Jazz Association of Macon to live stream concert on Saturday
Feel the need to jazz up your life?
The Jazz Association of Macon is ready to help by providing a free, live-streamed concert Saturday.
They suggest you make their event an opportunity to “party-in-place” as you listen to two hours of jazz performed by a half-dozen association musicians and a couple of guest performers.
But board member Melissa Bearden said the song list is a bit fluid because the players are top-notch and jazz is, “you know – all about improvising.”
“The acronym for our association is JAM, after all, so there will be a lot of jamming, spontaneity and all kinds of improvisation,” Bearden said. “That’s part of what makes jazz so exciting and fun.”
Bearden said spontaneity and improvisation brought together the event they’re calling Virtual Jazz in the Courtyard: Live from the Garden.
“Normally, we’d be having a live concert and picnic this time of year for our members and patrons,” she said. “Just two weeks ago we were talking about how that wasn’t possible in light of the coronavirus, social distancing and everyone sheltering in place. Our vice president, Kathy Hoskins Nolan, suddenly came up with the idea to put the concert together in a secret location, a secret garden, and live stream on Zoom and Facebook. We all said great but in just two weeks? But Kathy ran with the idea and everyone pitched in and made it happen. Honestly, I’m really shocked how it’s come to fruition in the time it has.”
Though Nolan said she’s had experience putting together Zoom meetings though work she’s done with the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce and other organizations, putting together the online concert was all new.
Especially the way they’re going about it.
“Bearing in mind it’s all experimental and everybody is learning and trying new things, we’re pretty excited about our test runs and I think it’s going to be quite an evening,” Nolan said. “Starting at 5:30 p.m., we’ll have live music with the group – all practicing social distancing – and Melissa will serve as MC. We won’t just have one stationary camera but Melissa will roam around with a second camera to liven things up. We’ve tested it and it looks like it’s working well.”
Nolan said up to 500 people can register to watch the program via Zoom or any number can watch directly on Facebook.
Because of the way page names and URLs are often given on Facebook, it may be best to simply go to www.facebook.com and search “Virtual Jazz in the Courtyard: Live from the Garden” or “Jazz Association of Macon.”
The association’s regular website is at www.maconjazz.org.
“Doing it this way, everybody can enjoy great jazz from unbelievably good musicians and at the same time get a glimpse into what the association is about. Because it’s usually a picnic, we’re recommending people tune-in and make a party of it. Prepare a little food or picnic spread, pour a little wine, and from wherever you are we can collectively party-in-place as the music rolls on.”
The event is free, but Nolan said there will be an online opportunity to give toward the association’s work. She said the aim of the association has always been to promote, protect and present the art form of jazz music, an art form she called uniquely American.
She said the work of the association is to offer jazz presentations such as its October Riverdale Jazz and Arts Festival and performances by the JAM Ambassadors who have brought jazz to area school students for 22 years.
JAM awards numerous scholarships each year: the Marc Whitten Memorial Music Scholarship for one or more middle, high school or college students in Bibb, Jones, Monroe or Houston counties; the Bob Barnette Memorial Music Scholarship awarded to middle or high school students; and the Young Jazz Musician Scholarship awarded to a graduating high school student who has demonstrated proficiency in jazz as a vocalist or instrumentalist.
Other JAM projects include helping area musicians, particularly at this time some who may be suffering due to the impact of Covid-19.
“Our association is made of musicians and people who don’t play but love jazz,” Nolan said. “I guess they’re about 250 members and though the name says Macon we stretch throughout Middle Georgia. We’d love to have anyone find out more and join us. Check us out Saturday plus you can always go to our website for more information.”
There are other virtual odds and ends set for the coming week as Georgia begins to re-open but most plan to stay socially distant, active online and move out slowly. But two virtual happenings stand out. First, there’s NewTown Macon (www.facebook.com/NTMacon) and their Virtual May First Friday centered on a Facebook event page bearing the same name. From there you can see virtual happenings at galleries, retail shops, restaurants and other locations featuring art, tours, entertainment, goods, food and other offerings. Some are fully virtual and others involve venturing out safely to pick up items.
Then the second is a group of events created by Bike Walk Macon (www.facebook.com/bikewalkmacon) on their event page. Bike Walk has organized events Friday through Sunday ranging from Tactical Urbanism (or Pop-Up Urbanism) to Macon’s wedding spots to advice from photographers.
All in all, there’s a whole lot to do in Macon this weekend, right from home.
Contact writer Michael W. Pannell at mwpannell@gmail.com.
Weekend Virtual Events Include:
-Virtual Jazz in the Courtyard: Live from the Garden
5:30 p.m. May 2
Search facebook.com for the event name
-Virtual May First Friday
Various times May 1
Search events at www.facebook.com/NTMacon
-Bike Walk Macon Jane’s Walk Events
Various times May 1-3
Search events at www.facebook.com/bikewalkmacon
This story was originally published May 1, 2020 at 8:00 AM.