JAZZ IN THE ALLEY
RIVERDALE 2023 Artist Line-Up
ORDER OF PERFORMANCE
Lola Cole
The granddaughter of Nat King Cole and the niece of Natalie Cole, based in Studio City, CA, Lola Cole combines her Mississippi Blues roots with her native Atlanta soul to give voice to God and freedom. She has been considered a hybrid artist, singing and writing with a conscious/activist mindset from a spiritual viewpoint. With a deep appreciation for jazz and the history of music culture, Lola calls her sound cultural art. It is a blend of her ingenious, black, southern, music roots. She is a two-time performer at SXSW (South by Southwest), currently a member of the Sunday Service Collective Family, and a fellow for Black Women in Music.
Milkshake Mayfield
Trumpeter/Flugelhornist Extraordinaire
Milkshake is Atlanta’s own trumpeter/flugelhornist 'extraordinaire’, a title befittingly tagged him by the late 'Tippy' Calloway, Atlanta's legendary radio hosts. In the music community, he has also been referred to as Atlanta's "Ambassador of Jazz" whose instruments have taken him all over the world. He is an "Alpha Man" of Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Phi Chapter at Clark College (now Clark-Atlanta University). His presentation style of performance & dress was highly influenced by the esteemed professionalism of the late renown jazz giants Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, & Cab Calloway, all of whom he had the opportunity to perform with. He is a fusion artist who has the unique ability to blend polyrhythmic music in improvised format, in contemporary & straight-ahead jazz, bebop, funk, R&B, Pop...whatever pleases his diverse audience. Over the years, he has shared-stage performances with the likes of the SOS band, Bobby Byrd & the JBs, Michael Franks, Alex Bugnon, Kevin Eubanks, Maysa Leaks, Jeff Lorber, Gladys Knight, Fred Wesley & the New JBs, Freddy Cole, Najee, Rachelle Ferrell;
REPLACED by Saxophonist RICHARD SHAW JR.
FunkyardX
The Funkyard Experiment aka FunkyardX, emerged in 2013, founded by Steve Johnson. Creatively inspired by the pioneers of funk and rock, Johnson added a twist of gospel, jazz and fusion. The band's musical performances are soul laced and loaded with head nodding funky rhythms powered with massive energy drawn from rock influences. This combination has dazzled every audience that has witnessed their musical wizardry. FunkyardX is made up of nine musicians that are based in Cleveland, Ohio. In the band's short time together, they have accumulated an ever-growing fan base and have graced the stage with all-time greats such as Angie Stone, Boney James and Gerald Albright. Funkyardx released its first single in the Spring 2021. The band is continuing to expand its fan base, gracing numerous new stages with its undeniable one in a million talent!