by Betsy Young

Created on: April 07, 2008   Last Updated: December 08, 2008

"Thirty-one days thirty-one years" is the theme for this years Atlanta Jazz Festival. Celebrating thirty-one years as one of Atlanta's premier events the Atlanta Jazz Festival will kick off the first of May and culminate on Memorial Day Weekend. It has grown from one a one weekend event to a month long extravaganza focusing on Atlanta as the cultural center of the south.

It was a hit from the very first year. Brain child of the Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs* under Mayor Maynard Jackson in 1977, this jazz festival has grown into one of the largest free jazz festivals in the world. Not every event is free, but the majority of the events are. I've had the privilege of seeing Max Roach, Herbie Hancock, Betty Carter and hundreds of other legends over the years with out spending more than the train fare to get there.

The festival just like jazz is a living breathing thing of its own. It has grown, shrunk and then grown again to become what it is today. In the early years there were rolling jam sessions that moved from house to house as locals conspired with jazz greats to create that one of a kind improvised composition built around the riffs and standards familiar to all. The official jam sessions will be held at the Sheraton this year but as always there will be last minute all night music BBQ's.

Traditionally the Atlanta Jazz Festival culminates with four days of music in Piedmont Park. It took a short hiatus and moved to Grant Park where it kept the animals in the zoo up partying way past their bedtimes so back to Piedmont it went. This year due to the draught the festival's last weekend will be held at Woodruff Park in downtown Atlanta.

Due to the move from Peidmont Park the festival will also feature different arts oriented neighborhoods during the first three weeks of the festival. Castleberry Hills, Virginia Highlands and Midtown venues will all host free events. Art displays, poetry, youth competitions, jazz workshops and plenty of jazz will take place throughout the month of May.

For more information on this years events go to www.atlantafestivals.com

*The Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs is now known as the Office of Cultural Affairs, under the Parks and Recreation Department for the City of Atlanta.

*The Atlanta Jazz Festival was originally called the Atlanta Free Jazz Festival.

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