Bayfront Park

T.I.
Once dubbed "the Jay-Z of the South" by Pharrell Williams, T.I. gradually came into his own and established himself as one of rap's most successful MCs during the early 2000s. Like Jay-Z, T.I. -- born Clifford Harris in Atlanta, GA -- carried a balance of smoothness and toughness, and although 2001's I'm Serious didn't shoot him out of the gate à la Reasonable Doubt, he consistently grew and launched a string of major hits with 2003's "24's....

Jack Wilkins
A superior, slightly underrated improviser, Jack Wilkins has proven on his infrequent recordings as a leader that he ranks near the top. Wilkins, who studied with John Mehegan early on, learned vibes, piano, and classical guitar, but has stuck to jazz guitar throughout his career....

Joe Carter
An excellent cool-toned guitarist, Joe Carter started playing music when he was around ten. He considers Jim Hall, Bill Evans, Paul Desmond, and Ed Bickert his main influences and has stuck to playing straight-ahead jazz throughout his career....

Giacomo Gates
A smoky-voiced jazz singer from the East Coast, Giacomo Gates is an expressive interpreter of lyrics who is proficient with scat singing and vocalese. Gates was born and raised in Connecticut, where he started singing at seven and was turned on to jazz by his father, a classical violinist....

Patty Ascher