The Atlanta Jazz Festival will honor the station and Atlanta’s diverse community of jazz artists by presenting the concert event WCLK AT 50. The station’s world-class broadcast platform is widely known for its dedication to increasing the awareness of the significance of jazz music as an American art form, and guiding and training students in all aspects of broadcast and public media services.
The 50th-year tribute was an unforgettable experience. “[We’re] telling the story from day one that WCLK was birthed, up until now. So the song selections that we came up with are basically like a timeline of the eras of music that they played over the span of those 50 years,” explained internationally acclaimed drummer John “Lil’ John” Roberts who helped lead the radio station’s 50 years of music celebration with the Atlanta Jazz Festival on May 24 at Atlanta Symphony Hall. Roberts, a highly sought-after drummer, has been intimately involved with the jazz station throughout its history which coincidentally coincides with the 50th anniversary celebration of hip-hop across the nation and around the world.
Jazz 91.9 WCLK is Clark Atlanta University’s public radio station. The popular broadcast platform is widely known for its dedication to increasing the awareness of the significance of jazz music as an American art form, and guiding and training students in all aspects of broadcast and public media services.
“WCLK has kept us together. You know, it’s kept the community together. It’s been the voice of the city. It’s given us hope. It’s given us inspiration every day,” he explained in a recent interview.
Roberts led a powerhouse group of musicians who came together to mark the occasion. The All-Star Band included music notables DJ Kemit, Mace Hibbbard, IAMKHEMESTRY, Joel Powell, The Senators: Phil Davis, Tres Gilbert and Derek Scott plus Rodney Edge, Miguel Gaetán, Joe Gransden, Jamel Mitchell, Mike Burton, Saunders Sermons, and Daniel Wytanis.
There were also spectacular and powerful performances by Kathleen Bertrand, Cleveland P. Jones, Rhonda Thomas, Imani-Grace Cooper, Julie Dexter, Tony Hightower, Dashill Smith, and Alexandra Jackson. As the Narrator, Jon Goode shared stories about the history and legacy of WCLK. Melvin Jones also served as the event’s Big Band Music Arranger.
“It was one of the best shows I’ve ever been to,” said one excited member of the crowd, Valerie Edwards. “I mean it was like hearing George Benson, Ramsey Lewis, Herbie Hancock and all of the greats of the past 50 years in one show. Superb, just superb,” she concluded.
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