MOVIE SCREENING
“Diary of a Decade (The Story of a Movement)”
7 p.m. Thursday. $15. Porter Sanford Arts Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur. 404-687-2731, www.eventbrite.com.
EVENT PREVIEW
FunkJazz Kafé Arts & Music Festival
8 p.m. Saturday. $29.99-$75. The Tabernacle, 152 Luckie St., Atlanta. 1-800-745-3000, www.livenation.com.
The annual FunkJazz Kafé has a reputation.
It’s the event that never announces its performers ahead of time, yet sells out the Tabernacle (and other venues over the years) based on past precedent.
Maybe it’s because in its two decades of existence, the music and arts gathering spearheaded by Atlantan Jason Orr has witnessed pop-up performances from Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Cee Lo Green, Outkast, Akon, India Arie, Jamie Foxx, Common, Doug E. Fresh and Janelle Monae — long before anyone knew who “the little girl with the bow tie” was, as Orr puts it.
That’s a heady reputation to possess.
But it’s not really the one that Orr wants.
Yes, FunkJazz is known for the surprise star power that might again turn up on the main stage of the Tabernacle on Saturday, when the event celebrates its 20th installment.
But it’s not a concert. Or, at least Orr doesn’t want it pigeonholed as such, even though the event also has a reputation for showcasing musical unknowns.
“It’s really dedicated to lifestyle activities,” Orr said of the scope of FunkJazz. “We’re probably the only function that fills out the whole (Tabernacle).”
The bottom floor of the Tabernacle will be turned into a vendor showcase — though you might see the occasional stilt walker or fire breather. Those carpeted nooks that give the venue its scruffy charm will each serve a purpose — a meditation suite in one, independent film in another. Poetry, an interactive art gallery and maybe even a FunkJazz museum will fill the spaces as well.
“The first press releases we had were on typewriters,” Orr said of his desire to set up a museum. “For the young kids to see a typewriter and Wite-Out … do they know what Wite-Out is?”
Orr is a charismatic guy — or, as he might even call himself, a charismatic cat — and he’s rightfully proud of the FunkJazz Kafé history.
The event started at the Royal Peacock on Auburn Avenue and, over the years, made venues including King Plow Arts Center and the former House of Blues (now the Tabernacle) its dwelling.
For the 10th anniversary of the arts and music gathering, Orr crafted the documentary “FunkJazz Kafé: Diary of a Decade (The Story of a Movement).”
He travels the country to screen it and said that, "In every city, I can guarantee somebody is going to say, 'That's in Atlanta?' and I say, yes, it is. Two decades. Strong."
“Diary of a Decade” will launch this year’s anniversary celebration with a screening at 7 p.m. Thursday at Porter Sanford Arts Center in Decatur.
Given Orr’s ambitious nature, it’s hard not to wonder why he hasn’t taken FunkJazz to bigger cities with higher marquee value. He admits he’s pondered expansion, but he has his reasons for staying at home.
He cites noncommercial radio as a difference-maker for artistic reasons.
“I learned that by taking the film to cities that don’t have noncommercial radio,” Orr said. “They know every Jay Z and Beyonce song. But ask them, do they know Incognito, Foreign Exchange, Bilal, Flying Lotus? Anything that has some musicality to it, they never heard of it.”
But there is also an inclusive reason for keeping FunkJazz Kafé an Atlanta-specific happening.
“I could have done it in Chicago or Oakland, but it’s like a band — the support cast makes a difference,” he said. “When I did a screening (of the documentary) in L.A., I said to the audience, ‘You guys probably have a talent pool 20 times bigger than Atlanta. But in Atlanta, he’s got corn and she’s got rice and he’s got wheat and she’s got water, and I said, let’s come together and make a market where everybody’s gotta come shop with us.’”
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