Churchill Grounds Jazz

09/03/2026

The mission has always been about more than just the music. We are committed to continuing the culture of jazz and supporting jazz education.

As part of this commitment, Churchill Grounds is pleased to announce that the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Center will soon be the location for four exciting jazz educational programs. The courses, some held on the lower level of our new building, will be starting September 15th, which is just a few weeks away. See the link below for descriptions of the fall semester courses, combos and workshops.

It doesn't matter if you are young or young at heart. If you've ever wanted to know the stories behind the music that lifts your soul, secure your seat today. The History of Jazz and Jazz Theory I and II are designed to appeal to mature high school students and adults. Non-musicians are welcome at the Jazz History class, and any musician is welcome at Jazz Theory 1.

https://www.scruggswoodwinds.com/services-8

Be sure to check out our website for information on how to sign up! Even if you can't join us at this time, please help us spread the word. The mission of sustaining the music and the art is bigger than us and we couldn't possibly do this without you.

Scruggs Woodwinds was founded with a simple mission: to keep jazz alive by teaching it the way it was meant to be learned — through community, mentorship, and real musical connection.

08/29/2026

Happy Heavenly Birthday to Bird!
Happy Heavenly Birthday, Bird! 🎷

Today we honor saxophonist and composer Charlie Parker, born on this day in 1920.

Parker was known in some circles as "Bird" or "Yardbird" — a nickname given to him early in his career while on the road with Jay McShann's band.

One of Parker's signature contributions was his approach to composition: writing original melodies over the chord changes of existing jazz standards, a practice known as a contrafact. It wasn't unheard of before bebop, but it became a hallmark of the movement as musicians moved away from simply arranging popular songs and toward creating original material built on familiar harmonic foundations.

A couple of standout examples:

🎶 "Ornithology" — built on the chord progression of "How High the Moon," reportedly co-written with trumpeter Little Benny Harris.

🎶 "Moose the Mooche" — one of several Parker compositions based on the changes to "I Got Rhythm."

Decades later, contrafacts are still a living tradition in jazz — a direct line back to Bird's genius. 🎺 At Churchill Grounds, we are humbled to carry on the legacy and the stories of the musicians who brought this incredible music to the world.

Which Parker composition is your favorite? Drop it below 👇

08/25/2026

Churchills and Clave, a partnership of food and music. During a recent conversation, our partners shared how much they are looking forward to experiencing the next chapter of this musical journey with you! We hope you'll join us when the doors open.

"My wife and myself are both musicians, and we've been playing all our lives, and we are just so excited to be a part of this project. We jumped at the opportunity to become a partner with Churchill Grounds, within the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Center"

-Luis, owner of Clave

08/25/2026

Meet Luis & Yanin, the couple behind Clave- Our Restaurant Partner

Spend a little time talking with Luis and Yanin, and it doesn't take long before the conversation moves between food, family and music. That's probably because, for them, those things have always belonged together. Both are musicians. They grew up in homes with instruments around, raised kids who play music, and brought live music into their restaurants simply because it was something they loved.

Now they're bringing all of that to Clave, our restaurant partner inside the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Center and the team that will also be serving food and drinks inside Churchill Grounds. Even the name has music in it.

The clave is the rhythmic foundation at the heart of Afro-Cuban music. In Spanish, the word can also mean the key or the essential thing. For Luis and Yanin, it felt like the right name for a place where Cuban culture, food and music come together.

And then there's the food. Yanin calls it a "jazzy combination."

There will be traditional Cuban dishes and fresh pastelitos, but also flavors they grew up loving here and new creations inspired by the music and artists coming through the Jazz Center.

"We're going to have a base menu, but creations all the time... something that goes with the music, almost like a creative process."

Sounds a little like jazz to us.

We couldn't imagine better neighbors or partners to share this next chapter with.

Welcome to Clave.

08/21/2026

100 years of Miles

08/21/2026

100 Years of Miles Davis 🎺

Born May 26, 1926, Miles Davis didn't just play jazz — he kept reinventing it, and in the process reshaped everything music could be. From the cool, restrained lines of Birth of the Cool to the modal breakthrough of Kind of Blue (still the best-selling jazz album of all time), to the electric shock of Bi***es Brew, Miles refused to stand still. Just as you thought you understood him, he moved on to the next sound.

That restlessness rippled way beyond jazz. Rock, funk, hip-hop, ambient, electronic — you can hear his fingerprints in genres he never even touched himself, because he taught generations of musicians that space, tone, and risk matter more than showing off.

Churchill Grounds has witnessed hundreds of trumpeters come through its doors. Countless styles across generations. Every single soul they reached with every note played was in some fashion influenced by the man, the legend, Miles Davis.

Here's to the next generation of artists who will push boundaries.
Here's to the spaces, like Churchill, that provided a space for the art. Here's to every musician who continues to carry the spirit of jazz. It's not about showing off. It's always been about showing up.

100 years on, put on Kind of Blue, turn the lights down, and listen to what silence between notes can do.

🎶 Which Miles era hits hardest for you — cool, modal, fusion, or something else? 🎶

08/01/2026

We are grateful to have been featured once again by Decaturish as part of the MLWJC and we appreciate the support and interest everyone has given us over the course of this endeavor. The labor of love continues! Please click on the link below to access the article.

