“It’s not just your same old smooth jazz festival.”
It’s year 12 for the Lowcountry Jazz Festival at Gaillard Center, coming up this Labor Day weekend.
The All White Party Affair Sept. 3 features Nick Collionne and DJ Nyce. Sept. 4 features Willie Bradley, Najee and Peabo Bryson. Sept. 5 features Lindsey Webster, Adam Hawley, Kindred Family Soul, and Richard Eliott and Rick Braun.
The fest was founded by Thaddeus John Bell and his late daughter Tonisha Bell-Alston, said festival producer Tony Clarke. Looking for a way to raise funds for scholarships for African-American students at the medical university, they created Closing the Gap in Health Care, Inc. The nonprofit organization now works toward decreasing health disparities and increasing health literacy, especially for African Americans and underserved communities.
“Each year we do something totally different with our lineup,” Clarke said. “We sell more than just the music, we sell the overall experience. It’s not just your same old smooth jazz festival.”
“With COVID, we have our protocol in place. Each attendee will have to wear a mask the entire time. We are hoping that attendees take getting the vaccine seriously.”
Friday night, Chicago-based smooth jazz guitarist Nick Collionne will share the bill with DJ Nyce, the jazz fest’s go-to local. Saturday will see S.C.-native, Grammy awarded vocalist Peabo Bryson, who sang “Beauty and the Beast” with Celine Dion in 1991, and “A Whole New World” for Aladdin in 1992. Bryson will be joined by saxophonist Najee and trumpeter Willie Bradley.
Sunday’s lineup includes Grammy nominated vocalist Lindsey Webster teaming up with guitarist Adam Hawley, who has had tracks on Billboard’s Top 100.
“We want to mix in some R&B into the festival so that we can provide talent for our attendees who like straight ahead jazz, smooth jazz and R&B,” Clarke said. That’s where Kindred Family Soul comes in.
The festival headliners are chart topping smooth jazz musicians Richard Eliott and Rick Braun, known as R&R.
Friday tickets are $113 and tickets Saturday and Sunday are $63, available through Gaillard Center.
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