We are so excited to return to First Friday at First "LIVE" for our 2024 Jazz Series -- Atlanta’s first choice for extraordinary jazz performed by many of the best musicians and vocalists to grace a jazz stage anywhere on the globe!
Few people won’t recognize Keith David from TV, film, stage, movies, and his countless voice-overs for roles. First Friday at First is excited to have him grace our stage. He is also a remarkable singer who has played Nat King Cole and blues singer Joe Williams in two traveling shows. Expect some blues, jazz vocals, and fun!
The Season continues:
August: The Black Gold Orchestra is a 19-piece big band, a collection of world-class Atlanta musicians seeking to amplify the rich tradition of Black American music and culture. Award winners, first-call musicians, composers, and producers are among the members. Their vision is to influence art, culture, and community. This will indeed be a unique and memorable evening of music.
September: People who haven’t heard Lori Williams sing will never forget her once they do. Her vocal skills have been compared to Maysa, Sade, Nancy Wilson, and Dianne Reeves. A music critic calls her voice “stunning, supple, subtle, sumptuous, and soulful.” As a musician, she is much more than a vocalist. She is an educator, producer, and songwriter, among other things.
October: Truly a trumpet master, Joe Gransden formed and led a big band playing the jazz classics reminiscent of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald. The Joe Gransden Big Band is quite popular in Atlanta. It has growing popularity everywhere, even performing for sold-out shows at the legendary Blue Note Jazz Club in NYC. First Friday at First is bringing Joe Gransden Big Band right here in downtown Atlanta.
November: Piano virtuoso, composer, arranger, and producer Gary Motley maintains a “relentless” standard of excellence. His dedication to his craft has earned him accolades worldwide, including induction into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame and recognition from the National Endowment for the Arts. First Friday had the good fortune to pull him away from his commissions, his work as an educator, and commitments to do arrangements for his extensive network of artists.