After a year off, fans will delight in the sounds of legendary jazz musicians like Patti Austin and Archie Shepp – along with rising stars like Jazzmeia Horn and Ryan Kilgore – as well as jazz education workshops, the Kids Zone and more!
The 2021 Atlanta Jazz Festival (AJF), occurring Sunday, September 5 and Monday, September 6, was moved to Labor Day Weekend in Piedmont Park. Fans are welcome to come out to the park and enjoy live music, education food and fun in open spaces. For those who cannot attend, we will be live-streaming the Meadow Stage performances to jazz fans across the globe through our unique partnership with Quincy Jones’ Qwest TV. Festival fans can use discount code “atlantajazz“ on qwest.tv/atlantajazz for one month of free access!
The AJF features outstanding performances on two stages: the Meadow Stage and the Oak Hill Stage. The Meadow Stage line-up for Sunday will feature Karla Harris, Ryan Kilgore, Jazzmeia Horn, the Ron Carter Quartet and jazz, R+B, pop crossover sensation Patti Austin.
On Monday, the Meadow Stage musicians include Isaiah Sharkey, Laurin Talese, Theo Croker, Sean Jones and revered saxophonist and scholar, Archie Shepp.
On Sunday, September 5, the Oak Hill Stage will feature international jazz artists Pasquale Grasso Trio, Yuko Mabuchi, Alexey Marti and Miguel Zenon, while Monday’s performances feature Brenda Nicole Moorer, Logan Richardson, Irreversible Entanglements and Mike Phillips.
This year, the AJF will also feature an educational component with free Jazz 101 workshops that will be led by Grammy-nominated, Grammy-winning and esteemed jazz musicians, including vocalist Jazzmeia Horn, bassist Ron Carter, saxophonists Mike Phillips, Miguel Zenon and Archie Shepp, and trumpeter Sean Jones. The workshops will be held in the Greystone building at Piedmont Park. Registration is recommended due to limited seating and masks are required.
Local artist Michael Reese created this year’s official artwork, “Theories of the Lowest End,” which will be featured on a throw blanket and poster. The merchandise, along with caps, aprons and T-shirts, are available through shop.atlantafestivals.com, the Atlanta Jazz Festival’s first e-commerce store, where sale proceeds help to keep the event free of charge. This year also includes a special collaboration with Atlanta Influences Everything for a limited-edition T-shirt available through the e-commerce store as well as The Artist Market and merchant tents.
The Festival is hosting a special artist village featuring 10 local artists along with The Artist Market which delights fans with eclectic and handcrafted goods that line the park’s sidewalks, along with a variety of food and drinks available for purchase.
The Kids Zone is back in the Meadow from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday and Monday, September 5 – 6. A free interactive experience for children called “African Drums for Kids” will happen on Sunday and Monday in the Kid Zone and be led by two-time Grammy-nominated trumpeter, composer and bandleader Russell Gunn. Participating children will receive a T- shirt and a percussion instrument as keepsakes from the 30-minute workshops. There will also be a Baby Rest Stop with changing tables and a designated area for nursing mothers – all free of charge.
This year’s event sponsors include Publix, PNC Bank, Georgia Power, Tito’s Vodka, Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United FC, MARTA, Qwest TV, Moxy Atlanta Midtown and the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau.
For more details, visit the events pages at AtlantaFestivals.com or ATLJazzFest.com.
Know Before You Go – Park Rules & COVID-19 Precautions
The City of Atlanta and the Atlanta Jazz Festival are following the science and recommendations for safe events. We encourage those attending the festival to be courteous to their neighbors and follow these protocols:
– Masks are strongly encouraged for all attendees, regardless of vaccination status
– Following City of Atlanta guidelines, masks are required for indoor events like Jazz 101 workshops
– Attendees are encouraged to social distance at all times
In addition, there will be enhanced sanitization at the event, including regularly disinfecting surfaces and hand sanitizer stations available to all attendees.
For a complete list of park rules, click here.
Thank you for helping us make the Atlanta Jazz Festival a fun and safe event for all!
