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Cooler By The Year: Art of Cool Festival Celebrates 6 Years

Press photo for Zoocru.
Courtesy of Zoocru
Members of the band Zoocru.

Durham’s Art of Cool music festival is the brainchild of jazz lover Cicely Mitchell and trumpeter Al Strong.

The two envisioned a weekend in which the old school sounds of jazz would mix and mingle with neo-soul, rap and hip-hop. Over the past six years the festival has exploded in popularity, featuring artists including jazz composer Roy Ayers, neo-soul singer/songwriter Anthony Hamilton, multi-platinum rapper Nas and Erykah Badu. In 2018, the festival was sold to the DOME Group and featured the unexpected reunion of Durham’s own Little Brother. Joining host Frank Stasio to talk about the evolution of the festival and preview this year’s lineup are national jazz recording artist Yolanda Rabun and Zoocru band member Alan Thompson.

Rabun will open the main stage Friday, Sept. 27 at Durham Bulls Athletic Park and Zoocru perform that same night at Motorco in Durham. This year’s headlining acts are Jill Scott and Run DMC.

INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

Rabun on the prequel to the Art of Cool Festival: 

The Art of Cool started from my perspective as a project. They [started] showcasing a lot of the local jazz artists that were around. And I was one of those artists who performed at Labor Love — that beautiful gallery that used to be in downtown Durham … That’s kind of where it started for me.  Then they had an idea, the owners at the time, [to] come up with this festival and showcasing us all. 

photo of Yolanda Rabun and Alan Thompson
Yolanda Rabun and Alan Thompson of Zoocru talk the Art of Cool.

Rabun on the early days of the festival: 

I remember Maceo Parker was one of the performers, and we were at the Carolina Theatre, and we were all piled in and looking at a legend. It was just absolutely amazing. And just walking from that location to I think Beyu Caffe was involved at the time, Pinhook, Motorco. It was just really neat. 

Thompson on making music with Durham as a backdrop: 

Durham has always had a rich history in music. A lot of influence comes from just being here and being full-time musicians. And having the experience to play with other seasoned artists — artists like Yolanda.

Thompson on how Art of Cool brings generations of music lovers and musicians together: 

It totally eliminates the concept of ageism. You’re in here with two artists. Two completely different ages, but we’re relating to a lot of the same things. We have very similar tastes in music, ideologies, views about the business. It transcends age.     

 

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Dana is an award-winning producer who began as a personality at Rock 92. Once she started creating content for morning shows, she developed a love for producing. Dana has written and produced for local and syndicated commercial radio for over a decade. WUNC is her debut into public radio and she’s excited to tell deeper, richer stories.
Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.