When We Speak TV at the 2017 Atlanta Jazz Festival

We are always anxious for this time of year, not just because of the weather in Atlanta but also because it's festival time!!! One festival in particular that we are always excited about is the Atlanta Jazz Festival and this year is the festival's 40 year anniversary....Isn't that awesome?

Once again, When We Speak TV will be in the building....well not really the building!  Correction....once again When We Speak TV will be in the park!!!

And you know what else?  Like previous Atlanta Jazz Festivals, there are When We Speak TV guests performing this year, in addition to other great vocalists and musicians.

Performing this year is Julie Dexter, Chandra Currelley, and Russell Gunn!!!







Be sure to check them out at the times and stages below:

LATE NIGHT JAZZ JAM: A TRIBUTE TO MILES DAVIS

LIL JOHN ROBERTS & THE ALL STAR BAND FEATURING RUSSELL GUNN & MINO CINELU

 Saturday, May 27 | 10:00 PM | Park Tavern

JULIE DEXTER & JACOB DEATON DUO FEATURING RASHEEDA ALI

 Sunday, May 28 | 4:30 PM | Contemporary Stage

celebrating sarah: honoring sarah vaughAn

kathleen bertrand and friends

 Sunday, May 28 | 5:00 PM | Legends Stage

Chandra Currelley, Robin Latimore, Rhonda Thomas, Laura Coyle, Toni Redd, & Myrna Clayton

russell gunn & african drums meets kebbi williams' wolf pack

Sunday, May 28 | 6:15 PM | Contemporary Stage

FOR COMPLETE LIST OF ATLANTA JAZZ FESTIVAL PERFORMANCE TIMES, WATCH THE VIDEO:

MORE ABOUT JERMAINE SAIN

Jermaine Sain is the host/ creator of a talk show called When We Speak.  After exiting the U.S. Army in 2003, as a Medical Sergeant, Jermaine began pursuing a career in music after he auditioned for American Idol in 2005, in Austin, Texas.

In 2008, Jermaine moved to Atlanta where he has had the opportunity to provide backing vocals for Kem (Grammy nominated R&B Singer) Heart (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), and Barry Manilow, as well as for companies such as Pink Ribbon Story Foundation and Verizon Wireless. He made his first music video appearance in Kem's Glorify The King.

Jermaine's talk show, When We Speak, caters to entertainment with a close focus on indie music professionals.

Meet Ziggy (Event Director of Jazz In The Alley)- Norcross, Georgia

Have you subscribed to the NEW When We Speak TV YouTube channel?

If not, please go and do it now!  

We plan to have lots of great stuff there, from music, to interviews, to personal messages, and much more!!!

I know you didn't come here for that but I really need everyone's support!  So thank you in advance for subscribing.....ok...I'll make it easy for you....just click the link below!

OK....back to the reason for the blog....

Atlanta is saturated with festivals...fall festivals, brunch festivals, jazz festivals, taco festivals, music festivals, chicken wing festivals....I think I should come up with a "festival festival"!  I'm not complaining because all these festivals and events make it very easy to find something to do on the weekend!  Sometimes on the weekend, I jump in my car and just ride around Atlanta and the surrounding cities to see what is going on....usually if you drive to the downtown areas you will find something going on.  About a year ago, I was riding in downtown Norcross, and I stumbled upon a jazz event called Jazz In The Alley.  I hadn't heard much about it but it seemed to be  really nice event so I parked my car and went to check it out.

The event was really nice because it was located behind the restaurant area of downtown Norcross restaurants and you could listen to live jazz music while you dined.  There were some people eating the restaurant patios and others were sitting in lawn chairs enjoying the music.  

Whenever there is music I'm there! Especially live music, so of course, I stopped to check it out noticing that the local jazz station, WCLK, also was involved.  

Well....after the event was over, I really didn't get a chance to go back to check it out but I was always thinking...."that was really nice".  And then, this year I was online and noticed a flyer with Tony Hightower on it.  If you don't know, Tony Hightower, has been a guest on my show, When We Speak. 

