Sunday, September 06, 2026
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Show 6pm | Doors 5pm
$33.05 to $40.40
Craft cocktails and small plates begin at 5:00 pm.
Middle C Jazz has General Admission seating available on a first-come basis. We also offer preferred seating for our Baby Grand members.
For information regarding our Baby Grand Membership click here.
Justin Varnes Jazz Legacy Project interprets the music of jazz legends while intertwining their stories with the historical moments that shaped them. This month, we bring to life the music and influences of drummer Art Blakey.
“Father of Modern Jazz”
A happy accident left Blakey and Horace Silver alone in a recording studio. What came out was the beginnings of the Hard Bop era. What followed was a band – The Jazz Messengers – that would serve as a school for over 20 of the greatest jazz musicians of all time.
JUSTIN VARNES JAZZ LEGACY PROJECT
Created in 2015 after an epiphany, bandleader and Jazz History teacher Justin Varnes ditched the traditional textbook in favor of playing records and telling stories about the artists to college students.
It turns out, telling an artist’s stories is a compelling way to enhance a live performance, as well. But it’s more than just offering insight into what to listen for when listening to jazz, it’s also woven into American history – as jazz itself is. Many movements in jazz are a direct result of cultural shifts in America, and connecting an artist’s music to a time or an event in history can open up a new world when listening to it.
In it’s second year at Middle C Jazz, The Jazz Legacy Project has an ongoing residency at the Velvet Note jazz club in Atlanta, where they have been selling out their performances for 6 years and counting.
Featuring musicians:
Justin Varnes – Drums and Narration
Noel Freidline – Piano and Keyboard
John Sandfort – Tenor Saxophone
Kevin Smith – Acoustic Bass
