Grammy-nominated Brazilian music legend Bebel Gilberto will headline the 12th annual Portland Jazz Festival, set to take over the Rose City Feb. 18-March 1.

PDX Jazz, a nonprofit cultural arts organization, has been putting on the festival since 2003, when the organization was founded. Its mission: “to inspire, educate and develop future jazz audiences for generations to come.”

The Portland Jazz Festival, held each February, is a multi-venue series of jazz-focused events, from performances, both paid and free, to lectures, films, exhibitions and jam sessions. This year’s festival celebrates Frank Sinatra’s 100th birthday with performances by vocalist Kurt Elling and pianist Bill Charlap.

Also scheduled to perform at this year’s festival are Becca Stevens, Benny Green, Billy Childs, Charnett Moffett, Christian McBride, Cyrille Aimée Stanley Jordan, St. Paul & The Broken Bones and many more.

The festival takes place in February to honor Black History Month. PDX Jazz is dedicated to “preserving America’s indigenous art form by presenting internationally recognized jazz masters alongside local jazz musicians,” according to the organization, which also observes Black History Month by providing education and outreach programs to Portland schools and community centers.

According to PDX Jazz, jazz has thrived in Portland since the World War II era. At that time, thousands of African Americans came to the city to work in the Kaiser shipyards as part of the war effort. When the war ended, the black population settled in the part of Portland that runs north from the Willamette River to Northeast Fremont Avenue, between North Interstate and what is now Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Because of Portland’s location between Seattle and Los Angeles, it became a resting place for many jazz musicians traveling between the two cities. Williams Avenue in Portland became one of the most popular places for jazz musicians, with venues hosting big names like Wardell Gray, Johnny Hodges, Earl Bostic, John Coltrane, local trumpeter Bobby Bradford, George Shearing and Oscar Peterson.

There will be 30 headlining concerts at the Portland Jazz Festival this year, the most in the event’s history. A list of headlining artists and the dates of their performances can be found at www.portlandjazzfestival.org. More information about the festival and ticketing can be found at www.pdxjazz.com.

— Reporter: 541-383-0350, kmccool@bendbulletin.com