Levitt Amp series another gem in crown

Chattanooga is far from perfect when it comes to the music scene, but it is moving in the right direction. We are still lacking in venues of a certain size and certainly venues that showcase musical diversity and even ones that regularly feature local acts, especially larger rock bands.

The great news is that the Levitt AMP series is returning to town after a successful run last summer and fall. We are a town that loves its free music series, and I think that in some ways the Levitt series gets underappreciated because we have benefited from things like Nightfall, Riverfront Nights and some others we’ve had over the years.

Like the Levitt series, Nightfall and Riverfront Nights have a greater mission than just putting a band on stage. They were designed to bring the community together in a place where they had not gathered previously, to introduce them to music and acts and people they might not have engaged with before.

The Levitt Foundation, located in California, provides funding to communities around the country that meet pretty stringent criteria, with the idea that the money will be used for a set of shows.

Chattanooga had to apply for the series. The foundation looks for communities that have an outdoor space for shows that would allow kids to run around, neighbors to sit next to each other and visit and for small-business owners from the community to set up vendor booths.

The shows are located in parts of town that need a boost; and in some cases, the series have led to largescale revitalization of an area with parks, restaurants and housing being built as a result.

Locally, it is presented by Jazzanooga, the nonprofit organization that uses jazz as a way to break down cultural barriers, in partnership with the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga, Bessie Smith Cultural Center, Chattanooga Convention and Visitors Bureau and the city of Chattanooga.

The shows will be presented on the lawn in front of The Bessie each Thursday from Aug. 23 to Oct. 25.

Performing will be The Pedrito Martinez Group, The Baylor Project, Big Freedia, Kevin Whalum, Jason Eskridge, Chantae Cann, Deacon Bluz and the Holysmoke Band, Ingrid Woode & the Woode Tribe Orchestra, Johnboy and Surround Sound and Seaux Chill.