I moved to Atlanta in 2001 and began attending local Atlanta jazz concerts a couple of years later, when I became serious about playing the trumpet again. During the years that I’ve followed the Atlanta jazz scene, I can think of no better time to be a jazz fan in Atlanta than right now! The musicians, the concerts, and even the sense of community, have reached a level beyond anything I’ve seen yet. To help spread the word, I thought I’d take a moment to share some of the reasons that I’m so excited about today’s Atlanta jazz scene.

JAZZ ORCHESTRA ATLANTA & JOE GRANSDEN AT CAFE 290

Beginning in May 2009, trumpeter Joe Gransden and the Jazz Orchestra Atlanta big band have been performing on the first Monday of every month at Cafe 290. The first two concerts were so heavily attended that they now perform on the first AND third Monday of each month. You might be wondering why so many people would go to see jazz on a Monday night, and in Sandy Springs no less?! I think the explanation is simple. The big band represents the largest concentration of the best jazz musicians that you’ll see anywhere in Atlanta. Although, the Twain’s jam session comes close! I recently attended my first big band concert at Cafe 290 and was delighted to see so many of my favorite Atlanta jazz musicians, including Kevin Bales, Mace Hibbard, Brian Hogans, John Sandfort, Anton Harris, Justin Varnes, Melvin Jones, Lester Walker, Wes Funderburk, just to name a few. And of course, the real star of the night is Joe Gransden. His ability to charm the audience and keep everyone entertained is second to none. Don’t miss these concerts!

Here’s a tip… call ahead and reserve a table. These concerts are crowded and you probably don’t want to stand in the back of the room all night.

TWAIN’S JAM SESSION

The Tuesday night jazz jam session at Twain’s Billiards and Tap began a little over a year ago and continues to be one of the best jazz events in the Atlanta area. Joe Gransden leads the session, with Tyrone Jackson on piano, Craig Shaw on bass, and Chris Burroughs on drums. With those guys in the house band, you know you’re in for some great jazz even if nobody else shows up to play! But they certainly don’t have any problem getting other musicians to show up. On any given night you’ll see dozens of jazz musicians on the stage. In one set you might see college students playing in public for the first time, then right after that you’ll see a trumpet battle featuring some of the best players in the world (as captured in the video clip to the right). Adding to the success of these jam sessions is a strong sense of community among the audience and musicians. Each week you’ll see many familiar faces, some coming to perform, and some coming just to hang out and catch up with friends. I know some people think there’s too much talking at Twain’s and not enough listening, but I think the talking is important. It’s the bond that keeps people coming back each week.

Additional notes: The music starts around 9pm. Usually the house band will play one or two tunes by themselves and then the jam session begins. Things really pick up around 10 or 10:30pm, so if you’re there to play and you want to guarantee that you’ll make it onto the stage, get there early.

DAVID ELLINGTON ORGAN TRIO AT TWAIN’S

The David Ellington Organ Trio performs at Twain’s Billiards & Tap on the first Wednesday of every month. The band includes Mace Hibbard on saxophone and Chris Burroughs on drums. Often, John Bagnato will join the band on guitar and they’ll occasionally feature special guests as they did recently with vocalists Laura Coyle and Tommy Dean. The band performs mostly original material written by David Ellington and Mace Hibbard, drawing heavily from the soulful sounds of Jimmy McGriff, Jack McDuff, and Eddie Harris. I’ve seen David Ellington’s band perform several times and I’m always amazed at how good they sound together. Mace Hibbard really shines in this group, as he plays some of the funkiest sax solos ever heard in Decatur, GA.

YOUNG GUNS AND NEW MUSICIANS

We’ve seen several new jazz musicians come to Atlanta in the past year, many of them falling into the "Young Guns" category. They’re fresh out of college, filled with talent, and eager to make a name for themselves. Aside from their musical talents, I think the best thing about these new musicians is the enthusiasm they bring to the Atlanta jazz scene. They’re not afraid to experiment with new material, new lineups, and new venues. Their audiences might be small on occasion, but they know it’s all part of their journey as jazz musicians. Guess what? You can be a part of that journey by attending some of their concerts!

New/Interesting Venues:

The Highland Ballroom has seen several jazz concerts lately, by some of the younger players in town. Guitarist Jacob Deaton is a regular performer at Highland Ballroom and I know other musicians like Dan Dilormo and Justin Chesarek have played there as well. I’d encourage every college music student to go and support these guys. With enough support, you could have your own underground jazz scene - literally, since the Ballroom is in the basement! I would have loved to have something like this back when I was a college music student.

Studio 281 has been around for a while, but it’s seen some new interest lately thanks to some of the new players in town. Over the past couple of months at Studio 281, I’ve seen excellent concerts by saxophonist John Sandfort and two of my favorite "Young Guns," bassist Will Goble and drummer David Potter. Will Goble and David Potter just moved here after attending FSU and have brought a variety of guest musicians to their gigs at Studio 281. For example, last week they performed at Studio 281 with Marcus Printup and they’ll bring Jason Marsalis to Studio 281 for two nights in September (they recorded an album with Jason which received 4.5 out of 5 stars from Downbeat!). I’d also like to note that Nick Rosen, a gifted jazz pianist who also moved here from FSU in recent months, will be performing at Studio 281 in July. As you can see, good things are happening at Studio 281.

New Musicians

In addition to the musicians I just mentioned, I also want everyone to know about the ongoing Wednesday night performances by the Justin Chesarek Quintet at Churchill Grounds. Justin Chesarek is a talented young drummer and composer from Pittsburgh, and one of the nicest guys you’ll meet in the Atlanta jazz scene. His band includes another newcomer, accomplished tenor saxophonist, Kurtis Adams. Rounding out the band you’ll also hear Akeem Marable on alto saxophone, Dan Gilormo on guitar, and the one and only Craig Shaw on bass. This is a great band that you shouldn’t miss.

Now you know what’s going on… get out there and support live jazz in Atlanta!