The producers of the inaugural Jazz Music Awards and Jazz 91.9 WCLK will present three dynamic Jazz master classes and workshops on the campus of the historic Clark Atlanta University on Friday, October 21, 2022, beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET, at the Juanita Baranco Multi-Purpose Room in the Bishop Cornelius Henderson Student Center at 223 James P. Bawley Drive SW, in Atlanta, Georgia. Featuring some of the best-known names in the world of Jazz today – including multiple Grammy Award winners and NEA Jazz Masters Dee Dee Bridgewater, Dianne Reeves, and Terri Lyne Carrington – these educational masterclasses and workshops are free and open to the public and take place the day before the inaugural Jazz Music Awards ceremony.
Other participants are three-time Grammy-nominated artist Jazzmeia Horn and preeminent jazz, gospel, and blues vocalist Lizz Wright, DJ and Grammy-nominated Jazz musician Kassa Overall; award-winning documentary filmmaker, and cultural curator Jason Orr, and percussionist, drummer, and educator Lil’ John Roberts. These sure-to-be enlightening sessions will be moderated by beloved on-air personalities from Jazz 91.9 WCLK and have been programmed to give Jazz fans, young musicians, and casual listeners a window into how and why Jazz is so key to American culture. The sessions and noted panelists are as follows:
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
“MASTERING JAZZ”
Three accomplished women, all of whom are recipients of the NEA Jazz Master title – the highest honor given in Jazz music – team up for this informative and inspiring session. Three-time Grammy-winning drummer, author, and educator Terri Lyne Carrington, Grammy and Tony Award winner Dee Dee Bridgewater, and five-time Grammy Award winner Dianne Reeves will discuss the ins and outs of mastering a successful career and maintaining longevity in the jazz field. Moderated by Debb Moore, host of Jazz 91.9 WCLK’s “Jazz at Sundown” and “Jazz Suite,” the panel guests will offer insights on taking your love for the music and parlaying it into a successful rewarding business career.
10:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m.
“VOICE IS THE ORIGINAL INSTRUMENT”
Two of the Jazz world’s most dynamic vocal powerhouses, Lizz Wright and Jazzmeia Horn, will discuss the voice as an important instrument in jazz and will share their techniques for boosting projection, improvising, and connecting to the heart of the song. The acclaimed vocalists will exchange views on how to develop a unique style, best practices for maintaining vocal health, and individual pathways for pursuing a musical career. The panel will be moderated by Ms. Rivablue of Jazz 91.9 WCLK’s “Midday Jazz.”
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
“JAZZ AS CULTURAL CURRENCY”
DJ and percussionist Kassa Overall; documentary filmmaker, writer, and festival producer Jason Orr (FunkJazz Kafé Arts & Music Festival and Life Arts Documentary Film Festival + Music Conference); and in-demand drummer Lil’ John Roberts join forces to discuss what’s happening currently in jazz, as well as the future of the art form. The session will examine the history of Jazz and its influence on Black music, from bebop to hip-hop, and will also explore how the vibrancy and cultural currency of Jazz can be maintained for the future. Moderated by Jamal Ahmad, host of the nationally syndicated “Soul of Jazz” on Jazz 91.9 WCLK, this panel will offer fresh insights into the exciting prospects for carrying Jazz further into the 21st Century.