Press Release
The highly anticipated 8th annual Charleston Jazz Festival is returning to the Lowcountry this April 20–23. Presented by the Medical University of South Carolina with partners Garden & Gun Magazine and Xfinity, the four-day musical celebration is seeing record pre-sales for headliners such as Samara Joy (sold out), Dianne Reeves (limited seats), Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (limited seats), Cindy Blackman Santana, and Charlton Singleton.
The high demand for these coveted tickets is evidence that music lovers from around the world are eager to experience the art form in one of the most historically significant jazz destinations—Charleston.
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE:
Lowcountry Jazz Day: Matt White's ‘Dolly'
APRIL 20 @ 6:00
Forte Jazz Lounge
Matt White's ‘Dolly’ is a reimagining of the early music of Dolly Parton, combining her incredible songwriting and lyrics with contemporary musical styles and improvisation. Currently the Chair of Jazz Studies at the University of South Carolina, Matt was drawn to Dolly's early career and imagined how her music, often tackling themes of poverty and gender equality, could be reconstructed by connecting southern roots music with contemporary styles and production. Don't miss the world premiere of Matt White's Dolly at the 2023 Charleston Jazz Festival!
Lowcountry Jazz Day: Oscar Rivers Jazz Quartet
APRIL 20 @ 7:30
Forte Jazz Lounge
Oscar Rivers, Charleston's jazz patriarch, made a name for himself in 1970s Chicago, playing with everyone from Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, Stevie Wonder, BB King, the Temptations, and the Quincy Jones Orchestra. Oscar is featured in An Encyclopedia of South Carolina Jazz and Blues Musicians, which documents South Carolinian musicians from the 19th century to the present. Truly a Lowcountry legend, Oscar and his band perform all jazz styles, with a focus on standards, Latin, and jazz-soul crossover. Don't miss the Oscar Rivers Jazz Quartet during Lowcountry Jazz Day at the 2023 Charleston Jazz Festival!
Lowcountry Jazz Day: StaLaV and The Tribe
APRIL 20 @ 9:00 PM
Forte Jazz Lounge
Stachia ‘StaLaV' Simmons is an artist and multi-instrumentalist from Goose Creek, SC. Born into a musical family, she began playing drums in church at the age of 2 and has been playing ever since. A powerhouse vocalist/instrumentalist, producer, and harmonic arranger, StaLaV has performed with several notables in the gospel industry and other Lowcountry favorites, such as Quiana Parler, Charlton Singleton, and national jazz saxophonist Paul Shiltz. Her audiences can expect a night of creative expression—from soul to jazz, gospel, funk, and reggae. One thing is for sure, StaLaV and The Tribe will leave you uplifted and inspired during their performance at the 2023 Charleston Jazz Festival!
Samara Joy
APRIL 21 @ 5:00 PM
Charleston Music Hall
SOLD OUT
The New York Times describes Samara Joy as a “silky-voiced rising jazz star,” and the Boston Globe compliments her “warm, capacious vocal instrument and breathtaking technique.” The 22-year-old burst onto the world stage when her TikTok videos of soulful standards went viral, landing her on the TODAY Show. She is newly signed to the prestigious Verve Records label and has been awarded the 2023 Grammy Awards for Best New Artist and Best Vocal Jazz Album. She brings a fresh, youthful energy to timeless jazz classics and is no doubt on her way to being the great legend of this generation.
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
APRIL 21 @ 8:00 PM
Charleston Music Hall
With a mission to revitalize jazz and swing music, this powerhouse ensemble has sold-out prestigious venues such as the Hollywood Bowl and Lincoln Center. They have toured the world, selling millions of records, and have had their music featured in hundreds of films and television shows. They have appeared on Dancing with the Stars and Super Bowl XXXIII and are one of the driving forces that have kept swing and jazz in the limelight for nearly three decades.
Dianne Reeves
APRIL 22 @ 5:00 PM
Charleston Music Hall
Grammy-winning artist Dianne Reeves has been named a “Jazz Master” by the National Endowment for the Arts, the highest honor for a jazz artist in the United States. Reeves also holds an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from Juilliard for her “breathtaking virtuosity, improvisational prowess, and unique jazz and R&B style.” Historian and music critic Scott Yanow describes Reeves as “a logical successor to Dinah Washington and Carmen McRae, Reeves is a superior interpreter of lyrics and a skilled scat singer.”
Cindy Blackman Santana
APRIL 22 @ 8:00
Charleston Music Hall
“Some drummers act, some react. Some keep time, others create it. Cindy Blackman Santana is among the few who can,” says Mike Zwerin of the International Herald Tribune. Blackman started her career as a busker on the streets of New York City and has gone on to travel the world. Her high-energy performances are mesmerizing, and she is a master both in jazz and rock as the drummer for her husband, Carlos Santana, the Latin jazz and rock superstar.
Charleston Jazz Festival:
Charlton Singleton's Beehive Orchestra
APRIL 23 @ 5:00 PM
Firefly Distillery
American trumpeter, vocalist, and former leader of the Charleston Jazz Orchestra, Charlton Singleton, is a GRAMMY Award-winning recording artist along with his fellow Ranky Tanky band mates.
Charleston Magazine says, “Watching Singleton at work is mesmerizing… Charlton Singleton is a musical alchemist, a magician.”
One fan says, “Just watching him conduct, play piano, and trumpet draws you in, captivates you. He turns a non-jazz person into an enthusiast in a single concert.”
Joined by his stellar lineup of musicians, Singleton and his Beehive Jazz Orchestra are a true crowd favorite that will make you want to get on your feet and dance. Their powerhouse arrangements will blend standards and popular hits, celebrating the music of yesterday and tomorrow. Don't miss this incredible night of music at our grand Charleston Jazz Festival finale at Firefly Distillery.
Charlton Singleton – Trumpet/Vocal
Robert Lewis – Alto Sax
Mark Sterbank – Tenor Sax
Jonnie Hernandez – Bari Sax
Dr. Matt White – Trumpet
Kyle Lane – Trumpet
Dr. Mitch Butler – Trombone
Lee Barbour – Guitar
Demetrius Doctor – Piano
Kevin Hamilton – Bass
Dr. Colleen Clark – Drums
FOOD TRUCK: Lola's Lumpia will be serving up delicious Filipino comfort food. This food truck is a Charleston favorite!
Note: This is an outdoor concert. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on.
