MONDAY, APRIL 24, 2023
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Charleston Gaillard Center and Closing the Gap in Health Care Announce the Return of the Lowcountry Jazz Festival
(September 2-3, 2023)
Charleston – April 24, 2023 – The Charleston Gaillard Center is pleased to announce its partnership with Closing the Gap in Health Care to present the annual Lowcountry Jazz Festival this Labor Day weekend. Under the artistic direction of producer Tony Clark, in collaboration with the Gaillard Center’s artistic team, the festival returns with a stellar lineup of award-winning jazz singers and musicians Dave Koz & Friends, Gregory Porter, Avery*Sunshine, and Jonathan Butler.
This year, the finest smooth jazz combined with bluesy soul will create a relevant sound that resonates with the region's discerning music audiences young and old. Charleston, South Carolina played an important role in the early development of jazz. It was a thriving center of African American music in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and was home to many of the first jazz musicians and bands. The city was also a major port, which helped to spread jazz music to other parts of the country and the world. The weekend celebrates these genres in the heart of
downtown Charleston, allowing attendees to experience this vibrant cultural city with a fitting soundtrack.
The Festival is welcoming back the soulful sounds of jazz legend Dave Koz, the renowned saxophonist who delivers an unforgettable performance every time he takes the stage, and adding headliner GRAMMY award-winning artist Gregory Porter, whose cross-pollinated brand combines jazz, soul, and gospel. Inspirational singer-songwriter and guitarist Jonathan Butler and vibrant, soulful singer, pianist, and composer Avery*Sunshine will open.
The Gaillard is cementing its role as a leading non-profit performing arts center in the Southeast dedicated to commissioning and presenting ambitious cultural programming and popular performances that engage audiences, foster community, and prompt essential dialogue. Central to this is the Labor Day weekend, which sees the Lowcountry Jazz Festival take over the building.
In addition to annually bringing together jazz fans from across the Southeast, the Festival is the primary fundraiser for Closing the Gap in Health Care, Inc.
Day One (Saturday, September 2, 2023):
Opener: Jonathan Butler
Headliner: Gregory Porter
Day Two (Sunday, September 3, 2023):
Opener: Avery*Sunshine
Headliner: Dave Koz & Friends Summer Horns 2023 with Special Guests Candy Dulfer & Eric Darius
*Lineup is subject to change
Tickets on sale Friday, April 28 at 11 AM EST at gaillardcenter.org. Gaillard
Center Members receive presale access. Become a Member today! Contact our Advancement Office at jdacy@gaillardfoundation.org or (843) 718-1578 for more information.
Download photos here.
Lissa Frenkel, President and CEO of the Charleston Gaillard Center, noted, “We are thrilled to become more involved with this annual tradition, which brings people from all over the Southeast to enjoy world-class jazz musicians. Both of our organizations are committed to sharing unforgettable artistic experiences with audiences and creating opportunities for community engagement.”
Dr. Thaddeus J. Bell, Founder of the Lowcountry Jazz Festival and Closing the Gap in Health Care, said, “The Gaillard Center has been the home of the Lowcountry Jazz Festival since 2018. I am elated to deepen our relationship through co-producing the 17th annual Lowcountry Jazz Festival.”
ABOUT JONATHAN BUTLER
Jonathan Butler is a singer-songwriter and guitarist who leads a life few can imagine. Born in South Africa under the shadow of apartheid and raised in poverty, Butler was the first non-white artist to be played on South African radio and appear on national television. Though his musical abilities would take him away from the world he grew up in, Jonathan would neither forget the plight of his fellow South Africans, nor the man that led them to freedom. It is for this reason Nelson Mandela credits Butler’s music as having inspired him during his imprisonment. In more ways than one, Jonathan Butler is representative of South Africa.
Jonathan’s story begins at a very young age when his father presented him with a homemade one-string guitar. Little did his father realize that he was giving way to a musical phenomenon. From then on, Jonathan’s musical gifts grew by leaps and bounds. In his early teens Butler won a local talent contest, affording him the opportunity to perform with a touring musical company throughout South Africa. On occasion he would perform at lavish concert halls for whites only, where he would not be allowed to use the bathroom, and the very next night he would perform in a dilapidated local township. Ultimately, his ticket to a new life was music.