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About Atlanta Jazz Festival
The Atlanta Jazz Festival is regarded as one of the country’s largest free jazz festivals and invites music lovers from around the region to be immersed in jazz music culture. Mayor Maynard Jackson founded the festival to promote the art form that originated in the south. The Atlanta Jazz Festival is an annual musical showcase that celebrates jazz legends and features up-and-coming jazz performers with performances at Piedmont Park.
For more information, please visit www.atlantafestivals.com and follow Atlanta Jazz Festival on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. Fans also can access information on the go by visiting the mobile channel, ATLJazzFest.com, from their smart device.
The Atlanta Jazz Festival will host a free viewing party of The 2018 All-Star Global Concert on Monday, April 30 at The Plaza Theatre beginning at 4 p.m. Doors will open at 3:30 p.m.
The All-Star Global Concert will feature a stellar lineup of international artists representing jazz, and many other genres of music, for a performance that spans styles, cultures and languages taking place at St. Petersburg’s famed Mariinsky Theatre, home to the internationally acclaimed Mariinsky Ballet and one of the crown jewels of a city renowned for its UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The 2018 All-Star Global Concert will feature nearly three dozen acclaimed artists representing 14 countries, including many Atlanta Jazz Festival past performers. Herbie Hancock (USA) and Igor Butman (Russia) will serve as co-artistic directors, and John Beasley (USA) will serve as musical director.
Additional confirmed artists include: Cyrille Aimée (France), Oleg Akkuratov (Russia), Till Brönner (Germany), Oleg Butman (Russia), Terri Lyne Carrington (USA), Joey DeFrancesco (USA), Fatoumata Diawara (Mali), Vadim Eilenkrig (Russia), Kurt Elling (USA), Antonio Faraò (Italy), James Genus (USA), Robert Glasper (USA), David Goloschyokin (Russia), Hassan Hakmoun (Morocco), Gilad Hekselman (Israel), Horacio Hernandez (Cuba), Taku Hirano (Japan), Anatoly Kroll (Russia), Gaoyang Li (China), Rudresh Mahanthappa (USA), The Manhattan Transfer (USA), Branford Marsalis (USA), James Morrison (Australia), Moscow Jazz Orchestra (Russia), Makoto Ozone (Japan), Danilo Pérez (Panama), Dianne Reeves (USA), Lee Ritenour (USA), Luciana Souza (Brazil) and Ben Williams (USA), among others.
In the spirit of International Jazz Day, each year’s All-Star Global Concert takes place in a landmark venue with rich historical significance to the Global Host City and to the hosting nation. Long considered Russia’s cultural capital, St. Petersburg has played an important role in the popularization and development of jazz in Russia. The country’s jazz scene was born in 1927 in St. Petersburg with the appearance of the “First Concert Jazz Band” at the St. Petersburg State Capella, followed by the creation of the first jazz collective in 1929. Moreover, St. Petersburg is the only city in the country to have a Jazz Philharmonic Hall, founded in 1989.
The viewing party will be shown at The Plaza Theatre, a venue of cultural significance on the verge of celebrating its 80th anniversary. The theatre, located at 1049 Ponce De Leon Avenue, NE, was designed by architect George Harwell Bond and opened on December 23, 1939 as an art deco cinema and live theater space. In early 2013, the Plaza Theatre was sold to theatre enthusiast Michael Furlinger and has undergone extensive alterations to its original appearance, including the addition of a full-service bar with signature cocktails.
The event is free; however, registration is encouraged. Click here to register to attend the event.
Jazz Appreciation Month (fondly known as “JAM”) was created at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in 2001 to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary heritage and history of jazz for the entire month of April.
JAM is intended to stimulate and encourage people of all ages to participate in jazz – to study the music, attend concerts, listen to jazz on radio and recordings, read books about jazz, and more.
This year, JAM celebrates the relationship between jazz and justice by looking beyond the music to the dynamic ways jazz has played a transformative role in social justice, musician’s rights, and equality since its birth in America. For the first time JAM will not feature a musician but instead hightlight “one of the most influential nonmusicians in jazz history,” producer Norman Granz, and his work as an innovative producer, tireless promoter for his musicians, and uncompromising advocate for civil rights.
