Jazz Journey of America

WHO

Motel 6 has partnered with internationally renowned jazz percussionist and composer Kahil El'Zabar to bring to life the experience of jazz music and history through the Jazz Journey of America.

WHAT

The Jazz Journey of America follows the famous route dubbed the "Chitlins' Circuit," due to the music venues along the route that used to serve the soul food item, chitterlings. Artists like Dizzie Gillespie, Gene Ammons, Donnie Hathaway, Eddie Harris and others traveled through variations of the route from New Orleans to Chicago (and vice versa), performing their music at jazz clubs and other venues along the way. From the 1920s to the '70s, countless legendary musicians have traveled and performed on the circuit, making the route one of the most historically vibrant threads of American music history.

Known for bringing comfort and value to its guests for the lowest price of any national chain, Motel 6 guides guests through the Jazz Journey by providing affordable accommodations along the way as well as informative and interactive features on their online experience site, Goin6.com. The web site - featuring informational videos from Kahil El'Zabar and lists of jazz venues for each city along the route - will encourage guests, musicians, students and educators to post messages and videos of their experiences along the Jazz Journey.

WHEN

The Jazz Journey kick-off will take place on Monday, March 31, 2008, in Chicago, Illinois, at Sofitel Chicago Water Tower, featuring a performance by the Kahil El'Zabar quartet. The Goin6.com site will launch on Tuesday, April 1, 2008.

WHERE

The Jazz Journey is a multi-city route covering historically relevant sites where jazz musicians would often conduct performances during their travels to and from New Orleans and Chicago. The route forms a rough loop between New Orleans and Chicago and includes the following cities:

New Orleans, LA	Kansas City, MO	Louisville, KY
Jackson, MS	Chicago, IL	Nashville, TN
Clarksdale, MS	Detroit, MI	Chattanooga, TN
Memphis, TN	Indianapolis, IN	Birmingham, AL
St. Louis, MO	Cincinnati, OH

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Laura Rojo-Eddy, Motel 6
972-360-5970
lrojo@accor-na.com