Up Next! Youth Jam Sessions

Saturday, December 14, 2024
Show: 12pm

Up Next! is a free monthly open jam session providing a platform for Philly’s creative youth to learn, perform, collaborate, and grow. Every second Saturday, The Lounge at World Cafe Live offers an all-ages, alcohol-free environment, showcasing our city’s up-and-coming talent while building community across the local music scene. A rotating youth ensemble will serve as the house band, kicking off the afternoon with a featured set including hand-selected guest artists before opening up the jam.

Produced in collaboration between World Cafe Live and The School District of Philadelphia’s MIC’d Up initiative, Up Next! aims to engage students in music industry careers both on and off the stage. Students will work alongside the WCL team to curate, promote, facilitate, and document each session, with opportunities in booking, marketing, videography, photography, artist relations, hosting, audio engineering, backline management, and other elements of live event production. A team of professional musicians and educators will also be on-site to facilitate performances. This program is supported by Save The Music Foundation.

Band Lineup:
Justin Griggs – Leader/Keys
Hannah Badillo – Vocalist
Andrew Koban Payne – Upright/Electric Bass
Donavan Fields – Drums
Fabien Enger – Trumpet

Special Guest Artist:
Clay Sears – Guitar

Justin interest and love for music started at the early at the age of 2. He is now a known singer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist, and performer whose stage name is 3lac Prodigy. At a young age, he would watch Baby Einstein DVD'S and listen to John Legend's albums and try to emulate both. The first song he played on piano was Moonlight Sonata. As he got older he started experimenting with other instruments in school and discovered he could play almost any instrument he got his hands on. Justins musical ear continue to grow through his listening to Gospel, Jazz, R&B, Blues, Latin, and Rock music. At age 8, Justin was playing and singing in church. The artists that most influenced him during this time were Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Prince Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Michael Jackson & Bob Marley. For middle school, Justin attended Juniata Park Academy where he was introduced to the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts. He started as a student there in 6th grade, where he participated in music education, jazz ensembles, arranging classes, and vocal lessons. Justin received several prestigious awards while competing in various High School Jazz competitions. In 2022, he graduated of the Philadelphia High School of Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA). As a recent HS graduate, Justin’s desire is to become a composer/ arranger/ songwriter and performer working in all genres of music. Some of Justin's accomplishments include: His music being used for FAMM, him performing at The Kimmel Center, his accompanying the Harlem Ballet Dance Company, his performance at Berklee’s College of Music, as well as his group being featured at the 2024 Roots Picnic. He’s currently in his 3rd year of college at Temple University. "My desire is to share my gift and my love for music with the world and to reach as many people as possible."