Considered one of the earliest urban lifestyle festivals of its kind, FunkJazz Kafe was the pre-eminent cultural experience in Atlanta for over a decade. In recent years, lower corporate sponsorship has been a hindrance to the presentation of the memorable. Once a quarterly staple, FJK was reduced to once-a-year and some years, not at all.
But, this weekend FunkJazz Kafe returns to Atlanta and the whole city is holding its breath. What **** is FunkJazz Kafe? You ask, dismissively. Don’t worry, I can’t wait to tell you.
Here is everything you need to know about The FunkJazz Kafe Arts & Music Festival.
What FunkJazz Kafe is, is a uniquely offered unscripted environment of mixed-media installations, live video mixing, turntable DJs, live percussion interaction and live painting with a backdrop of innovative music. Creatively speaking, anything goes!!! The goal has been to introduce new artistic talents and lifestyle concepts in a creative, multi-activity atmosphere filled with music and memories.
It is a sensory overload of culture. Poets, performers, and people. “We want to preserve our music and events,” says founder Jason Orr, “we’re showing you culture.” Proclaimed as “A Legendary Carnival of Art and Music” and “Best Performance Arts Festival” by Vibe Magazine and voted “Best Multimedia Event” in 2002 by Creative Loafing, The FunkJazz Kafé creates one of the most anticipated and original interactive/cultural arts festivals in North America.
Who might you see at a FunkJazz Kafe? Goodie Mob has rocked with a live band. Erykah Badu showed out. So did Jill Scott. Janelle Monae put on her dancing shoes. And so many other artists have participated in what is a magical night. Public Enemy, Jamie Foxx, Outkast, India Arie, Talib Kweli, Common, Omar, Bilal, Loose Ends, Raphael Saadiq, Goodie Mob, Van Hunt, Doug E. Fresh, MC Lyte, Too Short, Cee Lo, Donnie, Sleepy Brown, George Howard and many others each leaving a taste of their past, present and future sounds with the support of our house band and interacting DJs.
Why is FunkJazz Kafe important? Truth of the matter is, we all know that music has changed and people have changed. “Nothing is for real anymore, not even the music,” Orr explains. That’s true. FunkJazz Kafe feeds a need that exists in any true music lover. To hear music in an amazing atmosphere surrounded by good people and to be able to come away from the event feeling good and recharged.
When you leave FunkJazz Kafe, you will go home thinking about all the amazing and creative talents that you possess and how you should be doing more with them. You might just put pen to paper, and brush to canvas. The event is July 12th and 13th in Atlanta. On the 12th, you can catch a screening of the critically-acclaimed documentary about the festival, Diary of a Decade: The Story of a Movement.
Where is this amazing night going to be? (I knew you were feeling it.) The event is held at The Tabernacle, one of Atlanta’s best music venues. The former cathedral-turned-concert space has an almost-holy feel to it and is the perfect venue for FJK.
After hearing all of this, I know your last question: How can I get there? Tickets for the FunkJazz Kafe Arts & Music Festival are available at the official website: www.funkjazzkafe.com