When I saw the flyer, I immediately noticed that it was in Norcross, GA, and called Jazz In the Alley.....then it hit me!  That's the same event that you stumbled upon a year ago!  So of course I made it my business to go and see Tony Hightower perform, and I'm glad I did because in the process I got a chance to meet Ziggy, the Event Director and visionary behind Jazz In The Alley. 

In fact, I admired her passion, work ethic, and over all spirit, that I wanted to share her with you!!!!!

MEET ZIGGY!!!!!

ABOUT JERMAINE SAIN

Jermaine Sain is the host/ creator of a talk show called When We Speak.  After exiting the U.S. Army in 2003, as a Medical Sergeant, Jermaine began pursuing a career in music after he auditioned for American Idol in 2005, in Austin, Texas.
In 2008, Jermaine moved to Atlanta where he has had the opportunity to provide backing vocals for Kem (Grammy nominated R&B Singer) Heart (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), and Barry Manilow, as well as for companies such as Pink Ribbon Story Foundation and Verizon Wireless. He made his first music video appearance in Kem's Glorify The King.
Jermaine's talk show, When We Speak, caters to entertainment with a close focus on indie music professionals.

YouTube 2: When We Speak TV

YouTube 1: WhenWeSpeak TV

Facebook:  When We Speak TV

Instagram: WhenWeSpeakTV

2016 Atlanta Jazz Festival: JOE ALTERMAN TRIO (@JoeAlterman)

JOE ALTERMAN TRIO

In a recent interview with Brian Lehrer on WNYC, legendary journalist Nat Hentoff stated, "The last piece I did for them [The Wall Street Journal] - I'm so glad I had a chance to do it - is about a 24 year old pianist [now 27] and composer named Joe Alterman, who is really the personification of the past of jazz - he's really deep into that -, the present of jazz - he has his own voice - and that leads him into the future of jazz, and he's so important in terms of the validity of jazz...[Joe Alterman & one of his mentors, tenor saxophonist Houston Person] make recordings that - to use the phrase that Duke Ellington really had a chance to use - are 'beyond category' because they're timeless." 

Born and raised in Atlanta,Georgia, Alterman moved to New York in the fall of 2007 to study music at New York University, where he earned both his Bachelor's and Master’s Degrees in Music. While there, he had the opportunity to study with greats including Don Friedman, Joe Lovano and John Scofield. 

He has headlined at venues around the United States including the Blue NoteJazz Club in New York, Blues Alley in Washington, DC, Germantown PerformingArts Center in Memphis, Rialto Center For The Performing Arts in Atlanta, Preservation Hall in New Orleans, Earl Klugh's Weekend of Jazz in Kiawah Island, South Carolina, among others; in addition to New York's Blue Note Jazz Club, Alterman has also headlined at other venues in New York City including the Iridium, the Kitano, 21 Club, Le Cirque, and Jazz at Lincoln Center's Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola and has performed overseas at venues that include the Blue Note Jazz Club in Milan, Italy. 

Among many others, Alterman has performed with Les McCann, Houston Person, Tony Middleton and bassist James Cammack, with whom Alterman also works frequently with in a duo setting. In addition, he and his trio have performed multiple times at the Blue Note Jazz Club as an opening act for greats including Les McCann, Ramsey Lewis, Philip Bailey (of Earth, Wind & Fire), John Pizzarelli and Hiromi, among others.

 

Alterman’s most recent recording, Georgia Sunset, which was produced by Houston Person, garnered much critical praise and reached #6 on the Jazz Week radio charts. 

Speaking about Alterman, legendary pianist Ramsey Lewis stated, "When listening to Joe Alterman perform, it is obvious that he has studied the history of jazzpiano. However, his own style of playing is appealing, challenging and quite satisfying."

