Highlights at the High: Friday Night Jazz
Over the years, the Atlanta music scene has found creative ways to weave itself into the city’s identity. Here in Midtown, the High Museum of Art has been a longtime host for musicians to showcase their talents in a place with artistic inspiration around every corner. Every third Friday of the month, the museum hosts “Friday Jazz,” an evening where they invite both established and upcoming jazz musicians to perform, local businesses to set up shop, and guests to attend docent-led tours of the gorgeous galleries.
On Friday, Feb. 20, the High hosted another one of its monthly jazz nights which featured three sets by the talented Atlanta-based musician Lori Williams, and an additional two sets by up-and-coming jazz musician Brian Clay. Although it is recommended that guests arrive early so that they can enjoy the experience in its entirety, the dispersed timing of the sets allows visitors to come and go as they please, making the experience more customizable for each guest. I especially enjoyed the opportunity to visit the museum’s exhibits between sets. With the event taking place after hours, the galleries were much less crowded than usual, which allowed me to spend more time with the artworks and fully take in their beauty.
There is more to “Friday Jazz” than open-access galleries and wonderful live music. Another wonderful amenity for guests to enjoy is the highly informative docent-led tours. Multiple tours are offered, each featuring different galleries or current exhibitions. This particular night, there were two docent-led tours, one at 7:15 p.m. for “The Family Album of Ralph Eugene Meatyard” exhibit, with photos from the famous photographer’s mid-20th century works, and one at 8:30 p.m. for the permanent African Art gallery on the museum’s S floor. These tours are a great way to enhance one’s experience exploring the museum and learn even more about the artists behind the artwork.
To add to the fun, the High also invites local eateries and juice bars to come and set up booths at the venue. The lineup of local light bites included smoked meat and homestyle sides from Marietta-based restaurant Williamson Bros. Bar-B-Q as well as southern teas and lemonades from the Black-owned and women-founded Just Add Honey Tea Company. I found the classic lemonade absolutely delicious, and I loved that they even provided guests with self-serve flavor shots to customize the drinks to their liking. These businesses really added a festival-like, celebratory vibe to the event, and enhanced the experience for attendees like myself who are always interested in supporting local businesses.
Still, the magnum opus of the event is in the name: the jazz. The wonders of the night truly stem from the performers. Lori Williams performed sets of both contemporary and older jazz, with an emphasis on trumpets and horns from her bandmates, and Brian Clay focused largely on piano-heavy covers of songs from iconic Black musicians like Marvin Gaye. It was lovely to see groups of people from all walks of life at this event, brought together by a shared love for live jazz music and museum culture. Whether you wanted to dance along to the music or sit and enjoy it from the galleries, there was something for everyone.
Overall, it was both a privilege and a pleasure to attend the event. It not only builds community, but it also supports local artists, businesses, and educational endeavors. From the all-star jazz players and local eateries, to the all-inclusive access to the galleries and tours after hours, the High Museum’s “Friday Jazz” is a wonderful way to spend an evening indulging in art and culture. I highly encourage everyone to come support events like these that help foster city connection, and I personally look forward to attending more of them in the future.
Tickets for “Friday Jazz” cost $30 for guests and $10 for museum members. The proceeds support the performing artists and fund future museum events. To experience the event for yourself, visit the High Museum of Art website to purchase tickets.