Looking for ideas and other ways to celebrate jazz during April and year-round? Find the category that best suits you or your organization and read through some of our favorite ways to celebrate and participate with jazz:
Individuals:
Teachers | Students | Parents | Band Directors | Fans | Musicians | Historians | Collectors | Philanthropists
Organizations:
Libraries | Churches | Jazz Societies | Museums & Historical Societies | Performing Arts Organizations | Foundations | Public Radio Stations
The 2018 Jazz Appreciation Month Poster is the second in a special three-year series featuring the center section of LeRoy Neiman’s Big Band, a large-scale painting that hangs on the first floor of the National Museum of American History. The JAM Posters from 2017 and 2019 feature the left and right side of the painting respectively, so that when all three are hung next to each other, the iconic painting can be recreated! Big Band is a gift of the LeRoy Neiman Foundation.Part Two of the Big Band JAM Poster Series (2017-2019)
This year, JAM invites all jazz fans and appreciators to look beyond the music to the dynamic ways jazz has played a transformative role in social justice, musicians’ rights, and equality. Our featured JAM artist this year, producer Norman Granz, devoted his life to civil rights and equality – within the music industry and beyond. Through numerous record labels and his iconic touring show, Jazz at the Philharmonic, he helped propel many jazz musicians to greatness. Fittingly, all the musicians featured in this section of the JAM poster had careers that overlapped or were influenced by Norman Granz:
– Charles Mingus (bass) – performed with Jazz at the Philharmonic in 1945.
– Benny Goodman (clarinet) – Performed in a Norman Granz-organized tour in 1953 with Louis Armstrong. Some of Benny’s musicians on the tour was pianist Teddy Wilson, drummer Gene Krupa and trumpeter Ziggle Elman. Their April 17 concerts at Carnegie Hall were sold-out and according to John Hammond, surpassed the gross ticket sales of any jazz concerts in the hall up to that time.
– Gerry Mulligan (saxophone) – had multiple albums produced under Norman’s lable, Verve Records, including Blues in Time, Jazz Giants ’58, Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster, and more.
– Lester Young (saxophone) – performed with Jazz at the Philharmonic for 12 years and recorded a couple albums produced by Norman Granz.
– Charlie Parker (saxophone) – performed with Jazz at the Philharmonic and recoreded Charlie Parker with Strings produced by Norman Granz under Verve Records in 1949-50, fulfilling a long-held desire to perform with a string section.
– John Coltrane (saxophone) – toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic during its later years and released several albums under one of Norman Granz’s earlier labels, Pablo Records, including Afro Blue Impressions.
This poster helps form the larger whole of Big Band and, with the 2017 poster, illustrates the diverse performers and styles that defined jazz as an inclusive space. This inclusivity extended beyond the musicians to the people behind the scenes, including our featured artist, producer Norman Granz. Check our featured artist page here to learn more about his work and legacy.
LeRoy Neiman (1921 – 2012) was an American artist known for his brilliantly colored, expressionist paintings and screen prints of athletes, musicians and sporting events. Neiman had a great love for jazz and spent more than 50 years sketching and painting musicians in an attempt to portray how it felt to watch jazz performances as well as how the sounds and colors evoked emotions and movement. Completed in 2005, Neiman’s painting, Big Band depicts performers he saw in concert from the 1950-80s. Learn more about the painting and its musicians here and here.
The 38th Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival Promises To Be A Tasty Musical Gumbo!
Atlanta, GA — “Producing the Atlanta Jazz Festival is like making a fabulous gumbo,” says Camille Russell Love, Executive Director of the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “We find the best ingredients, add some amazing seasonings, and put in a dash of love. Then we invite our friends, families and neighbors to enjoy it with us. For the 38th Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival that’s exactly what we are doing. We are presenting the sumptuous music of legendary artists Pharoah Sanders and Diane Schuur, the fresh sounds of The Rad Trads, and spicy stylings of some of Atlanta’s hottest local musicians. We’ll present music every day in May, and culminate with a huge festival weekend in Piedmont Park from May 22-24. Please join us for what promises to be a delicious experience!”
