Honoring the Carolina Roots of American Jazz
The state produced giants of the genre, and a renewed effort is underway to celebrate that heritage through festivals, education and preservation.
America's jazz story runs through the Carolinas more than most people realize, and a renewed effort aims to give that legacy its due.
A birthplace of genius
The state produced towering figures in the music's history, artists whose innovations shaped the genre. That heritage has often gone under-celebrated at home.
Festivals, educational programs and preservation efforts are working to change that, honoring the musicians and the communities that nurtured them.
Preserving the sound
The work is partly historical — documenting stories before they are lost — and partly living, supporting the musicians carrying the tradition forward.
The revival reflects a broader recognition that the Carolinas' cultural contributions extend far beyond what the textbooks record. In reclaiming its jazz heritage, the state reclaims a piece of its identity, and of America's, one performance at a time.
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