“Jazz music is America’s only original art form, and…Atlanta, with its growing reputation as an international center of the arts and education, has both the opportunity and the responsibility to promote an art form whose roots are indigenous to the South.” Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson spoke these words when he founded the original Atlanta Jazz Festival in 1978.
Since its establishment, Atlanta Jazz Festival has become known as one of the largest free jazz festivals in the country. With its mission of exposing and educating a diverse audience of everyone from well-seasoned musicians to new jazz enthusiasts, Atlanta Jazz Festival has become an important institution for breaking new music and musicians. Additionally, the festival has a history of drawing in and highlighting Jazz moguls. Throughout the years, Atlanta Jazz Festival has presented the likes of icons such as Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, Miles Davis and countless others.
This year’s Atlanta Jazz Festival will take place, as usual, on Memorial Day Weekend, May 23-25, 2014. The annual event will host an array of local and international artists, as well as newcomers and veterans, including: Ahmad Jamal, Airmen of Note, Bill Frisell’s Guitar in the Space Age, Christian Scott, Somi, Rialto Jazz for Kids and Freddy Cole.
Whether you’re planning on spending your time at the Local, International or Main Stage, there is one show that can’t be missed. One of the most anticipated shows of the weekend is Late Night Love Riot with Jon Batiste and Stay Human. Jon Batiste is known for his collaborations with musical icons, like Prince and Lenny Kravitz. Recently, Batiste’s musical compositions were featured on the HBO series “Treme.” Jon Batiste and his Stay Human Band just released their debut album, Social Music, and are currently on tour playing festivals this summer.
The show will be taking place on Saturday, May 24th at The W Atlanta Midtown Hotel Ballroom. Doors open at 10 p.m. and the concert commences at 11 p.m. To sweeten the deal, there will be a special post-concert jazz party with sounds by the incomparable DJ Speakerfoxxx. Tickets are available on FreshTix for $35. Additionally, tickets can be purchased at the door for $40.
For more information or to purchase tickets, check out the Late Night Love Riot event page on FreshTix. To keep up to date with the most current information, follow FreshTix on Twitter or like on Facebook.
