Jazz & Contemporary Music

Join the School of Music & Theater Jazz Program

PSU Jazz & Contemporary Music: Plug Into Portland’s Urban Music Scene

Join the Jazz Studies program at the PSU School of Music & Theater to pursue your degree in jazz, commercial, and contemporary music. Located in the cultural epicenter of the Pacific Northwest, PSU bridges the gap between the classroom and the professional bandstand, offering a unique contemporary music program for today's evolving artists.

Whether you are an instrumentalist or a vocalist, you will master improvisation, repertoire, and the jazz and contemporary language while discovering your unique artistic voice in both traditional and commercial music settings.

Our program offers equal emphasis on Instrumental and Vocal Jazz, ensuring a collaborative environment where horn players, rhythm sections, and vocalists grow together.

Instrumental Excellence: Deepen your technical facility and harmonic understanding through rigorous studio instruction.
Vocal Mastery: Focus on scatting, lyric interpretation, and vocal health within a contemporary jazz and popular music context.

A man at the piano with two women singing beside him.

Learn from World-Renowned Artists

Study with world-class performers and educators, including Darrell Grant—renowned pianist, composer, and Associate Director of the School of Music & Theater. His “Artist as Citizen” approach encourages students to engage communities and inspire social change through music.

WHY PSU JAZZ?

One-on-one Mentorship From day one, you’ll begin one-on-one lessons with faculty who are active leaders in the jazz world. These mentors don't just teach technique; they frequently invite students to join them on professional stages across Portland.

Performance-First Philosophy Performance is the heartbeat of our curriculum, and we believe great music happens when diverse voices come together.

A jazz big band with musicians and singers perform on stage.

ENSEMBLES: CORE CURRICULUM, OPEN TO ALL MAJORS

Large Ensembles: High-energy big bands and dynamic vocal jazz ensembles.
Small Groups: Essential combo settings where you learn the nuances of communication and spontaneity.
Portland’s Bandstands: Benefit from our prime location as you transition seamlessly from campus recitals to gigs at the city’s jazz and contemporary music venues.

“Small groups are where you find the soul of jazz. It’s where you truly become part of the community.” — Professor George Colligan

Learn More About PSU Jazz Ensembles

Jazz Area Coordinators

A man in a red turtle neck, black leather jacket, newsboy cap, and glasses.

George Colligan - Instrumental Jazz Area Coordinator

George Colligan is not only one of the great jazz pianists of his generation, but he has earned an international reputation as a multi-instrumentalist, composer, accompanist, teacher, and bandleader.

Contact George

Sherry Alves - Vocal Jazz Area Coordinator

Sherry Alves is the Instructor of Jazz Voice at Portland State University where she teaches applied jazz voice, improvisation, jazz pedagogy, jazz vocal ensembles and combos, and special topics in music history.

Contact Sherry

Alumni Spotlights

Nicole Glover

Nicole Glover is a saxophonist, bandleader, and educator based in New York City. In 2026, she was named "Up and Coming Musician of the Year" by the Jazz Journalists Association and received DownBeat Magazine's #1 Rising Star honors for both Tenor and Soprano Saxophone. Her trio with bassist Tyrone Allen II and drummer Kayvon Gordon headlined the legendary Village Vanguard and released their acclaimed sophomore album, Memories, Dreams, Reflections, in 2025, praised by Jazzwise as "modern jazz at its most brilliant and uncompromising." A sought-after collaborator, Nicole currently tours with ensembles led by Christian McBride and Renee Rosnes, including the award-winning ARTEMIS, and has also toured and recorded with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. She has performed with many of today's leading jazz artists and appears on several of George Colligan's recordings. An accomplished educator, Nicole serves on the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music and has previously taught at Princeton University, The New School and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She has also presented masterclasses and private lessons for students around the world.

Photo by Ebru Yildiz.