ABOUT GREGORY PORTER
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Gregory Porter was raised in Bakersfield, California, and began singing in small jazz clubs in San Diego and later New York City, where his music career began to ascend with the release of his first two albums—Water (2010) and Be Good (2012). In 2013, he released his Blue Note debut Liquid Spirit which quickly grew into a global phenomenon, selling more than a million albums and earning Porter his first GRAMMY Award with NPR declaring him “America’s Next Great Jazz Singer.” His 2016 follow-up Take Me To The Alley won Porter his second GRAMMY for Best Vocal Jazz Album and firmly established him as his generation’s most soulful jazz singer-songwriter. In 2017, Porter released the heartfelt tribute album Nat King Cole & Me and in 2020 returned to his original songwriting on the uplifting ALL RISE. Porter has hosted the podcast The Hang, as well as his own cooking show The PorterHouse.
ABOUT AVERY*SUNSHINE
Avery*Sunshine takes no detours in creating melodious music for the masses. She makes the kind of music that undeniably satisfies the soul. Her sound is uplifting, vibrant, and exactly as her namesake suggests, full of sunshine. She brings people together through her riveting stage performances, candid and often humorous stage banter, and optimistic anthems about love and life. Born Denise White in Chester, Pennsylvania, her roots are firmly grounded in the church. Avery, along with her Grammy award winning, creative life partner, Dana “BigDane” Johnson; the singer, pianist and composer has created a remarkable and unforgettable sound.
The Atlanta based singer’s no holds barred signature soulful R&B appeal has garnered praise from the iconic musical figure, The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, who raved, “I love Avery*Sunshine!” She has also received praiseworthy acclimation from luminaries such as Patti LaBelle, Berry Gordy and Boy George, who proclaimed on Twitter “@averysunshine love this woman’s voice.”
ABOUT DAVE KOZ & FRIENDS
Dave Koz has racked up an astoundingly impressive array of honors and achievements: nine GRAMMY® nominations, 12 No. 1 albums on Billboard’s
Current Contemporary Jazz Albums chart, numerous world tours, performances for multiple U.S. presidents, a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and more. A Platinum-selling artist, the California native is also known as a humanitarian, entrepreneur, radio host and instrumental music advocate.
His 2020 album, A New Day, reached the No. 1 position on numerous jazz charts, including iTunes and Amazon, and delivered an unprecedented four back-to-back No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Smooth Jazz Airplay chart – “Side By Side” ft. David Sanborn, “Dr. Norm” ft. Paul Jackson, Jr., “The Closer We Get” and “Summertime in NYC.” Koz broke new ground with his 2021 release, The Golden Hour. Recorded live in the studio with a large jazz ensemble, the album marked his first full-length collaboration with guitarist/producer/internet sensation Cory Wong.
In 2022, Koz celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Dave Koz and Friends Christmas tour with the release of his seventh and most intimate holiday album to date, Christmas Ballads, and a new all-star, 25-date tour.
Candy Dulfer rose to fame with high-profile collaborations with Dave Stewart (the worldwide No. 1 smash “Lily Was Here”) and the legendary Prince, whose tongue-in-cheek recommendation (“When I want sax, I call Candy”) in the “Partyman” video made the world sit up and notice the talented sax player at his side. Their collaboration continued over the years with many studio sessions, TV show appearances, award show performances (including the GRAMMY Awards®) and global concert tours. Candy joined Prince’s NPG band as a permanent member for his record-shattering Musicology tour and album.
Her first solo album Saxuality earned her a GRAMMY Award nomination. The combined world-wide sales of her solo albums top 2.5 million copies, and she has had several No. 1 hits in the U.S. Candy’s new album, We Never Stop, includes the hit “Jammin’ Tonight” Ft. Nile Rodgers.
