“It’s so time for Atlanta to get into the groove of a cross-section” of music, says soul-rock powerhouse Joi. She would know — she’s pretty much the embodiment of it. And if seeing her perform live for free wasn’t enough, Joi is the magnet drawing artists from across the Atlanta music scene to jam with her tonight at the Music Room.
Instru Mental is a pop-up music show that brings together diverse musicians. The inaugural event features Grammy Award-nominated soul singer Anthony David, Music in the Park founder and Grammy-winning saxophonist Kebbi Williams, rock-leaning guitarist Ricky Fontaine, wicked soul performer Rahbi Raw, all-female rock trio KrystalMeth featuring Thunda Snatcha, eclectic and always dapper MC Jack Preston of the Dojo Collective, house vocalist Miranda Nicole, Richelle AKA Cornbread and other guests — with Joi as the centerpiece of the jam.
“It’s a celebration of various cross-sections of Atlanta’s art collective,” she says.
Joi says she hopes the artists will take a cue from her February performance in Atlanta and do a live remix of their own songs. Instead of a full band, she and her cohorts will be backed by Thunda Snatcha and DJs Princess Cut, Durrty Martinez and Xavier Black.
Maurice Garland will host, kicking things off with a brief Q&A with Joi.
Joi says she’ll likely be heading straight from the airport — she left Atlanta for Los Angeles about two years ago — to the Music Room, site unseen.
She wanted to leverage her ability to pull together artists of all kinds while in town for a hosting gig at ONE Music Fest. Her aim is to connect and build a supportive atmosphere for a wide range of artists. Culture creator and longtime retailer Chilly O was happy to help — landing the Edgewood Avenue venue in just a day or so after Joi pitched the idea.
This is a don’t-miss show that stands to be a template for future events, provided the audience demand is there. Joi is positive it will be. The response so far has been “overwhelmingly beautiful,” she says. Again, she would know. She’s pretty much the embodiment of it.
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