WATCH: Secretary of State Election Briefing at 6p
Section Branding
Header Content
Atlanta Jazz Fest Celebrates 39th Anniversary In Style
Primary Content
This Memorial Day weekend marked the 39th annual Atlanta Jazz Festival. Since 1977 the festival has presented some of the best and most influential artists in the genre. Located in Piedmont Park, the festival welcomed approximately 150,000 people over the course of three days. Acts like Theo Croker, Jamison Ross, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Benny Golson and Gregory Porter performed across three stages.
A natural born performer, Theo Croker, the Florida-born trumpeter, singer and bandleader, turned in an electrifying performance on Saturday drawing heavily from his most recent release, “Escape Velocity.”
Jamison Ross also cranked out a stellar performance on Saturday. The Grammy-nominated, Monk Award-winner is a popular figure in the jazz world known not only for his work as a vocalist and a drummer but a composer and a bandleader as well.
Jamison’s performance and vocals engaged the crowd, creating a buzzing atmosphere that pulled in thousands of spectators. While Jamison, 28, already has a long list of achievements, he said that the highlight of his career so far “was the moment I realized I could be myself inside of the genre that I was working in.”
Saturday’s show closed with Hypnotic Brass Ensemble who delivered a strong and energetic performance that left the huge crowd in Piedmont Park wanting more.
Sunday’s lineup included a number of talented artists including jazz legends The Headhunters, Benny Golson and Gregory Porter. Although the temperature was high, the audience’s spirits were higher while these legendary artists played through the sweltering heat. Grammy winner Gregory Porter brought the house down and served as the perfect ending to this year’s festival.
Bottom Content
