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Atlanta Jazz Festival 2015: Final Thoughts

Posted in Atlanta Jazz Festival 2015 with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 5, 2015 by curtjazz
Diane Schuur takes the stage (Photo by John Davenport)

Diane Schuur takes the stage (Photo by John Davenport)

Some final thoughts on this year’s Atlanta Jazz Festival…

Some very strong performances this year and I love the infusion of more of the younger generation of jazz artists. Continuing this pattern bodes well for the AJF’s future.

The frustrating part is (and always will be) the fact that it is impossible to catch all of the great groups on the three stages. This year I stuck mostly to the Main Stage to keep from fighting the huge crowds. I managed to catch a few terrific sets at the International Stage but I know that I missed so much more…

Top Performances that I saw:

  1. Four Women (Kathleen Bertrand, Julie Dexter, Terry Harper and the show stealing Rhonda Thomas) a tribute to Nina Simone – Wow…Oh Wow!!! These ladies and the support provided by their musical director Russell Gunn were simply amazing. And the fact that Ms. Simone’s sister was in the audience made it even better.
  2. Otis Brown III – Brother Brown mixed the sacred and the secular into an all-encompassing groove. Big up for the horns – Marquis Hill on trumpet and John Ellis on tenor!
  3. Banda Magda – The charismatic vocalist/multi-instrumentalist  Magda Giannikou and company had the International Stage audience captivated. Hope to catch them again soon.
  4. Diane Schuur – The lady is still as marvelous and classy as ever. And it she was joined by first-class talents including Ben Wolfe on  bass and Don Braden on the saxes.
  5. Nettwork Trio – Charnett Moffett on bass, Stanley Jordan on guitar and Jeff “Tain” Watts on drums…no fanfare, no glitz, just three of the best in the business, showing us how it’s done.

The performances that I most regret missing:

  1. Dida Pelled – Curse you ATL Memorial Day weekend traffic!!! I arrived at the park just after she finished.
  2. Arturo O’Farrill – The crowd had grown so big that it was almost impossible to move to The International Stage by Sunday evening. I should have tried anyway!
  3. Mad Satta – Just because I knew from jump that I was going to miss this great young neo-soul group doesn’t make me feel any better about it.
  4. Tony Hightower – This vocalist has a bright future, I’m just sorry that I couldn’t get to the Locals Stage to catch a piece of it.

Big thumbs up for:

  • Karen Hatchett; the AJF’s Awesome PR Director and the wonderful team of volunteers at the Media Tent. Y’all always make John and I feel welcome. Because of all of you, AJF is (and always will be) a first class jazz festival.
  • The beautiful people of Atlanta who come to the AJF every year. I stood at the top of the meadow at one point and looked out over the crowd that was about 85% African-American and I just saw people, enjoying the music and each other. All of the nasty narratives that some nameless cable news outlets peddle about us was nowhere in sight. Sorry that y’all couldn’t find room for the AJF on your “Factor”.
  • The lady in one of the tents with the great looking Red Velvet cake. Ma’am, that cake looked so good, that I almost lied and said that I was part of your family, so could get a slice!
  • Working side by side with my son. Watching as he comes into his own is one of the greatest experiences ever.

BlueSatch, I’m sorry that I couldn’t find you, bro. Next year for sure!

That’s all for 2015. We’ll see you all in the same place next Memorial Day Weekend…

Until then, the jazz continues…

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Atlanta Jazz Festival 2015 Preview: Saturday on the International Stage

Posted in Atlanta Jazz Festival 2015 with tags , , , , on May 11, 2015 by curtjazz
Dida Pelled

Dida Pelled

The International Stage has always been one of my favorite spots at the AJF. The smaller stage provides an intimate feeling, yet you are still outdoors. The artists come from areas all over the globe, often bringing a fresh and exciting perspective to jazz. I’ve discovered artists there who have now become some of my favorites. Last year, the International Stage gave me my first exposure to the magnificent vocalists Somi and Cyrille Aimee. In 2012 I heard trumpeter Melvin Jones for the first time and immediately became a fan. And in 2013, the lady considered by many to be the brightest young vocal star in jazz, Cecile McLorin Salvant, performed there. This year the International Stage features two well-known artists as headliners on each of its two nights, plus the usual array global talent who will give us all an opportunity for stimulating discovery.

Looking first at Saturday, May 23:

1:30 PM – North Atlanta School for the Arts Jazz Band

The Bank of America Youth Jazz Band Competition allows young jazz musicians from all over the Atlanta metropolitan area the opportunity to showcase their talent. The competition focuses on artistic and technical merits and features an outstanding judging panel.  The North Atlanta School for the Arts Jazz Band finished in third place this year, which earned them a $500 scholarship and an opportunity to perform on the International Stage at AJF38.

3:30 PM – Dida Pelled

This young Israeli guitarist/vocalist is a talent to keep an eye on. She plays full-toned guitar lines with a sound reminiscent of a young Kenny Burrell. And she sings in an inviting, winsome voice with just a hint of Blossom Dearie. A recent graduate of the jazz program at The New School in New York, Ms. Pelled has clearly caught the ear of others as she was joined on her debut album Dida Plays and Sings, by Roy Hargrove on trumpet and Gregory Hutchinson on drums. Watch out for her new album, with Sam Yahel on organ, due out this month. This is a set that I will not miss.

5:30 PM – Banda Magda

Banda Magda is an eclectic group of very gifted musicians led by the Athens, Greece born singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/film scorer, Magda Giannikou. Their energetic, musically diverse and downright fun, stage performances have won them fans around the world, including The Kronos Quartet and comedian Louis CK, who performed a duet with Magda on his TV show. Banda Magda’s current album Yerakina, is climbing the World Music charts now, while they are in the studio working on their third album, Technicolor Tigre.

7:30 PM – Alfredo Rodríguez Trio

If the legendary Quincy Jones agrees to mentor an artist, it means that he or she must be bringing killer chops to the table.  “Q” is not only Alfredo Rodriguez’s mentor but he is the co-producer of his Grammy nominated latest release, The Invasion Parade. Since coming to the U.S. in 2009, the Cuban born pianist has turned the Latin and Afro-Cuban music scenes on it collective ear with his dynamite original compositions, and his inventive takes on the Cuban classics that he grew up with. Being able to catch Mr. Rodriguez in a setting like this is a rare treat that should not be missed.

You can hear tracks from these and many other 2015 Atlanta Jazz Festival performers on Curt’s Cafe Noir, our 24/7 streaming jazz station, from 5 pm – 7 pm (ET) daily, through the end of May.

For more information about the 38th Atlanta Jazz Festival, visit their website at http://AtlantaFestivals.com 

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