Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Yusef Lateef was born William Emanuel Huddleston on October 9, 1920 in Chattanooga, Tennessee and by the time he was five his family moved to Detroit. Throughout his early life Lateef came into contact with many Detroit-based jazz musicians who went on to gain prominence, including vibraphonist Milt Jackson, bassist Paul Chambers, drummer Elvin Jones and guitarist Kenny Burrell

Proficient on saxophone by graduation from high school at the age of 18, he launched his professional career and began touring with a number of swing bands. In 1949, he was touring with Dizzy Gillespie and his orchestra. In 1950, Lateef returned to Detroit and began his studies in composition and flute at Wayne State University. It was during this period that he converted to Islam.

Lateef began recording as a leader in 1957 for Savoy Records overlapping with Prestige Records subsidiary label New Jazz, collaborating with  Wilbur Harden, Herman Wright, Frank Gant, and Hugh Lawson  among others. By 1961, with the recording of Into Something and Eastern Sounds his dominant presence within a group context had emerged and his ‘Eastern’ influences are clearly audible in all of these recordings.

Along with trumpeter Don Cherry, Yusef can lay claim to being among the first exponents of the world music as sub-genres of jazz. He played on numerous albums, was a member of Cannonball Adderley’s Quintet during the early Sixties, was a major influence on John Coltrane, he began to incorporate contemporary soul and gospel phrasing into his music, founded his own label YAL Records and was commissioned by the WDR Radio Orchestra to compose the African American Epic Suite.

Lateef has written and published a number of books including two novellas and Yusef Lateef’s Flute Book of the Blues. He has received the Jazz Master Fellowship Award from the National Endowment for the Arts, and has had aired a special-documentary program for Lateef, titled A Portrait of Saxophonist Yusef Lateef In His Own Words and Music. He has recorded nearly six-dozen records as both a leader and sideman and continued to compose, perform, record and tour until his transition at age 93 on December 23, 2013 in Shutesbury, Massachusetts.

 

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LORI WILLIAMS

An internationally acclaimed jazz vocalist with more than three decades of performance, recording and music-education experience, Williams brings a rare combination of sophistication, sensuality and emotional truth to the stage. Her voice moves effortlessly from the elegance of traditional jazz to the warmth of soul and contemporary grooves, and her career has taken her from celebrated jazz rooms and festivals across the United States to stages throughout Europe, Japan and the Caribbean. Along the way, she has performed and collaborated with an extraordinary roster of artists including Stanley Clarke, Nathan East, George Duke, Peabo Bryson, Norman Brown and Terri Lyne Carrington.

But Lori Williams’ influence extends well beyond the microphone. A respected educator, mentor, songwriter, producer and advocate for the music, she currently serves as a Governor on the Atlanta Chapter Board of the Recording Academy—the organization behind the Grammy Awards.

Cover: $44.00

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TONI BYRD

Toni Byrd, known as The Velvet SongByrd, is an internationally acclaimed jazz vocalist and songwriter celebrated for her elegant, soulful voice and cinematic stage presence. A Memphis native now based in Atlanta, she has performed worldwide and continues to captivate audiences through her acclaimed tribute production Toni Sings Natalie… A Tribute to Natalie Cole, blending timeless artistry with heartfelt storytelling that resonates across generations.

Her performance history includes a featured appearance in 2026 at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, hosted by the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) to honor the leadership, legacy, and impact of UNCF women presidents. Her greatest honor came in 2016, when she performed at the White House under the Obama Administration.

Cover: $ TBD

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DAVE FRANKENPOHL

Guitarist Dave Frackenpohl brings his Trio featuring vocalist .Lavahi and bassist Kevin Smith to the stage with a stirring combination of original music and loved favorites to Churchill Grounds Dave has been lauded by his peers as breathing life into incredible originals that speak to the heart as well as stimulate the imagination.

Combining his skills with the soaring and soulful singing of Lavahi and the grounded virtuosity of Kevin Smith, the show is sure to bring a smile to your face whether you’re a long time jazz fan or bringing a date for your first experience.

Cover: $25.00

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JOE GRANSDEN & KENNY BANKS SR.

The Art of The Song

Two of Atlanta’s finest jazz artists come together for an evening celebrating the enduring beauty of the Great American Songbook. Joe Gransden and Kenny Banks Sr. bring warmth, soul, and swing to timeless songs, shaped by their deep musical connection and years of shared artistry. With elegance, spontaneity, and a true love of the music, they make each performance feel both familiar and fresh.

Cover: $40.00

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