OCTOBER 4, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. / LIEBER CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTE
CHARLESTON, SC – September 20, 2016 – Jazz Artists of Charleston (JAC) announces a new community service program called JAZZ IN THE JOINT, an innovative project that brings live jazz music to the inmates of jails and prisons throughout South Carolina starting with the Lieber Correctional Institute in Ridgeville, SC.
The program idea was conceived by JAC board member, Steve Simon, as a result of his work on the board of directors of the Turning Leaf Project, which works with criminals being released from South Carolina jails and prisons. According to Simon, “My hope is that, through the transformative power of music and outreach programs like this, inmates of prisons and jails throughout the country will have a few hours to forget where they are and to realize that people they’ve never met care about them.”
The JAZZ IN THE JOINT band will perform at the Lieber Correctional Institute in Ridgeville, SC at 10:00 a.m. on October 4, 2016. The band will include some of Charleston’s most talented jazz artists and community leaders including:
Steve Simon – Band leader and clarinet
Mayor John Tecklenburg – keyboard
Charlton Singleton – trumpet
Brett Belanger – bass
Markus Helander – drums
Chris Williams – sax
Heather Rice – vocals
The JAZZ IN THE JOINT band will perform American and Latin jazz standards as well as Pop songs.
Some musically talented inmates will be invited to perform with the band during the show.
According to Mary Beth Natarajan, Executive Director at JAC, “Our immediate goal is to make JAZZ IN THE JOINT part of an ongoing community educational outreach effort. We also encourage other jazz organizations throughout the United States to embrace the concept of JAZZ IN THE JOINT of fostering positive change through music.” JAZZ IN THE JOINT is a 100% volunteer effort as all of the musicians are freely contributing their time and talent to this event.
For more information and to schedule an interview, media appearance, or for hi-resolution images, contact [email protected].
