Ruben Studdard, left, and Lalah Hathaway.IF YOU GOLalah Hathaway, Ruben Studdard¦ When: 8 p.m. Friday, April 25.¦ Where: Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St.¦ Admission: $55, $150.Gregory Porter, Avery*Sunshine¦ When: 6:45 p.m. Sunday, April 27¦ Where: Memorial Auditorium Community Theatre, 399 McCallie Ave.¦ Admission: $55, VIP $150.Edible Jazz¦ What: Food historian and culinary blogger Michael Twitty hosts a community lecture and cooking demonstration on the importance of tradition, nature and availability of ingredients in African-American and Southern culture.¦ When: 5:30 tonight, April 24.¦ Where: Dish-T-Pass, 302 W. Sixth St.¦ Admission: $25.
The Jazzanooga Festival wraps up this week with a parade, a food demonstration and two concerts featuring Lalah Hathaway and Ruben Studdard and Gregory Porter and Avery*Sunshine.
The Hathaway/Studdard show will take place Friday, April 25, at the Tivoli. Hathaway will host the evening of classic soul and jazz with some R&B thrown in. The pair will sing songs from their own catalogs, as well as some duets and fan favorites.
The Porter/Avery*Sunshine show will take place Sunday, April 27, in the Community Theatre upstairs at Memorial Auditorium.
Porter, touted as a new "king of jazz," has been compared with the greatest of the greats, such as Joe Williams, Nat Cole, Donny Hathaway and Marvin Gaye.
Avery*Sunshine is a new voice in R&B, soul, jazz and gospel. A trained pianist, she counts Chaka Khan and Roy Ayers among her fans. She has worked with producer Dana Johnson who co-wrote and co-produced many tracks on India.Arie's "Voyage to India" CD.
The Jazzanooga Festival was created by Shane Morrow as a monthlong celebration of jazz music in general and the jazz scene in Chattanooga. It features events at multiple locations around the city.
BIG 9 SERIES EVENTS
¦ Thursday: Jazz at Memo's, featuring local musicians, 6 p.m. Music served up with a side of barbecue and chopped wieners at one of the city's iconic eateries.
¦ Friday: Downtown Jazz at Waterhouse Pavilion, 12:30-2 p.m., conclusion of weekly concert series featuring Chattanooga State Community College Jazz Ensemble, Jazzanooga Youth Academy and Chattanooga's Jazz Divas.
¦ Saturday: Series concludes with JazzWalk, a traditional New Orleans second-line parade, beginning at 11 a.m. at Whiteside Park and concluding at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, where activities continue until 4 p.m. Set to perform are Tennessee State University Jazz Collegians, University of Tennessee Knoxville Trombone Ensemble, Sweet Georgia Sound, Ninth Street Stompers and the Jazzanooga Youth Music Academy.