Music

Trumpeter Johnny Helms was a pillar of Columbia’s jazz scene for more than fifty years.

Drummer Stockton Helbing is one of the most dynamic musicians to emerge from South Carolina’s jazz community.

Saxophonist Lonnie Hamilton III has long been one of Charleston’s cultural leaders—both on stage and in public life.

Celebrating Black History Month, the Colour of Music Festival returns to its home city and North Charleston for performances showcasing a wide repertoire and range of performing forces.

Ralph Norman Goodwin was a self-taught pianist whose lightning touch made him a beloved figure in South Carolina’s jazz community.

Kip Anderson was one of South Carolina’s most soulful and resilient musical voices. Born in Starr, SC around 1938, he first sang in church and was discovered early on by gospel great Edna Cooke.

Leonard Feather was among jazz’s most influential voices -- not as a performer, but as a critic, historian, and tireless advocate for the music. Feather contributed to Down Beat, edited Metronome, and authored The Encyclopedia of Jazz, still a vital reference today.

Jazz impresario George Wein was one of the most visionary figures in American music. As founder of the Newport Jazz Festival in 1954, Wein changed how jazz was presented.

Jazz impresario Norman Granz had a strong passion for justice that influenced both the music and the culture surrounding it. In 1944, he started Jazz at the Philharmonic, which brought jazz out of smoky clubs and into major concert halls, lifting the art form to a new level of respect.

Behind every legendary performance, groundbreaking recording, and thriving jazz scene, there’s often an unsung hero: the jazz impresario. These visionaries champion artists, build audiences, and create the spaces where jazz flourishes.