December marks the one year anniversary of the opening of Jazzanooga’s historic MLK Boulevard location, the Jazzanooga Arts Space.
"Jazzanooga continues to offer a diverse range of artistic expression that builds on our city’s rich cultural heritage and they have planned an exciting weekend of music featuring local and regional performers to celebrate the occasion," officials said.
Dec. 8 (Doors open at 6 p.m., Pay As You Go Admission)
• Chattanooga Creative Center for the Arts music students under the direction of Neshawn Calloway
Dec. 9 (Doors open at 7:30 p.m., Pay As You Go Admission)
• NightCap Series: Featuring Jermaine Purifory
Dec. 10 (Doors open at 7:30 p.m., Pay As You Go Admission)
• NightCap Series: Featuring Robin Grant
Dec 11 (Doors open at 1:30, p.m., Brunch Ticket Price $15)
• Jam and Soul Brunch: Featuring Nancy Westmoreland
Students from Jazzanooga’s Youth Music Academy will serve as the opening act of each anniversary show.
All the events (excluding the brunch meal price) will be Pay As You Go Admission, which means any financial contribution given is appreciated and goes directly to continue their community arts programming efforts.
“I still smile every time I come in the doors,” said Shane Morrow, director of Jazzanooga. “Providing opportunities for all segments of our community to gather, interact, learn, and celebrate our city’s musical and cultural diversity is overwhelming gratifying. I am so appreciative to be able to make a positive difference in this community through the power of the arts.”
Over the past twelve months, Jazzanooga has used the space on MLK Boulevard to further the organization's mission of cultural preservation, performance and music education in Chattanooga. More than a few famous folks have helped Jazzanooga mark 2016 by visiting the location for performances and just to hang out with local musicians -- among them are Grammy winners Usher and Arturo O’Farrill, author Patricia Bell Scott, and Najee Dorsey, the founder of Black Art in America. More than 75 programs and events have taken place in Jazzanooga’s space since the doors opened in December of 2015.
Jazzanooga has served as a community space for arts and cultural programming, hosting events by, Chattanooga Links, Velvet poetry, Cha Noisemakers, BJS Productions, NBM Lifestyle, PechaKucha, Speakeasy Revue and Chambliss Law Firm’s Startup Social.