Georgia State University Associate Professor Dr. Maurice J. Hobson pictured with panelists Phillip DePoy, Playwright of Nick’s Flamingo Grill, and Joe Alterman, Jazz Pianist and Director of The Atlanta Jewish Music Festival.
The “History of Jazz in Atlanta,” presented in collaboration with the Alliance Theatre and The Atlanta Jazz Festival, Inc. saw more than 120 people come together at the Woodruff Arts Center’s Rich Auditorium to engage in an enlightening panel discussion and Q&A about jazz music’s influence on the city’s culture. The event included exclusive excerpts from the Alliance Theatre’s new musical “Nick’s Flamingo Grill,” which tells the story of two G.I.s turned jazz musicians who attempt to transport their racially mixed performance from abroad to 1950s Atlanta.
The evening opened with remarks from the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs’ (OCA) Executive Director, Camille Russell Love. The panel discussion was moderated by Dr. Maurice J. Hobson, Associate Professor of African American Studies at Georgia State University, with insights from panelists Phillip DePoy, Playwright of Nick’s Flamingo Grill, and Joe Alterman, Jazz Pianist and Director of The Atlanta Jewish Music Festival.
The speakers shared their thoughts regarding the importance of Jazz as an art form and the cultural significance of the city’s first integrated jazz club, which inspired the play. Thanks to everyone who attended and participated in the discussion.
Performances of Nick’s Flamingo Grill start September 29 and run until October 28 in the Alliance Theatre’s Hertz Stage. For more information, visit alliancetheatre.org.
Also, look for information regarding the Atlanta Jazz Festival’s Emerging Jazz Icons Series returning this fall.