Oregon Festival of American Music (OFAM) includes musicals, concerts, movies, lectures and special events. Be prepared for a fascinating assortment of obvious and not-so-obvious selections, including music from legendary performers such as Benny Goodman, The Dorsey Brothers, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and many more. This year's musical is "Damn Yankees."
This year's theme is "Might as Well Be Swing: Reflections on the Age of Swing, 1928-1946." Arising out of musical and rhythmic developments among the "hot" bands of the late 1920s and coined "Swing," the new pulse and sound coming from bands of the mid-30s electrified audiences and began a resurgence of widespread popularity for larger and smaller jazz ensembles alike. This was an era of big bands, demanding bandleaders, flashy soloists, swinging riffs, handsome crooners and heartbreaking lady vocalists. The Swing Era produced such an iconic and massive volume of hits that it has remained one of the most loved and widely celebrated genres of jazz today.
