“I never had any idea of how to practice,” Chris Potter told a room full of eager jazz students and enthusiasts at the Charleston Jazz Academy on June 3. This insightful remark set the tone for the two jazz workshops held in conjunction with Spoleto Festival USA, one led on Monday by Potter, and another, to be held on June 7, with Pedrito Martinez.
The Charleston Jazz Academy Spoleto workshop program began in 2018, and every year since, has brought notable Spoleto performers like pianist Abdullah Ibrahim and drummer Terri Lyne Carrington in as guest teachers. Even during the pandemic, these workshops kept spirits high via online masterclasses.
This year for the first time, the workshops were opened to the public. “Charleston has a really rich jazz history,” said Lacy Miller, marketing and communications director of the Charleston Jazz Academy (CJA). “We want people to continue to see Charleston for its history where jazz was nurtured.”
The June 3 workshop began with a blend of performance and pedagogy from Potter, a renowned saxophonist who grew up in Columbia and had performed the previous evening in Spoleto’s South Carolina-themed “Lowcountry” concert. He played two compositions with the students, featuring two additional saxophonists along with a drummer, a pianist and an electric guitar player. This same ensemble (minus Potter) had the honor of performing at the festival’s opening ceremony.
In between these songs was a lively Q&A session where Potter shared personal anecdotes and stories from his career. His emphasis on the storytelling aspect of jazz offered attendees a glimpse into the life of a professional musician and the nuances of the art form.
Larry Blumenfeld, the curator of Spoleto’s jazz series since 2016, stressed the importance of these educational initiatives. “All jazz musicians do some version of education,” he said. “The art form has relied on mentorship and the passing on of many subtleties about the music and its culture.”
Miller highlighted the significance of these workshops in the context of Charleston’s jazz legacy. Historically known as the “jazz cradle,” Charleston has nurtured numerous jazz talents, many of whom received their initial training at the Jenkins Orphanage. “We try to keep that tradition going by training young people,” she said. The decision to open the workshops to the public this year, she said, was partly influenced by the desire to include more community members, including working musicians and jazz enthusiasts.
Learn about Cuban percussion and Charleston’s jazz history
The series continues June 7 with Cuban percussionist Pedrito Martinez, who will introduce the students to a rich cultural heritage that is not widely represented in Charleston.
“Having an authentic Cuban artist like Pedrito Martinez is such a treasure,” Miller said. “Our kids, many of whom are on scholarships, may never get to travel and hear this music live. This workshop will inspire their future careers.”
These workshops offer a chance for Charlestonians to celebrate and learn about the city’s rich jazz history. They not only honor the past but also pave the way for future jazz innovators. The community is encouraged to partake in these events, not just as spectators, but as active participants in the preservation and evolution of jazz.
The June 7 workshop is free to attend and will start at 11 a.m. Learn more here.
Shirin Gupta, an arts journalism and communications graduate of the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, is a creative storyteller who writes about some of her views on her blog page popCulture Baazar.
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