Chris Cortez, the Central Floridian who parlayed his love of jazz into the Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts, has stepped down from leading the organization he founded.
Blue Bamboo board of directors chairman Jeff Flowers made the announcement on Saturday. Flowers will become managing director of the nonprofit, effective immediately.
“Our founder, Chris Cortez, has recently experienced a medical issue that has required him to step back from day-to-day management and assume emeritus status,” Flowers wrote in a statement he planned to provide to Winter Park Mayor Sheila DiCiccio and city commissioners on Monday. “While Chris will no longer be involved in operations, his artistic vision and legacy continue to guide our mission and inspire our work.”
Chris and Melody Cortez are well-known in the arts community, having dedicated years to making sure Central Floridians could enjoy regular jazz performances..
“We’re here because we’re doing something that we feel is really important and we care about a lot,” Chris Cortez said at the opening of the venue in the former Winter Park Library building in June.
Just a few months later, on Oct. 4, Cortez publicly posted on social media that he “Had to check into hospital” because tests had shown “I have brain issues.” .
He has kept a low profile in the weeks since being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer but is scheduled to perform at the Blue Bamboo, affectionately nicknamed “The Boo,” this Thursday, Oct. 30, in what Flowers said would be a tribute to Cortez.
The “Thursday Night Hangs” are a long-running tradition at the Blue Bamboo, when Cortez and other area musicians would jam.
“This Thursday night will be a historic and heartfelt moment in Central Florida’s music scene,” Flowers posted on the Blue Bamboo website. “Due to health concerns, Chris Cortez will be retiring from live performance, and he invites you to come out for his final performance at Blue Bamboo.
Chris Cortez, owner of Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts, leads his trio during a performance in Winter Park on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019. (Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel)
“Chris and Melody Cortez have poured their hearts into building Blue Bamboo as a home for creative music and the arts,” the announcement continued. “They have been true warriors for jazz in Central Florida, and their impact on this community is immeasurable. Before relocating to California to be near family, they want to spend one last night surrounded by the people who made this journey worth it: colleagues, friends, fans and fellow artists.”
The free event will begin at 8 p.m.
Flowers stressed that the Blue Bamboo was in good hands, saying that with Cortez’s departure, the board of directors was now meeting monthly to review operations, finances and continuing construction on the venue at 460 New England Ave.
$1 million in question as Winter Park arts partnership ends
“Directors have taken on leadership in operational, financial and technical areas, ensuring that our transition is both smooth and effective,” he said. “We have also added staff to handle essential functions in sound, video production and hospitality services.”
The Blue Bamboo operated from 2016-2023 in a warehouse on Kentucky Avenue before striking a deal with the city of Winter Park to move into the former library. The nonprofit had received a $1 million grant from Orange County to assist in renovating its new home, but that funding will be reviewed next month. It was granted under the expectation Central Florida Vocal Arts would join Blue Bamboo in the building, an arrangement that was called off when the organizations did not agree on the terms of the lease.
In his statement to Winter Park’s elected officials, Flowers offered assurances that the organization would continue to offer a variety of concerts and even expand into classical-music offerings.
Chris Cortez, founder of Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts, prepares for the buildout of the former Winter Park library, seen after the completion of the demolition phase on April 24, 2025. The new venue opened to the public in June. (Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel)
“The Blue Bamboo is evolving, growing and thriving,” he wrote. “We are deeply grateful for the City’s partnership and continued support, which are essential to preserving this one-of-a-kind cultural resource for the residents of Winter Park and the Central Florida arts community.”
The Thursday Night Hangs will continue as well, Flowers said, with University of Central Florida faculty members and local jazz musicians stepping forward “to carry the torch” in Cortez’s absence.
A crowd of friends is expected for Cortez’s finale this week.
“Let’s send Chris off with the biggest musical hug we can,” the website states. “This won’t be a quiet farewell— it’s going to be a celebration. A joyful night of gratitude and unforgettable music. Musicians, fans and friends: Bring your heart — there will be plenty of love.”
Follow me at facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com. Find more entertainment news and reviews at orlandosentinel.com/entertainment or sign up to receive our weekly emailed Entertainment newsletter.
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/10/26/chris-cortez-steps-down-blue-bamboo/
