its executive director at the
time, Frank Geltner, came up with the name
“Jazz at Newport.”
Jazz Fridays, Jazz Around Town
Supplementing the event’s performances, in the early years OCCA presented Jazz Fridays concerts leading up to the event. These were staged in the lobby of the Newport Performing Arts Center and featured some of the finest local jazz artists. Jazz Around Town was an effort to include local lodging properties and restaurants, and to provide an outlet for local and regional jazz artists. Artists appearing at the event performed “off hours” at local venues, when they weren’t playing at the event itself. Jazz Around Town continued in one form or another for several years.
Let’s have a party
The first Jazz at Newport in 2004 featured a very broad event, with shows scattered all over Newport at more than a dozen venues. This was a challenge for producers, as well as Patrons. (“Overkill” was a common term in their discussions.) But in that first year, Geltner met renowned jazz flutist, composer, arranger, band-leader Holly Hofmann. She offered an idea about the difference between a festival and a party. The success of such a format is directly related to having a director who is close to successful artists. For Newport’s event, that person was Hofmann.
In 2006, with her assistance, the event was shifted to the “jazz party” concept. Artists were booked who would symbolically connect the jazz party to its predecessor, the Otter Crest Jazz Weekend. The formula worked beautifully, and Hofmann officially became Artistic Director of the Party in 2008. She continued to lead through 2018, then co-led the 2019 event with Ken Peplowski.
Evolution, endurance
When Geltner retired, the party’s future seemed uncertain. Fortunately, the OCCA board, along with its new executive director, Catherine Rickbone, continued the event. The party continued to grow and evolve for several years. But when the pandemic hit in early 2020, everything was up in the air. The PAC was shuttered, Rickbone retired shortly thereafter, and for a brief time OCCA’s staff was trimmed to the bare minimum. It was an unsteady time for all arts organizations, venues, and live events. Live music was especially vacant from our lives, and sorely missed.
While there could be no jazz party in 2020, by 2021 OCCA had a new executive director, Jason Holland, and a new music director, Ken Peplowski. At long last, the PAC doors reopened. A full-scale Party was not yet possible in 2021. Instead, a scaled-down version was held, following the prevailing health and safety guidelines of the time. From there, the Oregon Coast Jazz Party continued to regain ground and find new footing.
Today
In early 2026, the jazz world mourned the passing of Ken Peplowski. Ken was more than a curator; he was the heartbeat of the event, celebrated for his sharp wit, virtuosic swing, and unmatched ability to unite the world’s finest musicians. The 2026 festival will serve as a tribute to his enduring legacy. Leading this year’s celebration is interim Artistic Director John Clayton—a world-renowned jazz icon, legendary bassist, composer, and Grammy-winning educator.
The beat goes on…