What exactly is art; who defines it; who makes it, and where in Atlanta do poets, thespians, and artists congregate and create? We’ll use this space to catch up with a few for a few…some you may know; others we hope you’ll be pleased to meet their acquaintance.
Whenever I hear John Coltrane’s opening call and response in “Blue Train,” my mind travels back to my childhood and memories of my father. Until his death last August, he was dedicated to his two greatest loves: golf and jazz. In fact, we were surrounded by jazz during his repast at “The Patch,” the other historic golf course in Augusta, GA, which he, Raymond Jenkins, Harry Maurice Thompson, and Clois Herndon integrated as a result of a 1964 lawsuit.
There was always a free jazz concert at our house courtesy of my father’s album collection that lined a wall in the basement. In addition to Coltrane, there was Davis, Adderley, Monk, etc. Here’s my confession: I didn’t like it as a kid because all I wanted to hear then was Funkadelic, Rick James, Cameo, and almost any Jackson but Milt. But, one day, deep into my adult years (in the Walkman era), I was drawn to Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme” while waiting for my flight at Charles de Gaulle. I bought a copy to calm my nerves on the 10-hour flight back to Atlanta and listened to it from take-off on repeat until we landed. I then realized that this music I’d avoided for so long had become one with my DNA. And I have my father to thank for that unexpected gift.
Recently, at an event commemorating the 60th anniversary of The Patch’s desegregation, I listened to golfers, including the great Jim Dent, riff off each other’s stories. I realized that the best golf and jazz players understand the art of improvisation. So, interviewing Jamal Ahmad and Lil John Roberts felt like an extension of that conversation. Both Atlanta residents for decades: Roberts by way of Philly but now steeped deeply in the Southside – “Colli Park,” as he puts it – and Ahmad anywhere jazz is playing, but especially at WCLK where he’s a DJ.
You’ll find both artists in concert at Atlanta Symphony Hall on Friday, May 24, celebrating WCLK’s 50th Anniversary. Sidenote: you’ll definitely want to check out their playlists at the end of this article.
Lil John, you once said, “Jazz is spiritual music,” when I was crossing the Atlantic deep listening to “A Love Supreme,” I felt like it was a baptism of sorts. You grew up in a musical family; what was your baptism into your love for music—becoming a drummer?
LJ: I’m from Philadelphia, which has a huge legacy of music. My dad played bass, and my mom is a classically trained pianist who played in his church; both could sing. Three uncles played drums, including my grandfather, light heavyweight boxing champ Harold Johnson; one uncle played bass; and my three aunts could sing their faces off. So, music was always playing in the house and at church, literally, 24/7! I started playing the drums when my hands and feet could move the sticks and pedals. Whatever my family did, I mimicked. I was astonished by how people reacted to good music if it moved them, and I wanted to be able to do that!
What about you, Jamal? You started an internship at WCLK as a student at Morehouse in 1994 and never looked back—was that your baptism into your love and knowledge of jazz?
JA: Interestingly, my introduction was playing jazz music while in high school as a band member and hip-hop music. As a teenager hearing a lot of that classic hip-hop in the early 90s, they were full of jazz samples from the likes of Roy Ayers, Clifford Brown, Grover Washington Jr., Donald Byrd, and so many more. I would find all the original music featured on albums made by A Tribe Called Quest, Gangstarr, De La Soul, Eric B and Rakim, and many others. Many folks find all this hard to believe. LOL.
Speaking of bands, Jamal, I love the name of your group, Dangerfeel Newbies, and its homage to Dangerfield Newby. Thanks to you, I researched and found out how he wanted to buy his wife’s (Harriet) emancipation and ended up dying during the John Brown-led raid at Harper’s Ferry with her letters on him. Tell us about your group, the motivation for starting it, and how you connect history, art, and jazz.
JA: Thank you for that question. Yes, I named my band after Newby, a compelling historical figure. I’ve been producing music since I was 15 and watching my mother start a boutique record label, which inspired me to make music my full-time vocation. Because I’m classically trained in trumpet, baritone, and tuba, I understand the rudiments of music a bit more than some DJs. I was also one of the founders of The Groovement, featuring folks like my friend, India.Arie, Anthony David, Avery Sunshine, Khari Cabral Simmons, Donnie, OK Cello, and others. We were part of the urban alternative/neo-soul wave of the mid-90s and after some prodding from India.Arie, to get back into production, I thought of the concept for The Dangerfeel Newbies. My very good friend and WCLK colleague, Mark Angel, joined me, and the rest, as they say, is history, lol. We’ve released a diverse music catalog ranging from soul, jazz, funk, house music, and other urban alternative styles.
Lil John, what does being an artist or creative mean to you, and how would you describe the world you create, having played with so many artists like Janet for 20 years, Wynton Marsalis near the beginning of your career, and the Goodie Mob and Dionne Farris, Joi, when you moved to Atlanta—and also including your own work like in the Heartbeat?