Here’s an overview of the 38th Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival concerts and events:
Bank of America Youth Jazz Band Competition
The Bank of America Youth Jazz Band Competition will take place on Saturday, March 21 from 9 am to 4 pm and is being hosted by the Georgia State University School of Music in their Kopleff Recital Hall. Ten Atlanta area high school jazz bands will compete for scholarships and an opportunity to perform at the festival in Piedmont Park. The competition is open to the public, but seating is on a first come, first served basis.
31 Days of Jazz
There will be Jazz events every day in May. Here is just a sampling of what you can experience.
MARTA Mondays are back! Last year’s partnership was a huge success and patrons were surprised and delighted with live jazz concerts in stations during their commutes. Here’s this year’s schedule: April 27 at H.E. Holmes Station, May 4 at College Park Station, May 11 at Lindbergh Station and May 18 at Midtown Station. Music will be presented from 3-5 pm.
Friday, May 1 will be the festival kickoff party at the Westside Cultural Arts Center.
Saturday, May 2 the much anticipated Jazz Under The Stars Concert returns to Clark Atlanta University.
Friday, May 8 jazz will be featured at Martinis & IMAX at Fernbank Museum of Natural History.
Sunday, May 10 Jamal Ahmad will host his popular show, the S.O.U.L. of Jazz, live at The Music Room.
Friday, May 15 the Friday Jazz series will celebrate the Atlanta Jazz Festival at the High Museum of Art.
Thursday, May 21 there will be a new “Jazz Crawl” at various venues on Edgewood Avenue downtown.
Atlanta Jazz Festival in Piedmont Park
The festival returns to historic Piedmont Park with three days of music over Memorial Day Weekend from Friday, May 22 through Sunday, May 24.
Featured Artists in Piedmont Park
Grammy Award winning musician Pharoah Sanders possesses one of the most distinctive tenor saxophone sounds in jazz. Harmonically rich and heavy with overtones, Sanders’ sound can also be raw and passionate. He made his name with expressionistic, nearly anarchic free jazz in John Coltrane’s ensembles of the mid-’60s, but Sanders’ later music is guided by more graceful concerns. Sanders made his first record as a leader in 1964. After John Coltrane’s death in 1967, Sanders worked briefly with his widow, Alice Coltrane. From the late ’60s, he worked primarily as a leader of his own ensembles.
Long regarded as one of Contemporary Jazz’s leading vocalists, Diane Schuur is as eclectic as she is brilliant. Born in Tacoma, Washington in 1953, Schuur was blind from birth; but she was gifted with perfect pitch and initially taught herself piano by ear. With a distinguished career that includes two Grammy awards (Timeless and Diane Schuur and The Count Basie Orchestra on GRP Records), Schuur’s music has explored almost every corner of the 20th Century musical landscape. Her musical collaborations include those with Barry Manilow, B.B. King, Ray Charles, and Jose Feliciano.
Based in New York City, The Rad Trads are quickly gaining an international following. Their influences range from early jazz to New Orleans brass band, R&B, Chicago and delta blues, and rock & roll. Featuring four powerful horns, a driving rhythm section, and three captivating lead vocalists, The Rad Trads consistently win over audiences with their relentless energy and enthusiasm. The band performs regularly in NYC at The Blue Note and BB King’s when they’re not touring the USA and Europe.
Social Media
Find out about all the latest festival news, enter contests, and join the conversation! We’re on
Facebook: AtlantaJazzFestival; Twitter: AtlantaJazzFest and Instagram: Atlanta Jazz Festival.
Sponsorship
If you are interested in being a sponsor and promoting your product or service at the festival, contact Jenevieve Purcell at jpurcell@atlantaga.gov.
The 38th Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival is presented by the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. The mission of the Atlanta Jazz Festival is to educate and entertain a diverse audience of jazz fans and to nurture the next generation of jazz musicians. The festival is partially supported by Atlanta Jazz Festival Inc, a 501(c)(3) cultural, non-profit. Visit the official web site at www.atlantafestivals.com for performance schedules and information.
Media Contact:
Karen Hatchett
770-433-1137
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