Jimmie Herrod

https://youtu.be/3lUQi0FNzEQ

With “a voice like a beacon of hope” (Seattle Times), vocalist Jimmie Herrod brings singular power and expressivity to his globe-trotting career as a singer, songwriter, and entertainer on stage and screen. Herrod first came to worldwide prominence as a finalist on the NBC nationally broadcast television show, “America’s Got Talent,” earning the rare “Golden Buzzer” recognition from actress Sofía Vergara and returning the following year on the AGT All-Stars series.

Since late 2017 Herrod has toured with the band Pink Martini performing across the US, Canada, Mexico, South Korea, and Europe. Outside of performing arts centers and jazz clubs, Herrod is regularly featured with major orchestras across the US and Canada, and has shared the stage with artists such as Lalah Hathaway, Brian Blade, Vince Mendoza, Renee Fleming, and many more.

Significant engagements:

The Kennedy Center
Carnegie Hall
Live at Luxor Vegas Residency
Cleveland Orchestra

Nicole McCabe

Saxophonist and composer Nicole McCabe has quickly emerged as one of the defining new voices in contemporary jazz. Rooted in the hard-bop tradition yet unafraid to explore electronic textures, expansive improvisation, and modern rhythmic language, her music reflects a bold, searching artistry shaped by both deep study and fearless experimentation.

Originally from Marin County and now based in Los Angeles, McCabe has crafted a sound that is unmistakably her own: full of narrative clarity, melodic intuition, and a wide-open sense of curiosity. Her work as both a soloist and a bandleader highlight a commitment to ensemble interplay and compositional storytelling, and her collaborations with some of today’s most forward-thinking musicians continue to broaden her creative range.

With this new release, McCabe adds another vivid chapter to her rapidly expanding body of work, offering music that is both grounded and exploratory—an honest celebration of artistry, mastery and above all, endless color in sound.

Photo by Brian Bixby.

Recent Guest Artists

A man's face half drenched in shadow as he presents his saxophone forward.

Steve Wilson

Celebrated by Jazz Times as one of the finest saxophonists of our time, Steve Wilson visited PSU to perform alongside the PSU Jazz Band, directed by Professor George Colligan. During his visit, he also led a public master class where he provided live feedback and expert coaching to performing PSU jazz students.

Inara George

Acclaimed Los Angeles singer-songwriter Inara George—known for her solo work and as half of the indie pop duo The Bird and the Bee—joined the PSU Vocal Collective and PSU Jazz Band for a special collaborative concert. During the event, she performed her original music backed by unique, reimagined jazz arrangements created specifically for her visit by PSU faculty and students.

A woman looking seriously as she holds and leans on her saxohpone

Melissa Aldana

Renowned Chilean saxophonist and Downbeat magazine’s “Rising Star Artist of the Year” Melissa Aldana visited PSU to perform alongside the PSU Jazz Band, directed by George Colligan. During her visit, she showcased the exceptional talent that has solidified her reputation as one of the leading voices in today's jazz scene.

A woman with with her arm up and bent. She rests her head against the raised arm, and her other hand rests under her cheek

Johnaye Kendrick

Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Johnaye Kendrick joined PSU Jazz in a special performance featuring the PSU Vocal Collective and PSU Jazz Band, under the guidance of professors Sherry Alves and George Colligan

A woman in a red sequenced jack with short, pointed gray hair

Allison Miller

Internationally known jazz drummer, composer, and Artemis band member Allison Miller visited PSU to perform alongside the PSU Jazz Band. During the concert, the student ensemble had the unique opportunity to play a selection of Miller's original music and arrangements alongside the veteran musician.

A beautiful woman with her hair in a bun and she is holding a saxophone

Camille Thurman

Acclaimed jazz saxophonist, vocalist and composer Camille Thurman, the first woman in 30 years to tour full-time with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, joined PSU students and faculty for a concert and masterclass, sharing her artistry as both an acclaimed performer and educator.

PSU's Music programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).