The Jazz Legacy Project: Cannonball Adderley: Preaching the Gospel of Jazz
Known as the "Country Preacher," this Florida school teacher turned into a jazz icon after he gave NYC a try. From Miles Davis to Nancy Wilson to his own Gospel-infused bands with his brother Nat, Adderley brought the church to the stage and embodied the soul of jazz.
The Jazz Legacy Project Series
What is it?
Each program is roughly 90 minutes, with the goal of bringing the casual jazz listener inside the minds and music of the most influential and interesting American musicians of all time. The life and music of the artist/composer is entertainingly narrated by the drummer, Mr. Justin Varnes, and seminal jazz pieces are played to illuminate the narration. These are NOT tribute concerts in the sense that the musicians are trying to recreate the original performances, but instead to celebrate the essence and accomplishments of the particular artist.
Who is it?
The Jazz Legacy Project:
Drummer and Narrator: Justin Varnes
Pianist/ Keyboardist: Louis Heriveaux
Bassist: Kevin Smith
Saxophonist: John Sandfort
Vocalist: Nicole Chillemi
“It’s like a jazz concert and a jazz history class in one…and they play their behinds off, too!” – Tamara Fuller, the Velvet Note.
Leader Justin Varnes has taught jazz at Emory University, Georgia Tech, and Georgia State University, as well as toured with Earl Klugh, Phoebe Snow, and Mose Allison. His Jazz Legacy Project was sponsored by the Fulton County Public Library system for a year-long series of concerts. The Jazz Legacy Project has also performed at the Velvet Note, the Jazz Corner, the 30-A Songwriter’s Festival, and the Greenville Music Museum.
