Art of Cool Festival 2017 Sampler

Art of Cool kicks off the festival season next Friday, April 28th in downtown Durham. It will be hard to top last year's sensational performances from Anderson .Paak and Kamasi Washington, just to name drop a few, but the ecelectic mix of hip-hop, funk, R&B, and neo-soul will open minds to what is possible within the ever-evolving genre that is jazz music.

The playlist below is just a small sample size blending international powerhouses, local favorites, and rising stars. Let it bump in the whip and grab your tickets while you still can at aocfestival.org/tickets.

For an even more in-depth look at what AOCFest has in store for 2017, including playlists for the jazz novice and experts alike, check out their Spotify page.