Pharoah Sanders is one of the top names at this year's Atlanta Jazz Festival.

Credit: Melissa Ruggieri

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Credit: Melissa Ruggieri

BY MELISSA RUGGIERI

The 38th annual Atlanta Jazz Festival is spotlighting old school and new school with its first round of artists.

Jazz legends Pharoah Sanders and Diane Schuur will perform at this year’s gathering, as will buzzy New York band, The Rad Trads.

The festival will be held as usual at Piedmont Park on May 22-24. Admission is free.

Jazz aficionados will also be able to get their groove on throughout the month of May with “31 Days of Jazz” taking place around the city.

MARTA Mondays will return with jazz concerts being held April 27 at H.E. Holmes Station (they’re getting a jump on the event), May 4 at College Park Station, May 11 at Lindbergh Station and May 18 at Midtown Station. Music will be performed from 3-5 p.m.

Other offerings are a festival kickoff party May 1 at Westside Cultural Arts Center; the Jazz Under the Stars concert May 2 at Clark Atlanta University starring Najee;  a jazz feature at the May 8 installment of Martinis & IMAX at Fernbank Museum of Natural History; on May 10, Jamal Ahmad hosts his show, “The S.O.U.L. of Jazz” live at The Music Room; the Friday Jazz series will celebrate Atlanta Jazz Festival May 15 at the High Museum of Art;  and a new “jazz crawl” takes place at various venues on Edgewood Avenue downtown on May 21.

For more information, visit www.atlantafestivals.com.

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