Experience two unique performances celebrating the rich musical heritage of Charleston and New Orleans. First, the Gullah Collective, led by CL Baxter, honors the Gullah Geechee musical traditions of the Sea Islands, bringing ancestral rhythms and soulful storytelling to life.

Following them, the legendary drummer Herlin Riley leads his Quartet—with Oscar Rossignoli on piano, Max Moran on bass, and Julian Lee on tenor and soprano saxophone—paying tribute to the dynamic rhythms and improvisational spirit of New Orleans jazz.

Together, these performances highlight the deep connections between two iconic American jazz cultures, offering a rich, immersive celebration of rhythm, heritage, and improvisation.

Gullah Collective

Gullah Collective is a musical project founded by CL Baxter, a drummer, percussionist, and producer, with a mission to preserve and promote the sounds of the Gullah Geechee culture. Drawing from the rich musical traditions of the Lowcountry, Gullah Collective blends jazz, roots, R&B, and gospel, all while honoring the deep historical connections to West African rhythms and storytelling that define the Gullah Geechee people.

CL Baxter envisioned the collective as a way to elevate the music and culture of the Gullah Geechee community, which has often remained underrepresented on the global stage. While sounds like New Orleans Brass Band music and the rhythms of Go-Go have become widely recognized, Baxter believes it is time for the world to experience the powerful and soulful sounds of the Lowcountry, a place where West African traditions have melded with African American cultural expressions for centuries.

Through their music, Gullah Collective celebrates the resilience, creativity, and rich heritage of the Gullah Geechee people. Their work serves as both a tribute to the past and a bold exploration of the future, blending the cultural rhythms of the Sea Islands with modern sounds to create a music that resonates with audiences worldwide.

Musicians:

Calvin Baxter II – Drums
Javan Campbell – Hybrid Percussion
Donald Graham – Gullah Drums
Demetrius Doctor – Organ/Keyboard
Stephen Washington – Organ/Keyboard
Thomas Kenney – Guitar
LaVonta Green – Bass
Gavin Smith – Trombone
Steve Morley – Trumpet

Herlin Riley Quartet

Since coming of age in the nurturing environment of a very musical family and a distinguished bloodline of drummers, New Orleans native Herlin Riley emerged from that most creative era of all things rhythmic in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, to enliven the ensembles of such influential and demanding improvisers as pianist Ahmad Jamal and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis through his commanding yet elegant rhythmic presence.

His authoritative style of melodic percussion is deeply imbued in the fertile creative soil of the Crescent City, encompassing as it does the entire length and breadth of America’s ongoing musical journey.

Musicians:

Herlin Riley – Drums
Oscar Rossignoli – Piano
Max Moran – Bass
Julian Lee – Tenor & Soprano Saxophone