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2024 Charleston Jazz Gala

Name: 2024 Charleston Jazz Gala
Start: 2024-10-18T18:00:00-04:00
End: 2024-10-18T21:30:00-04:00
Location: American Theater

October 18 @ 6:00 PM - 9:30 PM EDT

Tickets

CHARLESTON JAZZ GALA

Good Vibrations: An Electrifying Vibraphone Performance by Stefon Harris!

Dinner | Live Auction | Performance

Join us for the 2024 Charleston Jazz Gala at the American Theater, a benefit for the jazz education and outreach programs of Charleston Jazz.

Prepare to be swept away by the sounds of jazz vibraphonist and four-time Grammy Award nominee and Blue Note Records recording artist, Stefon Harris, and our Charleston Jazz Academy students.

Mingle with the city’s most devoted champions of jazz at the 1940s-era American Theater on the very street where the Jenkins Orphanage developed some of the world’s finest jazz musicians, giving Charleston the designation as America’s jazz cradle.

Here’s the vibe! Picture yourself dressed to the nines in snazzy cocktail attire, in an historic venue, surrounded by music lovers and the vibrant sounds of jazz. Festivities are accompanied by an open bar, dinner, a live auction, paddle-raise, and the presentation of the Tip of the Hat Award.

Man and woman at Charleston Jazz gala posing with instruments

Since its inception, Charleston Jazz has elevated the Lowcountry’s jazz heritage through world-class performances and educational programming. Together, we have maintained and grown Charleston’s reputation as a significant jazz destination, and one of the most respected training grounds for emerging jazz musicians through the Charleston Jazz Academy.

Proceeds will strengthen our education and outreach programs. Over the last year, we engaged over 4,200 students through free in-school jazz programs and provided $86,000 in scholarships for students to learn jazz at the Charleston Jazz Academy.

Man and woman playing jazz instruments wearing gold top hats

Woman wearing fascinator sitting at table with flowers

Man and woman smiling sitting at table at gala

Student in black shirt playing saxophone

People smiling sitting at a table at a gala

FEATURED GUEST: STEFON HARRIS

Born in Albany, New York, Stefon Harris is known as one of the world’s leading vibraphonists known for his brilliant dexterity and spellbinding musicality. He has been hailed as the “Best Mallet Player” by the Jazz Journalist Association eight times, and named “Best Vibes” in the 2018 and 2017 Downbeat Magazine Critic’s Poll. He has collaborated with many great jazz luminaries including Joe Henderson, Wynton Marsalis, Milt Jackson, Lionel Hampton, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson, Cassandra Wilson, Diana Krall, Dr. Billy Taylor, Max Roach, Cedar Walton, Mulgrew Miller, Chaka Khan, Kurt Elling, Buster Williams, Dianne Reeves, Ry Cooder, Charlie Hunter,and Benny Golson.

Stefon Harris dancing — Stefon Harris - Photo by Jimmy & Dena Katz

TIP OF THE HAT AWARD WINNER: GEORGE KENNY

[SOURCE: Charleston Jazz Initiative] George Kenny, a native Charlestonian, received his first musical experience as a trumpet player at Burke High School in Charleston. He later trained as a saxophonist after enlisting in the United States Air Force (Korea), before attending South Carolina State College (now South Carolina State University) and earning a bachelor of science degree in music education.

Kenny was a band director for Charleston County schools for thirty-two years before retiring in 1991. He taught at Laing High School, C. A. Brown High School, Burke High School, Courtney Middle School, and the Jenkins Orphanage. While at C.A. Brown High School, the school’s musical production of Hello Dolly (1970) was the first to sell every seat at Charleston’s Gaillard Auditorium for three performances.

Kenny has performed as bass violinist for the Ebony Fashion Fair for several years and with such musical greats as Lou Rawls, Teddy Pendergrass, and Dizzy Gillespie. He has also performed for the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, MOJA Arts Festival, and with most of the jazz musicians in the Charleston area. Currently, Mr. Kenny plays with the Davis Archer Band at major hotels and island resorts and is the director of the Melody Chimes Ensemble at Calvary Episcopal Church in Charleston. He has been featured in two motion picture films — The Notebook and Consenting Adults.

CJI’s Jack McCray lists him in his 2007 book, Charleston Jazz. He performed with CJI’s Legends Band in 2010 and is featured on its first CD recording. Kenny prefers to be called a “Good Sideman” as his ensemble career has spanned over 50 years.