At the beginning of this school year, the team that puts together “The Concert Series Formerly Known As Jazz At The G” (TCSFKAJATG) decided to “raise the bar”. Our inaugural season ended on a high note with a concert featuring Wycliffe Gordon and His International All Star Band, playing to a completely sold-out house.  We knew that was going to be pretty tough to beat.

So, we started season two in September with a concert  featuring  Wycliffe Gordon and Atlanta’s Good Times Brass Band, along with local favorites The Mike Frost Band featuring Lauren Meccia, and The Travis Shaw Trio. Our February 2016 concert presentation of Israeli guitarist/oudist Amos Hoffman and The Augusta University Jazz Ensemble was a singular artistic triumph.  Now it’s time for the season #2 finale, and we hope you’ll be impressed.

Saturday, May 7th, 8 pm at the D. Douglas Barnard Amphitheatre* on The Summerville Campus of Augusta University, we proudly present:

The Christian McBride Trio

Among the many awards and accolades populating Christian McBride’s trophy case are five Grammy’s. He’s like a force of nature, fusing virtuoso-level talent with the substance and grounding of a seasoned journeyman. But it’s not simply his abundant virtuosity that has made the Philadelphia native the most in-demand bassist of his generation. McBride consistently combines his musicianship with an innate ability to communicate his enthusiasm to an audience. He projects a warm showmanship that transforms his own passion into infectious joy.

McBride characterizes what he plays as “people music”, saying, “People Music is my personal mantra as a musician. Sometimes jazz musicians get too caught up in their own heads; they get so serious and so caught up in their creativity that they’re not bringing the people in. So I figure the best way to communicate is to let the people navigate where you should go.”

McBride graciously accepted the invitation to perform on “TCSFKAJATG” because of his close bond with the family of Augusta’s own James Brown. Given that, we also invited The Godfather of Soul’s living legacy, The Jamp Masters--The James Brown Academy of Musik Pupils--to perform on the show. (Rumor has it that a once-in-a-lifetime onstage collaboration between McBride and Jamp might be in the works, but I’m not one to spread gossip!) Additionally, Augusta’s own musical genius, Trey McLaughlin, has signed on to give a rare jazz performance.

Tickets are available now at The Maxwell Theatre Box Office, and online at Augusta.UniversityTickets.com.  They are $15 for the general public, $10 with an active military ID, and $5 for students with a valid school ID. Additional discounts are available for Augusta University students, faculty and staff.  

As the saying goes, “You gotta be at (The Concert Series Formerly Known As) Jazz At The G!”

* In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be moved indoors to AU’s Maxwell Theatre.

Christian McBride Trio

Christian McBride Trio

JAMP (James Brown Academy of Musik)

JAMP (James Brown Academy of Musik)