'Delighted to be home': Singer Lizz Wright returns to headline Atlanta Jazz Festival

Caption

Lizz Wright got her start as a church music director. Now her jazz vocals wow audiences worldwide. She performs Monday, May 27 at 9 p.m. in Atlanta's Piedmont Park as part of the free Atlanta Jazz Festival

Credit: Tony Smith

This weekend will kick off the 47th Atlanta Jazz Festival in Piedmont Park. The festival is one of the largest free jazz festivals in the country. Attendees can expect to hear some of the best artists from around the world. Renowned vocalist and songwriter Lizz Wright is one of those artists. 

The Georgia singer performed in a Billie Holiday tribute and landed on former President Barack Obama's favorite music playlist. Now she returns to Atlanta with a new album and a headlining performance. Wright spoke with GPB's Morning Edition host Pamela Kirkland before she tales the stage on May 27.

Click here for more information about this weekend's Atlanta Jazz Festival.

TRANSCRIPT:

Pamela Kirkland: It's Morning Edition. This weekend will kick off the 47th Atlanta Jazz Festival. The festival is one of the largest free jazz festivals in the country, featuring different artists from all around the world. Renowned vocalist and songwriter Lizz Wright is one of those artists, and she joins me now. Thank you for being here.

Lizz Wright: Thanks, Pamela. Glad to be with you.

Pamela Kirkland: So, first I just want to say congratulations on the new album, Shadow. Before we get to that, let's start at the beginning. You've been performing for more than 20 years. You grew up, in fact, right here in Georgia. What got you into music in the first place?

Lizz Wright: Oh, gosh. I've always been super sensitive and shy, and something about the language and the atmosphere of music has always allowed me to be with people, you know, with my family, with people I don't know. And it just creates a moment of clarity and closeness that is just very calming for me. So, it's been as much about, you know, just some talents that I enjoy and have worked to try to develop over the years, but also, the need that music meets. So, I think this is how I've managed to do it for so long.

Pamela Kirkland: Fast forward to now. Your latest album, Shadow, just released. What inspired you and how do you think it reflects your musical journey?

Lizz Wright: I'm excited about Shadow. I think the listening audience has taught me so much about how deep they are and how creative they are in the conversation that we're having through music. Because, you know, over these almost 25 years now, I have always been tempted to make sure the records were like extra, you know, bright and warm. And it created very upbeat feelings. And then this time, it was like, if I'm going to keep singing, you know, my feet are traveling across the valley of, you know, my grandmother's passing and me realizing how beautiful and interesting grief is. It's not exactly what I expected. Lost in the valley. So I climbed up a mountain.

It's also my feet are crossing the valley of, you know, Covid and, like, trying to figure out who we are and what we're doing and getting out of that. And then traveling across, you know, seeing the horizon again just coming out of that. So, allowing myself to write and create, across a period of the unknown and not masking it with, like, something sensational or really exciting or, you know, or resisting it, was for me, like a move of courage and something that I really celebrate that I think has, really warmed my heart up and made me feel more joy and celebration.

So I'm just really thankful for the audience because I think they grow with you. And as an artist, to know that people want to stay in conversation with you, almost no matter what you do is an incredible gift that you don't know how to ask for. But once you have it, it just, you know, it really means a lot.

Pamela Kirkland: I want to talk about the Atlanta Jazz Festival. As a Georgia native, you must be excited to be performing. What are you looking forward to?

Lizz Wright: I always am so excited to be a part of the Atlanta Jazz Festival. I have so many memories. Of past festivals, I. I even met my now longtime musical director and one of my best friends and my piano teacher, Kenny Bing Sr. You know, I saw him perform at the Atlanta Jazz Fest many years ago, and I prayed to have a chance to play with him. And so now, as we've been playing live together over 20 years, it's just so much fun to be on the stage with him and celebrating this project. We also shot a music video for this project. We're still in post  right now, but I am so happy that, you know, folks who helped us out with that would be there to celebrate with us.

And, yeah, I absolutely love the opportunity to have any of my family, able to make it out [to the show]. And I think what I'm looking forward to is the view of the trees. I love big, just explosive southern trees. They're one of my favorite things. I love the park. I used to run in [Piedmont] park, so I'm just, I'm delighted to be home. It's always good to come to this [event].

Pamela Kirkland:Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me.

Lizz Wright: It's my pleasure. Thanks, Pamela.