ATLANTA The countdown to the 33rd Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival presented by American Family Insurance has begun! This year’s Jazz Festival promises to be an event extraordinaire as it returns to Piedmont Park. To whet the public’s appetite, a preview of this year’s event was held at the newly opened Loews Hotel Buckhead. The soiree was attended by Mayor Kasim Read and members of The Office of Cultural Affairs. It was quite a lovely event, I personally enjoyed the ala Top Chef appetizer tables (a big girl’s gotta eat!).
You can submerge yourself in the sounds of jazz throughout the month of May with the all new Ultimate Jazz Score video contest and the 31 Days of Jazz Passport Program, at venues all across the city. Were really excited to launch additions like the Passport Program, which will help us recognize Festival patrons who support the tradition of jazz as well as encourage others to explore their musical tastes and different areas of the city. And, while its not part of the Passport Program, you shouldnt miss our spectacular Festival line-up over Memorial Day Weekend, May 29 and 30!
More than 50 jazz events many of which are free! – will be held throughout the month of May as part of this years 31 Days of Jazz. For music fans who need their jazz fix pre-Memorial Day Weekend, indulge with the new Passport Program, a Jazz Journey through Metropolitan Atlanta. Participants can pick up a Passport Card at a specified location or download it online and receive a stamp for every attended 31 Days of Jazz program. Those with 15 or more stamps can be entered to win an ultimate fan prize package at the May 21 event, Friday Jazz at the High. More details on 31 Days of Jazz will be announced shortly and available at www.atlantafestivals.com.
Taste the phenomenal flavor of jazz Memorial Day Weekend with newly announced headliners Swing Streets to Swing Beats featuring Esperanza Spalding and Raydar Ellis; and Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue. Swing Streets to Swing Beats will unite prolific, groundbreaking, and gifted contemporary jazz artists under the auspices of Revive Music Group for a jazz and hip-hop celebration connecting the genres and ultimately fans of multiple generations at the Atlanta Jazz Festival. Also performing on the main stage is 23-year-old Troy Trombone Shorty Andrews whose outstanding talent on the trombone and trumpet gives him the ability to deliver a high-energy funk rock show capable of mesmerizing even international rock stars.
Saturday, May 29, 2010*
Sunday, May 30, 2010*
Rialto Jazz For Kids All Star Jazz Band
2:00 PM
Metropolitan Atlanta Youth Wind Ensemble Jazz Band
2:00 PM
Jay Norem and Keith White Quartet
3:00 PM
Ultimate Jazz Score video contest winner*
3:00 PM
The Steven Charles Band
4:00 PM
Kathleen Bertrand
4:00 PM
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue
5:30 PM
Spyro Gyra
5:30 PM
Swing Streets to Swing Beats feat. Esperanza Spalding and Raydar Ellis
7:00 PM
MF Productions Celebration of Lionel Hampton feat. Diane Schuur and Jason Marsalis
7:00 PM
Marcus Miller Tutu Revisted, the Music of Miles Davis feat. Christian Scott
8:30 PM
Stanley Clarke Band and Hiromi
8:30 PM
*Times and line-up subject to change.
Dont forget, jazz fansyou still have time to vote! Between April 18 and April 30, head to www.atlantafestivals.com to cast a vote towards one of top ten finalists for the Ultimate Jazz Score* video contest! One lucky (and talented) jazz band will be chosen on May 1 and will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to impress tens of thousands of music aficionados on the Main Stage on Sunday afternoon.
The Atlanta Jazz Festival Presented by American Family Insurance is proud to have the generous support of Publix, Coca-Cola, Anheuser Busch and the Loews Hotel.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA JAZZ FESTIVAL
Produced by the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs, the Atlanta Jazz Festival builds on the success and heritage of previous festivals by continuing its expansion with a 31-day schedule. It is the mission of the Atlanta Jazz Festival to expose and entertain a diverse audience of jazz aficionados, young jazz enthusiasts and musical artists to the rich heritage and variety of jazz as an authentic form of traditional music. For 33 years, the festival has brought to Atlanta world-renowned performers such as Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Etta James, Hiroshima, Neville Brothers, Al Jarreau, Branford Marsalis & Wynton Marsalis, Nina Simone and Dizzy Gillespie. For more information, please call 404.853.4234 or visit www.atlantafestivals.com. The 2010 Atlanta Jazz Festival is a program of the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs, a division of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs. For more information about the services of the City of Atlanta, please visit www.atlantaga.govor watch City Channel 26.
