TRANSCRIPT:
I’m Mark Rapp, and this is Rapp On Jazz.
I started ColaJazz because I saw both a need and an opportunity. I was performing, teaching, and traveling, but I kept asking myself a simple question: How do we build something that lasts—for musicians, for students, and for the community? ColaJazz was born from the belief that jazz deserves a strong home, not just occasional moments.
What it’s taught me is that jazz thrives when people feel invited in. Education matters. Access matters. Community matters.
ColaJazz has also taught me that sustainability in the arts takes collaboration, patience, and vision. You don’t build culture alone. You build it by listening, partnering, and showing up consistently.
This has been Rapp On Jazz, a co-production of ColaJazz and SC Public Radio, made possible by Layman Publishing Partners, celebrating 50 years of expert content creation, authoritative information management, and standards-driven print and digital production.