Ferst Center for the Arts announces smooth jazz-heavy 2009-10 season
July 1st, 2009 by Rodney Carmichael in Music newsA preview of 2009-10 season:
Special 2009-10 five-show ticket packages – at a 20 percent discount off individual tickets – are now on sale and may be ordered from the Ferst Center Box Office at 404-894-9600. Individual tickets for the new season will go on sale August 4, with prices ranging from $15 to $54. Details for all shows are available at www.FerstCenter.org.
The event series include:
Music: An icon of contemporary jazz, Keiko Matsui, on Sept. 25, premiere architect of urban smooth jazz, Kim Waters, on Oct. 24, a unique brand of bluegrass from Rhonda Vincent on Nov. 6, the contemporary jazz and melodic ballads from Ferst Center favorite Earl Klugh on Dec. 5, an evening of Russian music from Moscow State Radio Symphony Orchestra on Jan. 17, two of the world’s most celebrated fiddlers, Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, on Jan. 31, Iran’s musical culture with Masters of Persian Music on Feb. 26, Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour featuring The Kenny Barron Trio, Regina Carter, Kurt Elling and Russell Malone on Feb. 27, folk music icon Arlo Guthrie on March 5, a slice of Irish-American musical history with fiddler Eileen Ivers “Beyond the Bog Road” on March 12, GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist/composer Pat Metheny on April 8 and the ancient art of Japanese drumming with Tao – The Martial Art of Drumming on April 9.
The center has also named a new director, per the press release:
George Thompson, former conservatory general manager with the American Conservatory Theater (ACT) in San Francisco, has been named director of the Ferst Center for the Arts at Georgia Tech. He is responsible for the overall leadership, administration, coordination and fundraising, along with the successful integration of the Center with the Institute’s academic community and the Atlanta arts community.
“The Ferst Center’s history of performances is solid and has deep roots,” Thompson said. “I want to build upon this history and expand the interaction with the campus and the local community, with the goal of establishing a unique identity for the Center within the Atlanta presenting field.”
July 1st, 2009 at 4:11 pm
(sigh) Atlantans just love pussy jazz don’t they. How many people do you think would come out for Ornette Coleman were he (for some reason) to come to Atlanta? 50? 100? Ugh.
July 1st, 2009 at 11:22 pm
Damn, more smooth jazz?!? I gotta echo OKGA here, we already have a ton of smooth jazz, do we really need more??
Why can’t we get some young talent? why does this city have to be so boring? The jazz here is terrible..
youngATLjazz@gmail.com