LJ: Being an artist means creating whatever I imagine, however possible. It is being able to play as many genres of music as possible and not being boxed into one thing. I started playing gospel in church, then branched out to straight-ahead jazz by middle school, hooking up with my boys Christian McBride and Joey Defrancesco. We played in the Philadelphia All City Jazz Band together when we were 15, meeting people like Miles Davis, Sun Ra, and Wynton Marsalis, as well as the family, who later became mentor figures to us. Then I received a scholarship to Berklee College of Music, where I stayed for 2 years, then began recording and performing with Hip Hop legends DJ Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith, which opened doors into R&B and Pop for me. I moved to Atlanta shortly after that and hooked up with up-and-coming artists like Dionne Farris, TLC, Xscape, Monica, Goodie Mob, Joi, and others as their drummer and music director; then recorded a lot with Dallas Austin, Jermaine Dupri, and Organized Noize. I also started a movement in the live music scene with my band, The Chronicle, which was a staple in the city, playing nightly around town and recording on many of the artist’s records. I toured with Goodie Mob on the Fugees’ first tour in 1996 along with my Philly crew, The Roots, and that tour was EPIC; that was right after my first tour with Janet Jackson in 95′ but from that point on, like we say now “it was up from there!” For the next three decades, I was blessed to work with some of the biggest names in the music business. In 2014, I released my debut album, “The Heartbeat,” representing all the different styles of music I’ve played throughout my career, with my friends who just happened to be amazing artists.
Jamal, with your history and knowledge as a musician, experience as a D.J., leading a band, and various collaborations, what would you like your artistic legacy to be—an artifact or relic you’d place in a time capsule to share with the future?
JA: I would love for my artistic legacy to be a legacy of preservation and exploration, remembered as an artist in everything I do, and that my art celebrates the best that our ancestors gave us and points the world toward the future. The artifact or relic I would put into a time capsule would be a recording of my radio show, The S.O.U.L Of Jazz, and possibly the Culture Dawn album from The Dangerfeel Newbies that features my daughter, Jennah, on the cover.
And speaking of legacy, LJ, I was a HUGE fan of FunkJazz Kafé and attended one of the first in 1995. They fed you artistically, even as a fan. I’m so mad I can’t find my T-shirts, by the way. LJ, you played an essential role in this iconic Atlanta event–what moment, event, or artifact would you place in a capsule to share with the future?
LJ: Ah, the FunkJazz Kafé! Shouts out to my boy Jason Orr, one of the first people I met visiting Atlanta. He helped convince me to move here. We were rolling around the city, and he showed me all the known and unknown spots, some of the underground “dungeon” spots where the ATL culture was represented. And I immediately fell in love with the vibe–it felt like home, so much like Philly, and I knew I had something to add. So, Jason and I collaborated on what FunkJazz Kafé would be like in his little apartment in Buckhead, where I used to crash before we found a place for me to stay. Thank you, Jason! (I always tell that story.) We decided that I would handle the music side of things for the show with The Chronicle, and he, along with our partner Ron Williams and others, would handle the ambiance and artistic theme of the night. It was magical if you ask anyone who attended it.
In a capsule, I would place my body of work along with what I offered each individual, group, or entity I crossed paths with to share in the future. All praises be to God for shining his light through me and using me as a vessel to enlighten and inspire others through my music and energy. That is what I want my legacy to be when I leave here.
Lil John, what would you like us to know about Atlanta Jazz Festival Presents WCLK AT 50?
LJ: This beautiful night of celebration for WCLK’s 50th Anniversary, we hope to tell a story in 2 hours through the musical selections we’ve chosen to represent 50 years of the radio station’s legacy and the diversity of music they played on the air daily, from the 1930’s era, until now. Hopefully, the audience will reminisce about what was happening in their lives and the emotions they felt when these songs came on the radio, and they will have good thoughts and memories from those moments.
What about you, Jamal, you are part of the history of WCLK’s 50 years, having DJ’d there for 30 years, what would you like us to know?
Firstly, this event is going to be absolutely amazing, God willing! Ray Cornelius, Lil John Roberts, and I have assembled the greatest jazz musicians in the Atlanta music community. I always joke and say we assemble the Avengers of Jazz, lol. It will be a lovely evening celebrating the rich and beautiful legacy that this precious gem, Jazz 91.9 WCLK, has been for this city and the world and a musical journey that starts in the 1930s and ends with today’s music. Songs from Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, Herbie Hancock, Roy Ayers, and many more will be performed by the best this city offers. And it will be hosted by the greatest host in the world, poet/author Jon Goode. We can’t thank Camille Russell Love from the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and the Atlanta Jazz Festival enough for this beautiful opportunity.
Lil John Roberts Playlist
Jamal Ahmad’s Playlist