The City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs announced today the six winners of the Future of Jazz Competition VII. The Future of Jazz Competition was created in 2004 by Tammy Allen along with the Office of Cultural Affairs, to showcase Atlanta’s undiscovered jazz talents and provide them with an opportunity to perform their original compositions at the Atlanta Jazz Festival. “Jazz is a true American art form,” asserts Office of Cultural Affairs Director, Camille Russell- Love, “The Future of Jazz competition provides insight into where future generations will take this genre."
Partnering with Atlanta Party Starters and SmoothAtlanta.com, this year’s competition spanned six weeks beginning January 29th at Sambuca Jazz Café in Buckhead and ending March 4th at Star Jazz and Blues in the Castleberry Hills District. Jazz enthusiasts were able to enjoy fine dining and great ambiance while listening to live music from future jazz greats. Each night three bands battled it out for the ultimate prize; performing on stage at the 31st Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival in front of thousands upon thousands of avid jazz lovers. “There was an incredible amount of talent in this year’s competition,” says competition founder Tammy Allen, “it’s always a bummer when you have to choose a winner - they’re all good.” Six winners were selected by a panel of industry and celebrity judges and were chosen from six jazz sub-categories. Each of the winners will receive a $500 prize from the Atlanta Jazz Festival and will play in the festival’s 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. time slots each day.
The six winners of the Future of Jazz Competition are as follows:
January 29th: Contemporary Jazz Instrumental - ZON 3
February 5th: Contemporary Vocal Jazz - Heather Johnson
February 12th: Nu Jazz – Bradford
February 19th: Straight Ahead Instrumental - Mace Hibbard
February 26th: Fusion Jazz - Genetic Drift
March 4th: Straight Ahead Vocal - Kemba Cofield
ABOUT THE ATLANTA JAZZ FESTIVAL
The Atlanta Jazz Festival, an annual musical showcase, celebrates jazz legends and up-and-coming jazz greats in venues throughout metro Atlanta during the month of May and culminates in a 3-day music festival on Memorial Day Weekend. It is the mission of the Atlanta Jazz Festival to expose and entertain a diverse audience of jazz aficionados, young jazz enthusiasts and musical artists to the rich heritage and variety of jazz as an authentic form of traditional music. The 2008 Atlanta Jazz Festival builds on the success and heritage of previous festivals by continuing its expansion with a 31-day schedule. For more information on the Atlanta Jazz Festival, please call the information hotline at 404.853.4234 or visit the website at www.atlantafestivals.com.
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