Founded by jazz pianist Kerry Politzer in 2017, Bossa PDX is Portland’s classic Brazilian jazz and bossa nova ensemble. The group performs a diverse selection of hits and deep cuts from the rich tradition of Brazilian popular music from the 1950s on. Bossa PDX has performed at venues and festivals all over the region, including the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival, the Montavilla Jazz Festival, The 1905, Ellensburg’s Jazz in the Valley, the Oregon Coast Jazz Party in Newport, the Lincoln City Cultural Center, the Lan Su Garden, the Jack London Revue, the Jazz Station, the Walters Cultural Arts Center, and many others. The group has also partnered with Allen Thayer, the host of KMHD’s The Brazilian Beat, in a monthly series devoted to different Brazilian composers.

In 2019, together with a band including regular members Ben Graves (guitar) and drums (George Colligan), bandleader Politzer released the album “Diagonal: A Tribute to Durval Ferreira,” which was included in Mark Holston’s three-part “Back to Brazil” series at All About Jazz. Currently, bassist Robert Rodriguez contributes an infectious groove to the band, helping to craft an engaging and uplifting audience experience.