Chris Cortez — musician, founder of the nonprofit performing arts haven Blue Bamboo Center, and the man who guided the venue to its expansive new home at the old Winter Park Library building on New England Avenue with wife, Melody — has passed away.
Cortez was diagnosed with brain cancer in October. He decided to step away from his day-to-day duties at the venue and headed west with Melody to California to be near family. He played his last show on the Blue Bamboo stage in front of a packed house on Oct. 30.
Cortez passed away on Sunday, Dec. 21, according to a post shared on the Blue Bamboo’s Facebook on Tuesday.
“Chris Cortez, founder and visionary of the Blue Bamboo Center For The Arts, may you rest in peace, knowing that your vision and your dreams are part of your legacy,” read the post — very fittingly. The expanded Blue Bamboo 2.0 facility in the old Winter Park Library is a testament to his tireless work on behalf of Orlando arts and music.
“I hold deep gratitude for Chris’ talent, his generosity, his belief in artists and the home he made for so many of us,” wrote Orlando musician and community-builder Beth McKee on social media.