Celebrated Jazz educator, performing and recording artist Dr. Mitch Butler becomes Director of Jazz Education with the ColaJazz Foundation. The ColaJazz Foundation is proud to announce that Dr. Mitch Butler is our Director of Jazz Education. Dr. Butler received his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Music Performance from East Carolina University. Dr. Butler is also … Read more
“God has wrought many things out of oppression. He has endowed his creatures with the capacity to create—and from this capacity has flowed the sweet songs of sorrow and joy that have allowed man to cope with his environment and many different situations. Jazz speaks for life. The Blues tell the story of life’s difficulties, … Read more
A new listening room series presented in the historic Pastor’s Study above Lula Drake Wine Parlour takes place every 3rd Monday of the month with a few special events sprinkled in – $20 for ColaJazz Members, $25 for non-members– Limited seating capacity for health safety and to ensure the best listening experience– Concerts begin at … Read more
On December 9th, ColaJazz in partnership with the Koger Center for the Arts and the UofSC School of Music was proud to present arguably the world’s greatest big band and its leader, the incomparable Wynton Marsalis. Also joining the band was the phenomenal vocalist Alita Moses. This was the second performance by Wynton Marsalis in … Read more
On Sunday, August 29th, we hosted our first ever Membership Drive launching our brand new ColaJazz Membership initiative. Over 150 people turned up to support jazz and celebrate our Columbia Jazz scene at the 701 Whaley Market! “Jazz is all about participating. We are excited to offer this new program that will extend our outreach, … Read more
We teamed up with Richland Library to reach new audiences of jazz lovers in the Midlands and to create awareness of the library’s extensive jazz collections. Below is a partial roundup of social media posts from April 2021! Jazz Appreciation Month (fondly known as “JAM”) was created at the Smithsonian Museum in 2001 to recognize … Read more
A collaboration between South Carolina Public Radio and The ColaJazz Foundation, ColaJazz Presents is a special limited series featuring performances from a diverse group of South Carolina’s top jazz musicians, plus interviews with the artists offering intimate perspectives into their lives, communities, and passion for music. Join host Mark Rapp, executive director of The ColaJazz Foundation, Sunday nights, … Read more
The 2021 ColaJazz Fest weekend presents a an all local lineup and a mega jazz star Saturday, May 1, 7pm – 11pm at The Senate and Sunday, May 2, 7:30pm at the Koger Center for the Arts. A monumental moment for arts and culture in the Midlands is here! A #supportlocal themed night of the … Read more