Cobb Energy Centre Foundation presents A World-Class Jazz Series - JAZZ ROOTS: A Larry Rosen Jazz Series - TICKETS ON SALE

THREE DAZZLING NIGHTS - EIGHT EXTRAORDINARY JAZZ STARS - TWELVE GRAMMY AWARDS. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Foundation announces its much-anticipated concert series, debuting September 21st End Quote

JAZZ ROOTS is "the most important new concert and educational jazz series in America" stated Quincy Jones

Atlanta, GA (1888PressRelease) May 18, 2012 - There's nothing impromptu about the new Atlanta jazz series that will premiere September 21st at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.

"Congratulations to the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Foundation for its hard work and its success bringing JAZZ ROOTS: A Larry Rosen Jazz Series to metro Atlanta," said Cobb Energy Centre Managing Director Michael S. Taormina, CFE. "This is an exceptional opportunity for Atlanta audiences to enjoy the performances of world-class jazz musicians and-consistent with the Foundation's educational focus-for all of us to better understand the influences and impact of this uniquely American art form."

The inaugural concert of JAZZ ROOTS in Atlanta is scheduled 8:30 p.m. Friday, September 21 with a performance called JAZZ & SOUL, featuring two celebrated, multi-Grammy Award winners, Al Jarreau and Ramsey Lewis-artists who have taken jazz and merged it with soul to create their own signature sounds.

"We are thrilled to bring our JAZZ ROOTS series to Cobb Energy Centre and to the music fans of the Atlanta region," said JAZZ ROOTS producer Larry Rosen. "Our concerts and accompanying education and outreach programs reach out into the community and bring folks together as we celebrate the great artists and the legacy of America's music."

Double Time: music and a mission
JAZZ ROOTS: A Larry Rosen Jazz Series was created in conjunction with the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County. Established in 2008 and presented in cities throughout the United States, JAZZ ROOTS celebrates the blend of jazz, blues, gospel and R&B that, along with cultural, political and stylistic elements from American history help create the music called jazz.

Music great Quincy Jones has proclaimed JAZZ ROOTS "the most important new concert and educational jazz series in America . . . this series is simply imperative."

"JAZZ ROOTS is a natural fit for the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Foundation, whose mission is to provide quality arts education programs and community outreach initiatives to the region," said Alice J. Thacker, the Foundation's Director of Development. "Through the JAZZ ROOTS education opportunities, the Foundation is able to further its mission and support of arts in education."

The JAZZ ROOTS series will offer a unique opportunity for a host of young music lovers. For each of the three concerts, 100 high school students from metro Atlanta schools will attend the show, as well as, enjoy the privilege of attending pre-concert sound checks and participating in special Q&A sessions with the performers.

The JAZZ & SOUL concert-the first of three scheduled events of the JAZZ ROOTS Atlanta series-will coincide with Cobb Energy Centre's annual benefit celebration, Overture Gala, this year marking the 5th anniversary of the venue's opening.

The two other concerts in Atlanta's JAZZ ROOTS series are LADIES OF JAZZ - Esperanza Spalding and Terri Lyne Carrington, at 8:00 p.m. Friday, October 19, 2012; and DAVE KOZ AND FRIENDS CHRISTMAS TOUR 2012, at 8:00 p.m. Friday, November 30, 2012, both at Cobb Energy Centre. (See attached artists' bios)

Sponsors for the series currently include: Copeland's of New Orleans,and media sponsors 91.9 - WCLK-FM, "The Jazz of the City" and Atlanta Tribune - The Magazine.

Tickets for JAZZ ROOTS are as follows: JAZZ & SOUL, $40 - $100; LADIES OF JAZZ, $26 - $77; DAVE KOZ AND FRIENDS CHRISTMAS TOUR 2012, $36 - $76 per person, and are available at the Centre's Bank of North Georgia Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlet locations, Ticketmaster.com or via phone at 800-745-3000. The box office, located at 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30339, is open Monday thru Friday 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 a.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., closed on Sundays. The venue is located at 2800 Galleria Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30339.

About Larry Rosen
Larry Rosen, musician, producer, executive producer, and music industry entrepreneur, has had an impact on virtually all areas of the music industry. He is the producer/executive producer of over 350 albums of which 80 have been nominated for GRAMMY Awards, winning 33 GRAMMYS. Mr. Rosen is the creator and producer of JAZZ ROOTS: A Larry Rosen Jazz Series, Chairman of Larry Rosen Productions, Inc., co-founder, along with GRAMMY and Academy Award winner Dave Grusin of GRP Records, and co-founder and past Chairman of N2K, Inc. (NASDAQ). Mr. Rosen is the creator and producer of the PBS Television series LEGENDS OF JAZZ, and he is the creator and producer of the multi-media TV series RECORDING: the History of Recorded Music, with hosts Quincy Jones and Phil Ramone. www.jazzroots.net www.larryrosen.com

About Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Foundation
The Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, is charged with securing financial resources for the Foundation's community and educational outreach activities including its signature, ArtsBridge education program. Additional information about the foundation and ways to contribute is available at www.cobbenergycentre.com.

About Cobb Energy Centre
The Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, a 2750 seat, state-of-the-art facility, is located at 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway in northwest Atlanta, inside the Perimeter. Cobb Energy Centre is metro Atlanta's premier venue for opera, concerts, Broadway shows, ballet, educational performances, family shows and corporate meetings and events. The Centre hosts four resident companies, the Atlanta Opera, the Atlanta Ballet, ArtsBridge and the Gas South Broadway Series. Additional information about the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre is available at www.cobbenergycentre.com.

JAZZ ROOTS ARTISTS

Al Jarreau pairs a voice that's recognized as one of the world's most precious treasures with his unique and innovative musical expressions. This combination has made him one of the most exciting and critically acclaimed performers of our time. Jarreau's achievements include seven Grammys, scores of international music awards, and numerous hit records.

Ramsey Lewis, NEA Jazz Master, multiple Grammy awardee, and host of LEGENDS OF JAZZ, the acclaimed PBS TV series, is a true legend of jazz. A pianist and composer, Lewis is often referred to as "the great performer," a title reflecting his performance style rooted in his early gospel roots and classical training. His recording of "The In Crowd" is a jazz and soul classic.

Esperanza Spalding has been called the new face of jazz worldwide. The bassist and vocalist is blessed with uncanny instrumental chops, a multi-lingual voice that is part angel and part siren. With appearances recently on virtually all the late-night shows, not to mention three special performances for President Barak Obama, she seems to have exploded onto the scene. She won the 2011 Grammy for "BEST NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR."

Terri Lyne Carrington, drummer, composer, record producer, entrepreneur-and 2012 Grammy winner- has crafted an eclectic brand of jazz that incorporates elements of bebop, soul, funk and much more. She has been featured with such jazz greats as Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Dianne Reeves, James Moody, and Partice Rushin, Her Grammy winning "The Mosaic Project" features some of the world's most gifted female instrumentalists and vocalists.

Dave Koz is a multi-Grammy nominee and saxophonist extraordinaire whose career spans 20 years and a dozen albums, including three classic holiday albums and his most recent GRAMMY-nominated offering, "Hello Tomorrow" featuring the chart-topping hits "Put The Top Down and "Anything's Possible." He also hosts the long-running, syndicated Dave Koz Radio Show.

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