The 10-week Levitt AMP Chattanooga Music Series returns for the second year in a row Aug. 23–Oct. 25. Concerts are held Thursdays, from 6-8:30 p.m., on the lawn of the Bessie Smith Cultural Center. The series will continue to shine a light on the area’s musical heritage and build upon the momentum from the past year. All concerts are free and open to the public. Blankets and lawn chairs are encouraged.
The season kicks off Thursday with the Pedrito Martinez Group. Described by The New York Times as “a source of rhythmic delight and inspiration,” GRAMMY-winning percussionist Martinez embodies a dynamic mix of traditional Cuban rumba, Afro-Latin jazz, and Spanish flamenco music.
Additional series headliners include: The Baylor Project (Aug. 30), Big Freedia (Sept. 6), Kevin Whalum (Sept. 13), Jason Eskridge (Sept. 20), Chantae Cann (Sept. 27), Deaconbluz and the Holy Smoke Band (Oct. 4), Ingrid Woode & the Woode Tribe Orchestra (Oct. 11), JohnBoy and Surround Sound (Oct. 18), and Seaux Chill (Oct. 25). Read more about the full lineup here.
Local food and beverage vendors will be available on site. The Bessie Smith Cultural Center has 70 parking spaces in its lot available. After 6 p.m., there is free street parking located along MLK Blvd and Houston Street. There are also various public lots near the event that are available for the public after 6 p.m. For concert schedule updates related to weather, visit Jazzanooga's Facebook.
The Levitt AMP Chattanooga Music Series is supported in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, a private foundation that empowers towns and cities across America to transform underused public spaces into thriving destinations through the power of free, live music. In 2018, more than 450 free Levitt concerts will take place in 22 towns and cities, all featuring a rich array of music genres and high caliber talent.
This series is a community collaboration presented by Jazzanooga, Urban League of Greater Chattanooga, Chattanooga Convention and Visitors Bureau, the city of Chattanooga’s Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Bessie Smith Cultural Center. It is funded by the Levitt Foundation and locally by the Lyndhurst and Benwood Foundations. The 2018 corporate presenting sponsor is the Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union.