Candy has been fortunate to work – both in the studio and on stage – with some of the biggest names in music, including Van Morrison, Maceo Parker, Sheila E., Mavis
Staples, Lionel Richie, Beyoncé, Pink Floyd, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin and many others.
Eric Darius, internationally known as an elite Jazz/R&B/Pop saxophonist, songwriter, producer, and performer, recently dropped, “L.O.V.E Feat. Brian Culbertson” the third single from his seventh studio album, Breakin’ Thru, which debuted at #2 on the iTunes Top 40 Jazz Albums Chart.
This project is an extra special milestone for Darius as it is his first release via his own independent label, SagiDarius Music. The title track and debut single for Breakin’ Thru has been a staple on Contemporary Jazz radio, reaching #1 on the Mediabase Smooth Jazz chart, as well as his second single, “Dare 2 Dream.” Breakin’ Thru features 10 original songs with co-production by Darius, Rodney Jones, Jr. (Chris Brown, Mary Mary, Mary J. Blige) and Butta N’ Bizkit (John Legend, Ne-Yo, Miguel, Ledisi).
Maysa is blessed with an instantly identifiable honey-toned mezzo-soprano and an undeniably brilliant and magnetic stage presence. Having collaborated with everyone from Stevie Wonder to Incognito, Angela Bofill, Will Downing and Jonathan Butler, Phil Perry and more, Maysa can hang with the best. It is no wonder she was the recipient of many awards for her work, including Soul Train’s first Centric Award in 2009, and her first GRAMMY nomination for Best Traditional R&B Performance for her remake of Nancy Wilson’s “Quiet Fire” in 2014.
The Baltimore native is the owner/founder of her own record label, Blue Velvet Soul Records. To celebrate her first record printing, Maysa designed a commemorative blue velvet box set with four singles – “You Are Not Alone,” “It’s Gonna Be Alright, “Lovin’ You Is Easy” and “Soft Words” – as an EP called The Fab First Four in January of 2021. Maysa will release her 14th solo studio album entitled Music For Your Soul soon.
ABOUT CLOSING THE GAP IN HEALTH CARE
The Greater Charleston Lowcountry Jazz Festival is the primary fundraiser for Closing the Gap in Health Care, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose primary
mission is decreasing health disparities and increasing health literacy, especially for African Americans and the underserved in our community, South Carolina, and the nation.
The organization airs radio and television health tips, publishes a weekly e-newsletter, and provides information on social media to improve health literacy. Lectures, seminars, and youth and community activities are also provided by Closing the Gap in Health Care, Inc.
Proceeds from our Festival support the mission of Closing the Gap in Health Care, Inc. and the Thaddeus John Bell, M.D. Endowment Fund. This scholarship fund was created conjointly with the Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina to assist students who pursue a health science degree and graduate from the Medical University of South Carolina. This will facilitate an increase in the number of African American health providers in the state.
The Greater Charleston Lowcountry Jazz Festival and Closing the Gap in Health Care, Inc. have made contributions, exceeding $250,000, to the Thaddeus John Bell, M.D. Endowment Fund!
ABOUT THE CHARLESTON GAILLARD CENTER
A leader in the performing arts in the Southeast, the Charleston Gaillard Center commissions, supports, and presents ambitious, multidisciplinary cultural programming and provides access to the best local, national, and global artists and companies on its stage. Deeply rooted in the community, the Gaillard Center committed to elevating local and regional voices and partnering with Charleston institutions to reflect the city’s diversity, both on stage and off. Through programming on its public campus and extensive arts education initiatives, the Gaillard Center serves as a platform to participate in community building and essential dialogue.
Established as a nonprofit in 2015, its campus includes the 1,818-seat Martha and John M. Rivers Performance Hall, a 16,000 square-foot exhibition hall that is home to artistic activations, community and corporate events, and celebrations, and an adjacent park space that was recently activated for artistic presentations. Behind the scenes the Gaillard Center also fosters a culture of excellence and inclusion,
employing a robust and talented staff, and providing opportunities for growth and engagement across the arts sector. Find more information and upcoming programming at gaillardcenter.org.