The Lowcountry Jazz Festival is headed back to the Charleston Gaillard Center Sept. 5-6 for its 20th edition, bringing two nights of jazz, soul and R&B.
This year’s lineup ranges from Grammy-winning soul singer Anthony Hamilton and veteran guitarist Peter White to Grammy-nominated saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin on Saturday. The next day’s show will include a contemporary jazz duo named RnR, pianist Keiko Matsui and South African-born guitarist and vocalist Jonathan Butler.
The festival, co-produced by Tony Clarke and the Gaillard Center, l has grown well beyond its smooth-jazz foundation while retaining its connection to the Lowcountry community.
Clarke became involved with the festival after Charleston doctor Thaddeus Bell brought him in as a consultant to help to shape the festival into a broader musical experience.
“I wanted to create a festival where we not only did smooth jazz, but we had an R&B component, a world music component, a gospel component and a straight-ahead or traditional jazz component,” Clarke said in a recent interview with the Charleston City Paper.
He said he deliberately wants audiences to encounter artists outside their usual musical comfort zones.
“If you’re coming to hear Anthony Hamilton, you’re going to get a dose of Lakecia Benjamin,” he said. “We’re introducing people to these artists who are totally different.”
That approach is particularly meaningful for the festival’s 20th edition. Clarke said the milestone makes him feel “pretty blessed,” but he is already looking ahead.
“If you think our programming is stellar for the 20th year, just wait until Dr. Bell stands on the stage on our 25th year,” he said.
Expanding influence
The Gaillard Center’s role has also expanded beyond simply providing the festival’s stage. Lissa Frankel, the venue’s president and CEO, said the partnership allows the center to share its production resources while supporting a local nonprofit whose mission aligns with its own.
“We’re very dedicated to partnering with other institutions to help rise the tide for all ships,” she said.
The festival’s proceeds benefit Bell’s nonprofit, Closing the Gap In Health Care which addresses health disparities and provides scholarships for underserved students.
Those proceeds also bolster the Gaillard Center’s arts education mission. The center serves about 25,000 children annually through programs that provide free tickets and transportation to students who might otherwise be unable to attend performances.
“It’s really like a one-two punch,” she said. “We all get to hear a whole bunch of glorious music in that great hall. And we support these two important missions.”
The partnership has also helped the festival become a significant regional and national draw. Frankel estimates about 70% of attendees come from outside the Charleston area, making the event a boost for local tourism as well as an important part of the city’s music calendar.
“We don’t have another smooth jazz festival like this at all,” Frankel said. “The Lowcountry Jazz Festival has really become an important part of the season.”
Clarke said having the festival at the Gaillard puts attendees within walking distance of restaurants, hotels, museums and other attractions, allowing visitors to experience Charleston as well as the music.
“You’re coming to hear great music, you’re coming to get a dose of culture,” Clarke said. “You get a fabulous down-home feeling of what Southern hospitality is all about.”
The festival incorporates announcements and an auction benefiting Closing the Gap into the weekend.
“A lot of people come just to have a great time at the festival,” Frankel said. “I feel like they should also have pride in supporting these programs.”
IF YOU WANT TO GO: Doors open at 7 p.m. Sept. 5 and 6, Charleston Gaillard Center, 95 Calhoun St., Charleston. Tickets range from $80-$223; gaillardcenter.org
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