Dozens of musicians descend on Durham this weekend for Art of Cool Fest 2016, a festival whose lineup is already drawing advance raves. Duke professor Mark Anthony Neal says he wouldn’t miss it.
“I’ve often described it as a ‘black South by Southwest,’” said Neal, a professor of English and African and African American studies. “It’s an attempt to bring a younger audience to jazz. And it also tries to bring traditional jazz audiences to what might be described as progressive R&B or progressive soul.”
Neal helps get things rolling Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. in a live streamed conversation with festival headliner Terrence Blanchard. Blanchard and Neal will discuss the state of jazz and the evolution of Blanchard’s music.
If you’ve followed Spike Lee’s career, you already know something about Blanchard’s musical aesthetic. The jazz trumpeter has scored all of Lee’s films since “Do the Right Thing” and is best known for the straight-ahead jazz he has performed since the 1980’s.
Blanchard’s recent album “Breathless” departs from that traditional jazz style, moving toward funk and pop. He performs with E-Collective Friday at 9:15 p.m. at the Carolina Theatre in downtown Durham.
“I’ve been listening to Terrence Blanchard for more than 20 years,” Neal said. “He’s a stellar trumpeter.
“This project is a musical shift, and it has political connotations as well. It’s an attempt to make jazz more relevant.”
In addition to Blanchard, Neal plans to check out saxophonist Kamasi Washington. He’s also intrigued by the Jamla Records showcase events at the Pinhook bar, featuring Heather Victoria, Rapsody and other artists from the label owned by 9th Wonder.
A full schedule for Art of Cool Fest 2016 is available here.