Editorial
Front Page - Friday, June 19, 2009
Bessie Smith Heritage Festival brings jazz, blues, art to ML King
Samara Litvack
For the second year in a row, the Bessie Smith Heritage Festival will draw people from all walks of life to the grounds of the African American History Museum for a weekend of family fun.
“It is the mission of the Bessie Smith Heritage Festival to expose and entertain a diverse audience of music lovers to a unique blend of culture, music, arts and food,” says Erskine Oglesby, chairman of the festival. “We encourage all residents of Chattanooga and the surrounding areas to attend, as the festival will offer something for everyone.”
“We consider it a means of giving back to the community and trying to get people to come down into the ML King district and trying to start really viewing it as a cultural outlet for the city,” says Rose Martin, executive director of the museum.
On Friday, August 21, the festivities will kick off with a new educational component for middle and high school students. Vasti Jackson, a blues artist who is performing at the festival, is conducting a blues lecture demonstration for Hamilton County students at the Bessie Smith Hall. Schools interested in participating in this portion of the festival should contact the museum to reserve spots for their classrooms.
Also on Friday is the opening of the fine art exhibit Collaborations – Two Decades of African Art, which will stay in the museum through November 10.
“It is national, international and regional artists,” says Martin. “It has sculpture by some of the really well-established artists, such as Elizabeth Catlett, works by Paul Goodnight and William Tolliver.”
The exhibit also contains pieces of work from emerging artists, such as Twin, Inc. – Jerry and Terry Lynn, collaborative oil and acrylic abstract artists, who are also twin brothers from Memphis.
On Saturday, August 22, the festivities will resume with an artist talk back, hosted by legendary jazz performer and vibraphone player Roy Ayers, in the 7th floor auditorium of the EPB building.
“I’m sure a lot of artists and jazz enthusiasts would love the opportunity to just talk and ask questions,” says Martin. The meet and greet with Ayers is free and open to the public, but space will be limited and spots are granted on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The actual festival will begin at 3:30 p.m. This year’s featured artists include Ayers, Jackson, jazz and funk musician Tom Browne, R&B singer Angela Winbush, contemporary jazz saxophonist Joe Johnson, R&B artists Leela James and Algebra and Chattanooga jazz musician Frank B.
Festivalgoers will also have an opportunity to learn about and celebrate visual arts through this year’s Artists in Motion, which gives nationally recognized artists a chance to participate in the festivities by creating art around the themes of the music being played. Twin, Inc., for example, both of whom have said they draw heavy influence from the vibrant sounds of jazz and blues, will be painting during the show. Other Artists in Motion include Shanequa Gay, Jody Harris and Fabian Williams.
Vendors will be set up throughout the festival, as well, selling crafts, memorabilia and various types of food.
Martin describes the festival as “something to really give the community performance options that they would not otherwise get in Chattanooga for an affordable cost.” General admission advance tickets for the event are $35; general admission at the gate is $40. For corporate groups or anyone interested in reserving tables at the event, three tiers are available: $400, or $50 a seat; $600, or $75 a seat; and $1,000, or $125 a seat. Martin says the more expensive the table, the closer it is to the stage.
To purchase tickets, visit www.bessiesmithheritagefestival. com; the museum, at 200 East ML King Blvd.; Brewer Media Group, at 1305 Carter St.; Mary’s Lounge, at 2125 McCallie Ave.; or Café Lemont’s, at 801 Dodds Ave. For more information about the festival or to inquire about sponsorship and vendor opportunities, call 423-266-8658 or e-mail bessismithheritagefestival@yahoo.com
Martin expects the second annual festival to be a huge success, as people were asking about it before advertising had even begun.
“Chattanooga is sometimes a last-minute market, in terms of buying tickets for events,” she says. “So if the enthusiasm about the inquiries early on before the promotion began is an indicator, I think it’s going to be great.”
She also credits the Tennessee Arts Commission, Allied Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts for the funding necessary to bring in the festival’s new, educational components. With these additions, she hopes to attract even more people to the ML King district for a weekend of celebrating history.
“We want a diverse audience,” she says. “It’s wonderful to see all the people just come to the district. They enjoy the music and the food. It’s a lot of fun. We’re hoping that a lot of the same people that come to the Bessie Smith Strut will want to come back to the Bessie Smith Heritage Festival, as well.”
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