20th Anniversary SC Jazz Festival in Cheraw
Dizzy Gillespie’s hometown of Cheraw, SC ushers in its 20th year of the South Carolina Jazz Festival October 16-19 with four days of great jazz and exciting activities. The weekend, which coincides with the 108th anniversary of Gillespie’s birth, will showcase the unique bond Gillespie shared with his South Carolina roots and jazz.
A wide variety of free events and two ticketed concerts are scheduled for Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday – October 16-19. This year’s festival will culminate on Sunday, October 19, with a free Jazz concert at Pee Dee Union Baptist Church of Cheraw.
Over 36 Jazz performances are scheduled during the festival that include in-school performances. The concerts will feature regional musicians from both North and South Carolina and beyond.
The festival kicks off with two free concerts on Thursday, October 16th beginning with Outdoor Lunchtime Jazz at Northeastern Technical College. The Sam Edwards Quartet with Edwin Hamilton will present “Swinging & Singing the American Songbook” at 11am.
On Thursday evening a free concert will be presented at the Dizzy Gillespie Homesite Park featuring Soda City Brass Band and Cheraw High School Jazz Ensemble. The program will have a New Orleans vibe and is appropriate for all ages.
Featured artists for the ticketed evening performance on Friday, October 17 at the Theatre on the Green will be International Jazz Vocalist Jaimee Paul and Trumpeter Leif Shires from Nashville. NYC based Jazz pianist Emmet Cohen Trio and Trumpeter Alphonso Horne will perform at the Theatre on Saturday evening, October 18.
Weekend activities include free performances at Cheraw’s Centennial Park featuring the 208th Army Jazz Band and Francis Marion University Chamber Jazz Ensemble. A History Chat with jazz guitar is planned, while music and dialogue program is scheduled at the Gillespie family’s church, Wesley United Methodist on Saturday, the 18th. Todd Wright, Director of Jazz Studies at Appalachian State University, will present the program at Wesley.
Also featured during the weekend is a Be-bop parade, evening jazz crawls, a jazz brunch, and a book signing by County native, Janice Gordon Gray. The annual Dizzy Gillespie Scholarship Golf Tournament will be held at the Cheraw State Park. Interested golfers can contact Clarence Long 478.737.3031.
Art abounds during the weekend with Art on Town Green, the festival’s annual Italian Madonnari Chalk Competition and Kid’s Art Alley. Attendees can enjoy a Jazz Art Exhibit by NC artist, Eric McRay and Sweetgrass Basket Demo and Talk with Mary Graham-Grant. Also, featured is a self-guided Historic Cheraw Cell Phone Tour to over 25 points of interest, including Dizzy Gillespie related sites.
Tickets for Friday evening, October 17th and Saturday evening, October 18th concerts at the Theatre on the Green are $35.00 per person. A Weekend Pass that includes admission to both ticketed concerts is $60. For more information on all festival events or to purchase tickets call the Cheraw Arts Commission 843.537.8420 x12 or visit www.scjazzfestival.com