2013 Atlanta Jazz Festival – Hate To Miss It but We’ll Be Back
Layers by Charly Palmer – signature artwork of the 2013 Atlanta Jazz Festival
It’s funny how something can become a part of you so quickly.
I had never attended the Atlanta Jazz Festival before 2011. But after having been at the last two, it had already become something that just felt right on Memorial Day Weekend – the crowds, the atmosphere, spending quality time with my family and of course, the great music. As 2012 gave way to 2013, the 36th AJF was definitely marked on my calendar.
Then, as many of you know, I faced some unexpected health problems earlier this year. I am recovering quite well, thanks to God and my doctors but my initial recuperation made for some challenges of the kind we didn’t expect, in the area of time off from our “real jobs” to be in Atlanta all weekend.
So my wife and I talked it over and we very reluctantly decided to take this year off from the AJF. It’s scheduled to start tomorrow and man, it feels weird not to be packing a bag and prepping to head to Atlanta in a few hours. It has also felt a little odd to not write my series of festival preview articles for this blog over the last couple of weeks.
So here’s the schedule for the weekend. Kudos to those who program the AJF because the schedule gets stronger and more relevant each year. If you’re a jazz fan and in the ATL this weekend you have to go. And as usual, the AJF events at Piedmont Park are free.
Save me a spot on the lawn and in the hospitality tent because CurtJazz and the crew will be back at Piedmont Park in 2014!
36th Atlanta Jazz Festival – Piedmont Park May 25 – 27, 2013
Saturday, May 25
Main Stage
- 1pm – Stephenson High School Jazz Ensemble
- 3pm – Aaron Diehl Quartet
- 5pm – Alexandra Jackson
- 7pm – Meshell Ndegeocello
- 9pm – Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet
International Stage
- 2pm – Tri-Cities High School Jazz Band
- 3:30pm – Aruán Ortiz Quartet
- 5:00pm – Rio Negro
- 6:30pm – Cécile McLorin Salvant
Sunday, May 26
Main Stage
- 1pm – North Atlanta Center for The Arts Jazz Band
- 3pm – Rialto Jazz for Kids All Star Jazz Band
- 5pm – Jacob Deaton and the Tribulaton Band
- 7pm – Gretchen Parlato
- 9pm – Tia Fuller
International Stage
- 3:30pm – J. C. Young Middle School Jazz Ensemble
- 5:00pm – Ginou Oriol
- 6:30pm – Rudresh Mahanthappa’s Gamak
Monday, May 27
Main Stage
- 1pm – Benjamin Mays High School Jazz Orchestra
- 3pm – Rialto Youth Jazz Orchestra
- 5pm – Julie Dexter
- 7pm – The Dominick Farinacci Group
- 9pm – José James
International Stage
- 3:30pm – The Westlake High School Jazz Ensemble
- 5:00pm – Uri Gurvich Quartet
- 6:30pm – The Miguel Zenón Quartet
Curt's Jazz Cafe 
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