Cornerstone Jazz Collective purchased the historic former Decatur Post Office at 141 E. Trinity St. with plans to transform it into a multiuse jazz center. The center, opening in stages later this year, is named for Atlanta native Mary Lou Williams, the pioneering jazz pianist, composer and arranger...

07/31/2026

Joe Seymour, owner and operator of TenATL, made his transition on July 24, 2026, leaving behind an immeasurable impact on East Atlanta Village and the greater Atlanta community.

In 2018, Joe Seymour and Sam Yi formed a friendship rooted in their shared love of jazz. Not long after, around 2020, that friendship grew into a collaboration that elevated the spirit of Atlanta's jazz jam sessions to another level. The music pouring from the musicians was matched only by the vibrancy of the audience. TenATL quickly became the place where internationally acclaimed jazz artists would drop in to play alongside Atlanta's incredible local talent. By 2023, Joe and Monday nights at TenATL had become synonymous with Sam Yi and Churchill Grounds. Their respect for the music and the culture in Atlanta was unwavering.

This past Monday, TenATL was once again filled with the music, friends, and community that Joe loved so deeply. Surrounded by his daughters, musicians, and friends from across Atlanta's jazz community, those gathered celebrated his life the way he would have wanted. It was a fitting reminder that while Joe may no longer be with us, the community he helped build continues to bring people together.

From our perspective, as we carry the dream of Churchill Grounds forward, we want to THANK Joe for his work that kept the brand, spirit, and community alive. And we are SORRY that he didn't get so see Churchill open and that dream realized.

Thank you, Joe, for believing in Atlanta's musicians, for creating a home where jazz could thrive, and for reminding us that great music is ultimately about bringing people together.

Rest easy, our friend. Your legacy will live on in every note.

07/25/2026

People often ask how Churchill Grounds became part of the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Center. It is a simple truth.

After leaving the FOX Theater location, SamYi never stopped working to bring Churchill Grounds back in a more permanent home. Sam gathered a small group of investors, including myself and Joe Seymour, and together we purchased a building in East Atlanta Village. Before Sam’s untimely passing, we had finished architectural design and had even identified a builder to complete the work.

In one of our last conversations, Sam spoke positively about the jazz project being developed in the historic Decatur Post Office, which would ultimately become the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Center. Sam believed deeply in what founder Will Scruggs and a diverse group of investors were trying to build.

With the help and support of Sam’s family, we continued working hard to bring his vision for Churchill Grounds to fruition after he passed, which is when Joe Gransden suggested that we connect with Will Scruggs to explore possibilities. The more we talked, the more the partners came to understand that we shared a vision with Scruggs and the MLW Jazz Center for the future of jazz in metro Atlanta – a vision centered around community, education, and a musician-forward culture that values artists and their music just like Sam did.

Once the strength of our common vision was clear, those of us entrusted with writing the next chapter of Churchill Grounds happily accepted an invitation to join forces and open the performance space in the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Center as the new Churchill Grounds.

The Mary Lou Williams Jazz Center is a multipurpose hub for performance, education, recording, and community engagement named in honor of Mary Lou Williams, a pioneering American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Born in Atlanta in 1910, she helped shape jazz from early swing through bebop and beyond, serving as a mentor for Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillsepie, Thelonious Monk, and many others.

This Jazz Center has the opportunity to positively impact Atlanta, the Southeast, and the broader global jazz community for generations to come. Integrating the Churchill Grounds culture and brand creates a permanent legacy in Sam's memory.

I hope all of you will join me in supporting the MLW Jazz Center. As the doors open this Fall it will be up to us -- the metro jazz community -- to ensure its sustainability. All of us who love jazz and want to see it thrive can help by spreading the word as ambassadors and participating as patrons to support performances, educational opportunities, community programs and the destination restaurant.
Sincerely, Tyler West

07/12/2026

Churchill Grounds has had many stages over the years - different spaces, different seasons, but always the same spirit.

From the first small stage in the original bar and dining room, to the Whisper Room, Mason Tavern, Apple House, Brew and Bird and TenATL, each space has held memories, fellowship, and incredible music and art.

Now, Churchill Grounds begins a new chapter with a permanent home at the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Center.

This new space at 141 E Trinity Pl. will be filled with pieces of the original Churchill Grounds at the FOX, including original furniture, decor, and art. This will be a true home for the Churchill Grounds family and the entire Atlanta Jazz Community - a place to gather, connect, and create even more memories together.

Special thanks to the MLW Jazz Center Team, especially Anne Stuhler for her interior design work and Tony Terrabonne for his acoustic design. These elements will create a beautifully curated and fine-tuned listening space with acoustic enhancements and a stellar sound system. There will also be new partners in Decatur, including Clave, a Cuban-inspired restaurant, Scruggs Woodwinds, a music retail/repair store and community jazz academy, and Koolbonga Studios, a recording studio named for one of Mary Lou Williams's songs.

More to come soon. With you (our friends, fellow musicians, talented artists and community at large), we will honor Sam's legacy while building the future of Churchill Grounds together.