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE ENTIRE 2016 ATLANTA JAZZ FESTIVAL LINE UP 

Friday, May 27

Main Stage:

7:00 pm                            Next Collective                                                                                

9:00 pm                                JOI                                         

Saturday, May 28

Local Stage:       

12:30 pm                              Rialto Jazz for Kids All Stars

2:30 pm                                The Rialto Youth Jazz Orchestra (RYJO)  

4:30 pm                                Mabu’s Ark Band                            

6:30 pm                                Alex Lattimore                                                                 

International Stage:

1:30 pm                                 Camila Meza     

3:30 pm                                TATRAN                                                              

5:30 pm                                Mette Henriette                                                             

7:30 pm                                Etienne Charles                               

Main Stage:

1:00 pm                                Chargaux

3:00 pm                                Tomeka Reid                                                     

5:00 pm                                Theo Croker      

7:00 pm                                Jamison Ross                    

9:00 pm                                Hypnotic Brass Ensemble                                            

                               

Sunday, May 29

Local Stage:

12:30 pm                              Band Room Nation                                         

2:30 pm                              Anonymous DaBand                                                      

4:30 pm               Joe Alterman Trio                                                       
6:30 pm                                        Chandra Currelley 

International Stage:

1:30 pm                                TBD     

3:30 pm                                Tumi Mogorosi                                                              

5:30 pm                                Daby Toure                                                             

7:30 pm                                Eliane Elias

 Main Stage:

1:00 pm                                Navy Band Southeast: V.I.P. Protocol Combo

3:00 pm                                Eugenie Jones

5:00 pm                                The Headhunters    

7:00 pm                                Benny Golson               

9:00 pm                                Gregory Porter

 

2016 Atlanta Jazz Festival Line-Up Announced

Music Lineup Announced for the 2016 Atlanta Jazz Festival

Featuring Latin, Creole, Straight-Ahead and Hip-Hop Inspired Artists 

GREGORY PORTER

“We are excited about the lineup for this year’s Atlanta Jazz Festival,” says Camille Russell Love, Executive Director of the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “As our city becomes more international and our population younger, we are booking the festival to welcome these new audiences.  From the soulful groove of Gregory Porter, the hip-hop inspired brass of Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, and the sensuous stylings of Brazilian songstress Eliane Elias, we’ve got a wide variety of jazz flavors on three stages. And admission is free! Make plans now to join us for the 39^th Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival in Piedmont Park over Memorial Day Weekend, May 27-29.”

Here’s the complete lineup in Piedmont Park:

JOI

 Friday, May 27

Main Stage:

7:00 pm                                Next Collective                                                                                

9:00 pm                                JOI     
      

                              

HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE

Saturday, May 28

Local Stage:       

12:30 pm                              RialtoJazz for Kids All Stars

2:30 pm                                TheRialto Youth Jazz Orchestra (RYJO)  

4:30 pm                                Mabu’s Ark Band                            

6:30 pm                                AlexLattimore                                                                 

International Stage:

1:30 pm                                CamilaMeza     

3:30 pm                                TATRAN                                                              

5:30 pm                                MetteHenriette                                                             

7:30 pm                                EtienneCharles                               

Main Stage:

1:00 pm                                Chargaux

3:00 pm                                TomekaReid                                                     

5:00 pm                                TheoCroker      

7:00 pm                                JamisonRoss                    

9:00 pm                                Hypnotic Brass Ensemble                                            

                               

CHANDRA CURRELLEY

Sunday, May 29

Local Stage:

12:30 pm                              Band Room Nation                                         

2:30 pm                                AnonymousDaBand                                                      

4:30 pm                                JoeAlterman Trio                                                                                       

6:30 pm                                ChandraCurrelley                                           

                               

International Stage:

1:30 pm                                KenzaburoIshihara                        

3:30 pm                                Tumi Mogurosi                                                                 

5:30 pm                                Daby Touré                                        

7:30 pm                                ElianeElias

Main Stage:

1:00 pm                                NavyBand Southeast: V.I.P Protocol Combo

3:00 pm                                Eugenie Jones  

5:00 pm                                TheHeadhunters

7:00 pm                                BennyGolson

9:00 pm                                GregoryPorter



ALSO CHECK OUT THIS CLIP OF JULIE DEXTER PERFORMING AT A PREVIOUS ATLANTA JAZZ FESTIVAL.