It’s going to be busy in North Bend Saturday evening, when the Boxley Music Fund’s Jazz Walk returns for its third year. It’s also, according to organizers, going to be awesome.

“We counted 86 musicians, and at least 15 venues,” says Greg Williamson, owner of Pony Boy Records, and booker of music for the event. Officially, the website, www.northbendjazzwalk.com, lists 18 venues in all, and 21 acts, to fill them.

They range in size from classic jazz duos and trios to the still classic, but big brassy sound of a 16-piece group, the Emerald City Jazz Orchestra.

“It’s going to be awesome!” says Boxley founder and Jazz Walk performer Danny Kolke, of the orchestra’s debut at the Jazz Walk.

“To have 16 is really something special,” explains Williamson, who is also a drummer in the orchestra, “and you need a pretty big venue. It’s better for the audience because it’s a really big sound.”

Emerald City Jazz Orchestra will let loose with that sound at 9 p.m. in the North Bend Theater. Listeners can expect to hear a lot of brass and a few jazz standards, but not like they’ve heard them before.

“The style is what we call the jazz orchestra, which is taking the old big band format, four trumpets, four trombones, five saxophones, and playing modern arrangements,” Williamson said. “This band incorporates a lot of modern jazz into the old format.”

In other words, “We don’t play ‘In the Mood,’” he said. “We do draw inspiration from the old swing band, but the harmonies are much more modern.”

This is the first year the full orchestra, led by Kevin Seeley, will play the Jazz Walk, but Williamson organized a subset, called the Pony Boy All Star Players, for last year’s event.

Musicians like to play the Jazz Walk, he said.

“The jazz walk is a very, very special event. It’s cool to have so many musicians wandering around, great for the audience to see so many groups in one place,” he said.

Also, the event draws a welcoming and friendly crowd, ready to relax and enjoy the music, and chat with the musicians on break.

“They’re always very appreciative,” he said.

They’re also, in his opinion, very intelligent. Asked why jazz seems to be so popular in the Pacific Northwest, Williamson credits “Smarter audiences… I think they’re more used to hearing instrumental music, they’re not limited to the lowest common denominator.”

“Jazz is fairly strong in the Northwest,” but of course, “We wish it were stronger,” he said.

It’s increasingly popular in North Bend, which has seen attendance balloon from 700 in the first year to 1,200 in 2013. Ticket sales are limited to 1,600 this year.

“That’s about how many seats we have in our venues,” said Kolke.

So, “get online and buy tickets!” says Williamson.

Advance tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for students, at a discount on the event website, www.northbendjazzwalk.com.

You can find the full schedule there, with artist profiles. Tickets are available at the door, $25 for adults, $15 for students.

Jazz Walk lineup

Peforming at the third annual North Bend Jazz Walk are:

Future Jazz Heads

Chuck Deardorf & Gene Argel

Kelly Eisenhour Trio

Jay Thomas and the Cantaloupes

Danny Kolke Trio & Guests

Bernie Jacobs Quartet

Jennifer Kienzle Duo

Bob Baumann & Friends

Janette West Quartet

Leah Stillwell Duo

Aria Prame Trio

Chris Fagan & Ty Bailie

Hans Brehmer Trio

Endemic Ensemble

Rob Scheps & Steve Christofferson

Milo Petersen Trio

Paul Green Quintet

Randy Halberstadt Quartet

Emerald City Jazz Orchestra

Mordy Ferber with Kistler & Gallio

Diana Page Quartet with Katy Bourne

Pete Petersen Septet