Chris Cheek
is one of the most sought after saxophonists in the Jazz world today, having played in the the groups of legends such as Paul Motian, Charlie Haden, Steve Swallow and Bill Frisell. As a leader he has performed with the likes of Jorge Rossy, Brad Mehldau, Steve Cardenas and Kurt Rosenwinkle. His latest CD “Saturday Songs” (on Sunnyside Records) along with his recordings (on Fresh Sound records) “I Wish I Knew”, “A Girl Named Joe”, “Vine”, and “Blues Cruise” have all received rave reviews internationally and have become favorites among players and listeners alike. He is also Co-leader of the bands “Rudder” (19/8 records), “the Bloomdaddies” (Fresh Sound) and “Reeds Ramble” (Criss Cross records).

The Orquestra Jazz de Matosinhos
created in 1999 with the support of Matosinhos City Council, is a permanent laboratory. It doesn't forget the tradition of the great big bands of the past, but continually promotes creation, research, dissemination and training in the field of jazz, combining international ambition with a sense of local responsibility.

As an authentic national jazz orchestra, it presents repertoire from all aesthetic variants and all eras of jazz, assuming itself as a broad forum for composers and musicians, launching bridges, establishing partnerships and producing a specific, versatile and diverse national repertoire for contemporary big bands.

Directed by Pedro Guedes and Carlos Azevedo, it has collaborated with names as diverse as Maria Schneider, Carla Bley, Lee Konitz, John Hollenbeck, Jim McNeely, Kurt Rosenwinkel, João Paulo Esteves da Silva, Carlos Bica, Ingrid Jensen, Bob Berg, Conrad Herwig, Mark Turner, Rich Perry, Steve Swallow, Gary Valente, Dieter Glawischnig, Stephan Ashbury, Chris Cheek, Ohad Talmor, Joshua Redman, Andy Sheppard, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Maria Rita, Maria João, Mayra Andrade and Manuela Azevedo among many others.

The OJM has performed regularly in the country's main venues and also in Barcelona, Brussels, Milan, New York, Boston and Marseille. It was the first Portuguese jazz ensemble to take part in a North American festival (JVC Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, in 2007), took part in the Beantown Jazz Festival in Boston and played seasons at the New York clubs Birdland, Jazz Standard, Jazz Gallery and Iridium. In 2015, they will also be on the programme of the Voll-Damm International Jazz Festival in Barcelona, and in 2016 they are scheduled to perform at the Blue Note in New York and at the Konzerthaus in Vienna, where they will present Our Secret World, with Kurt Rosenwinkel.

OJM's discography began to see the light of day in 2006 and reflects some of its most solid collaborations. After Orquestra Jazz de Matosinhos Invites: Chris Cheek (Fresh Sound New Talent), Portology (Omnitone) appeared, with Lee Konitz as composer and main soloist. The collaboration with guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel resulted in the recording of Our Secret World (WomMusic, 2010), released in the USA and Portugal. In 2011 she released an album with singer Maria João, Amoras e Framboesas (Universal Music). 2013 saw the release of Bela Senão Sem (TOAP), with original arrangements of music by pianist João Paulo Esteves da Silva. In 2014, the album Jazz Composers Forum: today's European-American big band writing (TOAP) was released, the result of the recording of eight commissions made to eight composers, four American and four European, for the concert cycle of the same name.

Since 2010, the Orchestra has also been developing a project to create a High Performance Art Centre (CARA) in Matosinhos, promoting dialogue between art, science and technology, namely through multidisciplinary projects aimed at researching and developing solutions for the creation, enjoyment and dissemination of creative content.