Great Live Jazz in Atlanta

[Bob Cardone]

Hi,

I have lived in Atlanta since the mid 80s, and am always asked the question, " Where can we hear good live Jazz in Atlanta?" When I first moved here, musicians like Dan Wall were still playing Jazz gigs on a steady basis, and there were several places where you could go and hear some good jazz. Gradually all these places started to disappear, and finally it got to the point that if I wanted a Jazz fix, I would hop on a plane and fly to the Big Apple and visit clubs like the Blue Note, Iridium, Village Vanguard and Birdland which are still running in Manhattan and always have great music and audiences that appreciate Jazz. ( In fact I am going up there next month, for just that reason)

Last night, for the first time, I went to a club in Decauter called " Twains" http://twains.net/ It is a weekly Jam session and the house group is led by a trumpet player that I have worked with in the past, Joe Gransden. http://www.joegransden.com/live/ Joe plays there every Tuesday Night, with his quartet , from 9-12. The club is a Brew Pub and the beer is excellent and apparently is the result of having someone that used to run Sweetwater Brewery in Atlanta, as the Brewmaster. The band started prombtly at 9PM, and from the first tune, I knew I had at last, found a venue for great Live jazz in Atlanta. The audience was seated around the bandstand, and when the band played, they listened and applauded after every solo, just as they do in the major jazz clubs in New York. Joe's group is great, and the rhythm section was exciting to say the least. Joe is a wonderful player, and this is a group that showcases both Joe and everyone in his band.

Now the Jam session part, and to my amazement the caliber of the musicians that were sitting in was outstanding . Sax players , Guitarists, Keyboardists, drummers, trumpet players, all played their butt's off, and the audience loved every minute of it. Joe made sure that everyone got a chance to play, which is unusual for most jam sessions, which aren't very organized Many of the tempos are really driving, so a good set of chops on your instrument is essential, if you want to join the players on the bandstand . Several vocalists got up and sang, and they were equally great. I am sorry I am not mentioning any names of the participants , as remembering names is not my forte. The crowd stayed right till the last note at Midnight, and then remained there to talk to each other and the musicians as they were preparing to leave.

The purpose of this post, is to spread the word to people that might want to hear some great Jazz, and never have to leave the Atlanta Area. This is a happening that I hope will continue in our city for a long, long time....... If you know someone that likes live jazz, please tell them about this club.....


Bob Cardone