Event Title
Johnny Mercer Centennial Celebration Concert featuring Lizz Wright, Joe Gransden and the Georgia State University Jazz Band
Time/Date
11-14-2009 8:00 PM
Abstract
The Johnny Mercer Centennial events concluded with a special performance of Johnny Mercer's music with Lizz Wright, Joe Gransden and the Georgia State University Jazz Band. Lizz Wright studied voice at Georgia State University, and continued her musical education at New York's New School and in Vancouver. Returning to Atlanta, she won considerable regional acclaim after joining the jazz group In the Spirit. In 2002, Wright gained high-profile acclaim for her performances as part of a touring Billie Holiday tribute, for which she was singled out as a future star by several prominent critics. She is currently a Verve recording artist, and one of the jazz world's most celebrated rising stars, both as an accomplished songwriter and a versatile, deeply expressive singer.
Joe Gransden also studied music at Georgia State University, and the trumpeter/vocalist has performed worldwide and released seven CDs under his own name. Joe grew up in an environment that was rich in music, and soon after high school he was on the road as a sideman with the big bands of Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller. This was followed by a number of gigs with notable artists including Barry White, The Moody Blues, Kenny Rogers, The Temptations, Aretha Franklin, and The Whispers. Joe currently makes Atlanta his home, and his group, The Joe Gransden Trio, is a staple of the thriving Atlanta jazz music scene.
Johnny Mercer Centennial Celebration Concert featuring Lizz Wright, Joe Gransden and the Georgia State University Jazz Band
The Johnny Mercer Centennial events concluded with a special performance of Johnny Mercer's music with Lizz Wright, Joe Gransden and the Georgia State University Jazz Band. Lizz Wright studied voice at Georgia State University, and continued her musical education at New York's New School and in Vancouver. Returning to Atlanta, she won considerable regional acclaim after joining the jazz group In the Spirit. In 2002, Wright gained high-profile acclaim for her performances as part of a touring Billie Holiday tribute, for which she was singled out as a future star by several prominent critics. She is currently a Verve recording artist, and one of the jazz world's most celebrated rising stars, both as an accomplished songwriter and a versatile, deeply expressive singer.
Joe Gransden also studied music at Georgia State University, and the trumpeter/vocalist has performed worldwide and released seven CDs under his own name. Joe grew up in an environment that was rich in music, and soon after high school he was on the road as a sideman with the big bands of Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller. This was followed by a number of gigs with notable artists including Barry White, The Moody Blues, Kenny Rogers, The Temptations, Aretha Franklin, and The Whispers. Joe currently makes Atlanta his home, and his group, The Joe Gransden Trio, is a staple of the thriving Atlanta jazz music scene.