Jazz festival to make a comeback

The High Mountains Jazz at Sisters board of directors announced that the famed Sisters festival will return next September.

The decision came after several months of study.

In announcing the decision, Board Chair Tom Worcester said, "The Jazz Festival will present a show that maintains some of the flavor of past festivals, but also gets groups that will attract new fans to our Sisters venues."

The Jazz Festival had a 10-year run before taking a year off in 2001 while the board considered ways to increase both the festival audience and financial base.

"We believe we have a plan that will achieve those goals," Worcester said.

Jim Smith, festival director for High Mountains Jazz, already is in contact with several groups that are holding the dates of September 13-15 for Sisters.

High Mountains Jazz at Sisters will return as part of a developing alliance called "September in Sisters" that includes the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce, Sisters Folk Festival, Community Action Team of Sisters (CATS), and Sisters in Sisters.

The alliance will find ways to share costs of event promotion and production at a variety of arts and cultural events extending into the shoulder season of travel in Central Oregon.

In addition to bringing in some familiar and some new groups, the jazz board is committed to a revised format that will involve both its musicians and audience in Sisters, according to board representatives.