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January Friday Jazz,
Price: Preregistration required
Event DescriptionFriday Jazz in January will take cues from the remarkable works of painter Julie Mehretu, whose large-scale abstractions are evocative of the spontaneous nature of jazz music. Layering, improvisation, and historical references are rooted in Mehretu's work, providing the perfect complement to this exciting fall jazz series.This is not your typical Friday Jazz. Curated by jazz artist "Lil' John" Roberts, the events will feature three musical areas, inside the Museum, where small ensembles will play throughout the evening, layering notes, improvising melodies, and drawing on inspiration from jazz history.Anne Cox Chambers Lobby performance: Lil' John Roberts and the SenatorsOrkin Terrace performance: Kameron Corvet, Andre Brown, Miguel Gaetan, and Sharrod AllenAtrium performance: A$H. and T.Brown (of All Cows Eat Grass) Enjoy this uniquely immersive jazz experience and tour Julie Mehretu, the artist's first comprehensive survey exhibition co-organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the Whitney Museum of American Art.Reserve your tickets today for Friday Jazz. Walk-up tickets are not available. All tickets must be reserved online in advance.Ticketing Information:All tickets must be reserved online in advance. Walk-up tickets will not be available.Members enjoy FREE tickets to Friday Jazz; however, tickets must be reserved in advance.Guest passes are valid for general admission only and cannot be redeemed during this event.New Safety Precautions for Friday Jazz: All guests over the age of two are required to wear a mask while inside the Museum.Eating and drinking may take place in designated areas outside on the Orkin Terrace and on the Piazza where guests may remove their masks to enjoy a beverage or snack.Coat check is not available during this time.Seating is extremely limited, and priority is given to guests who have accessibility challenges.No outside food or beverage is permitted.Some of the evening's performances will take place outside. Please dress accordingly.Parking in the Woodruff Arts Center garage is free to members; however, capacity is limited and will be first come first served. Members must show proof of membership upon entering the garage: membership card (plastic or digital) or membership purchase confirmation email. About John "Lil' John" RobertsJohn "Lil' John" Roberts, photo by Ben Brown (@benbrownfoto)A highly sought-after drummer, John "Lil' John" Roberts thrives in the jazz industry as its ultimate heartbeat.John, a native of Philadelphia, quickly became noted as a child prodigy playing alongside Christian McBride and Joey Defrancesco at the age of sixteen. The trio was part of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, a project created and directed by Wynton Marsalis comprising the country's twenty-two best young jazz musicians. In 2020, the trio had a reunion residency including Kurt Rosenwinkel at the Blue Note.Under full scholarship at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1991, John studied for two years and started his touring career with hip-hop artists DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (Will Smith). From there, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he began recording and touring with Dionne Farris, Xscape, Monica, Goodie Mob, and Joi. After being asked to fill in for Jonathan Moffett, John began touring with Janet Jackson at the age of twenty-three and continued to tour with her for two decades.He has toured and recorded records with George Howard and has worked with numerous other artists, including Al Green, Anita Baker, Anthony Hamilton, B.B. King, BeBe and CeCe Winans, Bilal, Bruce Parham, Common, Dave Chappelle, Earth, Wind & Fire, Elton John, Erykah Badu, Frank McComb, India.Arie, Joss Stone, Jamie Foxx, Jill Scott, Juanita Bynum, Kindred, Lucy Pearl, Mary J. Blige, Michael Jackson, Mos Def, Musiq Soulchild, Ne-Yo, Paula Abdul, Patti LaBelle, Prince, Queen Latifah, Quincy Jones, Raphael Saadiq, Russell Gunn, Sheila E., Snoop Dogg, Stevie Wonder, The Time, TLC, Yolanda Adams, George Duke, Dianne Reeves, Fred Yonnet, Seal, Keyon Harrold, and many others.After writing and producing with various artists, as well as for his own band The Chronicle, John concentrated on his personal debut project, The Heartbeat (2014). The album features Stokley Williams of Mint Condition, Eric Roberson, Robert Glasper, and Anthony David, among other artists.In 2019, John recorded a project with a former Berklee bandmate, bassist Richie Goods, an album dedicated to the great Mulgrew Miller called My Left Hand Man, which was supported by national and international tours.For more information about John, visit his website or find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@LilJohnRoberts). Park in the garage, take MARTA to the Arts Center Station (N5), or take a Lyft.Lyft is the official rideshare partner of The Woodruff Arts Center. New Lyft users may use the code WOODRUFFARTS for $5 off their first two rides. When heading to The Woodruff, ask your driver to follow in-app navigation directions to the drop-off areas on Callaway Plaza at the corner of Peachtree Street and 15th or on Arts Center Way.This event is part of the Smithsonian Year of Music. For more information, please visit music.si.eduInterested in having your band perform at the High for a future Friday Jazz event? Visit high.org/FridayJazzSubmission to get in touch.TAGSArtist/MakerAtlantanCollege StudentMemberModern ArtMusic LoverYoung ProfessionalDate NightsFriday Jazz EventsFriday NightsMe TimePartiesPerformances
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