Artist Stories

Jazz educators share how they are helping motivate their students as we all face isolation, fear, and boredom.

“We don’t often know how music affects the listener, soothing so many underlining issues we all carry from day to day. Musicians underestimate the power of the music we play. “ During this pandemic, musicians and audiences feel a sense of shock, trepidation, and tragedy.

When Lonnie and Ocie arrived 10 years ago, they recognized the incredible quality of local jazz as the best kept secret in Charlotte. In that time, the goal has been to shine a spotlight on what was already in our midst.

The recorded career of jazz legend John Coltrane as a leader, breaks essentially, into three distinct phases. The surprising commercial appeal of the saxophone-driven title track of the album “My Favorite Things”, led to Trane’s third – Impulse Records. It was artistically successful, albeit commercially mixed.

Because the holidays is a season of family and nostalgia, we asked some of our performers to share their special traditions with us.