Born in Savannah in March of 1925, jazz legend James Moody would now be 100 years old this year, and to celebrate this momentous occasion, Savannah Jazz is hosting a fundraising event at 45 Bistro and a concert at the Trustees Theater, Saturday, July 12.

The concert will feature an all-star performance with 2-time GRAMMY-winning trumpeter, vocalist, and founder of Ranky Tanky, Charlton Singleton, sax legend, Bobby Watson, and Moody’s drummer, Adam Nussbaum, with the Savannah Jazz Orchestra.

Celebrating the legendary James Moody, a Savannah native, with the Savannah Jazz Orchestra and superstars Bobby Watson and Adam Nussbaum is going to be a thrill. It is also a chance to showcase some of the greatest jazz music ever produced by a Savannahian. His best-known tunes are “Moody’s Mood for Love” and “Bennys from Heaven,” says Paula Fogarty, Executive Director of Savannah Jazz.

A globally beloved jazz legend, Moody is an inductee in the International Jazz Hall of Fame, a GRAMMY nominee, a posthumous GRAMMY winner, Kennedy Center Living Jazz Legend Award recipient, and N.E.A Jazz Master. Moody was invited to join Dizzy Gillespie’s band in 1946 at the age of 21, along with Thelonious Monk. He went on to play with Gillespie’s Quintet in 1956 for decades and later, in the 1980s, the two toured for the United States Government in Africa, and then in Gillespie’s United Nations Orchestra in 1989.

During his time in Europe in 1949, Moody recorded a version of the tune “I’m in the Mood for Love” with a unique solo that caught the attention of Eddie Jefferson, a popular vocalist, who went on to release a version of the song with Moody’s rendition and his lyrics. The song, “Moody’s Mood for Love,” became a huge hit, and then Moody and Jefferson recorded it together. Many stars have covered the song, from Aretha Franklin to George Benson and Amy Winehouse.

“Joining us on stage are two living legends who knew Moody: Bobby Watson on saxophone, and Adam Nussbaum on drums. They will help navigate Moody’s work with the great 17-piece Savannah Jazz Orchestra co-directed by Dr. Randall Reese, and Savannah’s Jazz Ambassador, Teddy Adams,” Fogarty noted.

Bobby Watson is a multi-GRAMMY-nominated saxophonist who was the musical director of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers for 35 years. Jazz Drumming Great Adam Nussbaum has played
and recorded with some of the biggest names in Jazz including Stan Getz, Gil Evans, Gary Burton, Toots Thielemans, Carla Bley, Dave Liebman, and Michael Brecker. He was a longtime member of Moody’s Quartet and appears on the newly released recording “James Moody 80 Years Young: Live at the Blue Note.”

The love of Moody’s life, his widow, Linda Moody, will also be with us for the celebration and concert. Through her generous loan, Moody’s favorite horn can be seen in the Savannah Jazz History and Hall of Fame Exhibit in the Savannah History Museum.

The celebrations will kick off before the concert with a party and auction at 45 Bistro to benefit all of Savannah Jazz’s programs: Savannah Jazz Festival, Annual Concert Series, Savannah Jazz History & Hall of Fame Exhibit, and educational programs and scholarships. Party-goers will receive premium seats at the concert, plus many other perks, including memberships and Patron seats to the 2025 Festival.

LINK TO PARTY AND PREMIUM CONCERT TICKETS

For those who want tickets to the concert only, General Admission tickets are available for the Trustees Theater.

LINK TO G.A. CONCERT TICKETS ONLY

PRESS IMAGES HERE