Harry Connick Jr. brings his band to Chastain Park this Saturday, July 11, for a show that showcases both his New Orleans jazz roots and the orchestral tribute he premiered at his Carnegie Hall debut in May. Ahead of the performance, the Grammy- and Emmy-winning singer, pianist and composer talked with WABE Arts about writing that piece for his late mother and about the upcoming book, “Babe: Elaboratio,” that accompanies it.
Why Chastain feels different
Connick’s ties to Atlanta run deeper than the stage. His father lived in the city and attended Russell High School “for a couple of years… way back in… the ‘40s,” Connick said, one reason that Chastain feels different from stops in other cities.
“It’s super familiar, because that region of the world is the one I’m most familiar with,” he said. “When you go into catering before the show, they’re gonna have food there that I grew up with… as opposed to if you perform in Tokyo, they’re not gonna have that.”
He’s played the venue for close to 35 years, and said that history keeps him grounded before he steps on stage. “People are still paying money to come hear me play,” he said. “That’s first and foremost in my mind — how deeply I respect everybody for taking the time to come see me.”
Writing his mother’s story as an ‘elaboration’
Connick’s mother, Anita-Francis Livingston Connick, known as “Babe,” died when he was 13. He told WABE his new orchestral piece and companion book, written in her honor, aren’t meant to be historical or strictly biographical.
