Savannah Jazz Festival

The Savannah Jazz Festival is an annual celebration of jazz music located in Savannah, Georgia. Admission to the event is free and open to the public. The festival takes place for eight days during the last full week in September of each calendar year. Events and performances take place in various venues throughout Historic Savannah, Georgia and culminating with three days taken place at Savannah's historic Forsyth Park.[1][2]

Savannah Jazz Festival
The official poster of the 2007 Savannah Jazz Festival created by visual artist Ligel Lambert
GenreJazz
DatesSeptember
Location(s)Savannah, Georgia
Coordinates32°08′09″N 81°09′12″W
Years active1981–present
Websitesavannahjazz.org

The Festival is organized by the CJA or the Coastal Jazz Association with major sponsorship provided by the City of Savannah Department of Arts and Culture and Historical Resources.[3] Other funding for the Savannah Jazz Festival are provided by corporate, individual sponsors, and members of the CJA.[4]

Coastal Jazz Association

In 1979, Teddy Adams, Ben Tucker, Randall Reese, Tom Glaser, and Ken Palmer got together and started the Telfair Jazz Society. This went on to become the Coastal Jazz Association or the CJA in 1981.[5]

According to the official Savannah Jazz Festival's website, “The CJA, which is a grassroots non-profit organization that was formed in 1981 in Savannah, Georgia to help Jazz flourish in the Coastal Empire by inspiring Jazz education through various scholarships, by fellowship with other musicians with shared interests and also sponsoring live performances within the city. The CJA is responsible for the annual Savannah Jazz Festival, provides assistance to local jazz artists in need and also hosts the Savannah Jazz Hall of Fame.” [6]

Carmen Bradford headlined at the 2017 Savannah Jazz Festival

Origins of the Savannah Jazz Festival

According to an article written to promote the Savannah Jazz Festival, the first Savannah Jazz Festival was held at Grayson Stadium on October 1, 1983. The article also contends that the events started as a way for the late Ben Tucker to lend his knowledge and talents to a group of folks interested in learning more about jazz.[7] Also according to the event's official website, “The Savannah Jazz Festival is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and growing audiences in the love of jazz music.”[8]

References
  1. The Atlanta Journal Constitution: September 28, 2018 “37th Annual Savannah Jazz Festival, 9/23-9/29”
  2. Wyatt, D., The Savannah Morning News/Savannah Now: September 21, 2007 “The Savannah Jazz Festival Starts Sunday”
  3. Visit Savannah: April 2020 "38th Annual Savannah Jazz Festival"
  4. Savannah Morning News: September 1, 2019 "Coastal Jazz Association rebrands as Savannah Jazz"
  5. Savannah Business Journal: August 27, 2019 “Coastal Jazz Association Rebrands as Savannah Jazz”
  6. Savannah Jazz Festival’s website: 2020 “About the Savannah Jazz Festival”
  7. Azelea, Inn and Villas: July 9, 2013 “Visit Savannah for the Savannah Jazz Festival this Year”
  8. Savannah Jazz Festival’s website: 2020 “About the Savannah Jazz Festival”
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