Here is the lineup of events for 2016 Jazzanooga:
Sunday, April 3, 1-4 p.m.
2016 Jazzanooga Music Festival Kick-off Celebration
Coolidge Park Carousel
Kick-off the 5th Annual Jazzanooga Festival at the historic Dentzel Carousel in Coolidge Park. Free cotton candy, popcorn and carousel rides. Featured performer, Chattanooga’s Big Band, Sweet Georgia Sound. Free and family friendly.
Friday, April 8, 5:30-8 p.m.
Juke Joint Session at Memo’s, 430 E MLK Blvd.
The monthly Juke Joint Sessions; an evening featuring great music and rich flavors deeply rooted in the south at the historic Memo‘s -- one of the oldest African American Restaurants on MLK Blvd. Back by popular demand, Jazz Guitarist, Alfred G. Smith AKA The Doctor. Free and family friendly.
Friday, April 8, 7-9 p.m.
Bluegrass Meets Jazz
Jazzanooga Space, 431 E MLK Blvd.
Bluegrass Meets Jazz featuring The Hamilton County Ramblers. The Hamilton County Ramblers are a chart-topping local bluegrass group who enjoy playing for anyone who will listen. Limited Seating. Cash bar. Tickets $10 on Eventbrite.
Saturday, April 9, 2-4 p.m.
Historic MLK Blvd. Walking Tour
Meet at Miller Plaza at 2 p.m. It’s going to be fun as we take a walking tour of the MLK Neighborhood featuring the arts, cultural and music history, historic buildings and public art that makes the neighborhood pop. The tour will last about 1 to 1 1/2 hours and will include breaks to talk about points of interest. Free and family friendly.
Saturday, April 9, 8-10 p.m.
All That Drag!
Jazzanooga Space, 431 E MLK Blvd.
Celebrate jazz with a spectacular drag show. Hosted by Marcus Ellsworth, host and ringmaster of The Floor Is Yours (formerly Wide Open Floor), an assortment of drag kings and queens will be performing jazz classics and modern hits. Proceeds benefit Tennessee Valley Pride. Cash Bar. Tickets $5 on Eventbrite.
Friday, April 15, 8-11 p.m.
The Life and Times of Big Mama Thornton
Bessie Smith Cultural Center, 200 E MLK Blvd.
We welcome back Chattanooga's own Azusa "She She" Dance for a one night only performance of The Life & Times of Big Mama Thornton. Wiille Mae “Big Mama” Thornton was an American rhythm and blues singer and songwriter. She was the first to record Leiber and Stoller's Hound Dog in 1952, which became her biggest hit. It spent seven weeks at number one on the Billboard R&B charts in 1953. Cash Bar. This event is part of the LIVE at The Bessie performance series. Tickets $20 on Eventbrite.
Saturday, April 16, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Keys of Life: Piano Jam at the Library
Downtown Public Library, 1001 Broad St.
In the kingdom of the instruments, the piano reigns supreme. Not only is it one of the largest instruments you can play, but it also offers a variety of expression and playing potential unrivalled amongst its cousins. Join us for a cool afternoon of free live piano performances by local musicians. Presented by Jazzanooga, The Downtown Public Library, and Summitt Pianos.
Sunday, April 17, 1:30-3 p.m.
Gospel & Soul Brunch
Bessie Smith Cultural Center, 200 E MLK Blvd.
Gospel & Soul Brunch and enjoy a delicious meal while appreciating this uplifting, soulful music on the day it was meant to be heard. Featured performers The Voices of THECREATIVEUNDERGROUND. Join us in a tribute to the Gospel Music Greats, Andrae Crouch and Walter Hawkins. Tickets $20 on Eventbrite.
Friday, April 22, 7:30 p.m.
Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Octet
The Camp House, 149 E MLK Blvd.
Arturo O'Farrill, pianist, composer, educator, and founder and artistic director of the nonprofit Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, was born in Mexico and grew up in New York City. His debut album with the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Una Noche Inolvidable, earned a first Grammy Award nomination in 2006. His next album Song for Chico, earned a Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album in 2009. The 2015 release of The Offense of the Drum was yet another Grammy Award winner. Arturo was, in addition, the winner of the Latin Jazz USA Outstanding Achievement Award, and a Cubadisco Award for The Offense of the Drum in 2015. His newest album release is Cuba: The Conversation Continues on the Motéma label. You do not want to miss this concert! Be prepared for a combination of piano, trumpet, sax, bass, drums and percussion that will move you, literally, into an exhilarating and unforgettable evening. Local musician Carlos Colon is the opening act. Tickets $30 on Eventbrite. After-party at Jazzanooga Space.
Saturday, April 23, 7 p.m.
The Christian McBride Trio with opening act Chantae Cann
The Chattanooga Choo Choo Centennial Theater, 1400 Market St.
Five-time Grammy-winning jazz bassist Christian McBride can be likened to a force of nature, fusing the fire and fury of a virtuoso with the depth and grounding of a seasoned journeyman. Powered by a relentless energy and a boundless love of swing, McBride’s path has described a continuous positive arc since his arrival on the scene. With a career now blazing into its third decade, the Philadelphia native has become one of the most requested, most recorded, and most respected figures in the music world today. Neo-soul and jazz vocalist Chantae Cann is the opening act. Tickets $30 on Eventbrite. After-party at Jazzanooga Space.
Sunday, April 24, 5 p.m.
Julian Lage with opening act Julie Dexter
The Revelry Room, 1400 Market St.
At age 27, Julian Lage already boasts a resume that an artist twice his age would be proud to claim. A former child prodigy—he was the subject of the 1997 documentary Jules at Eight—the California- born, now New York–based guitarist has collaborated with such giants as Gary Burton, Jim Hall, David Grisman, Béla Fleck, and Charles Lloyd. He’s released three albums as a leader, most recently 2015’s solo outing World’s Fair, and a few others in duo situations, including Wilco guitarist Nels Cline, pianist Fred Hersch, and Punch Brothers guitarist Chris Eldridge. Lage has also served as a sideman to many. British neo-soul and jazz sensation Julie Dexter is the opening act. Tickets $20 on Eventbrite.