The grand finale of the Charleston Jazz Festival is presented in partnership with Spoleto Festival USA and will feature the incomparable Big Chief Donald Harrison Quartet from New Orleans. A National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master and cultural ambassador, alto saxophonist Donald Harrison masterfully blends traditional New Orleans sounds with modern jazz, funk and more, creating a style as vibrant and dynamic as the city he calls home and as broad as jazz gets.

After an early stint in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Harrison has gone on to be among the most distinctive and wide-ranging of jazz bandleaders and among the most sought-after band members, working regularly with the likes of Ron Carter, The Headhunters and The Cookers. His high-energy grooves, fluid improvisation, and soulful melodies move from bebop to soul to funk and have entranced audiences around the world. In his hometown, New Orleans, he is known as “Big Chief” for his pivotal role in preserving and promoting a tradition of Afro-New Orleans Cultural Groups he inherited from his father, and that is a vital element of community organization. Don’t miss this spectacular closing concert, where the Big Chief and his quartet will capture the spirit of New Orleans, celebrating the legacy and future of jazz in an unforgettable performance.

DONALD HARRISON – ALTO SAXOPHONE

DAN KAUFMAN – PIANO

NORI NARAOKA – BASS

JOE DYSON – DRUMS

This performance and the related education programs are made possible by the Oliver S. and Jennie R. Donaldson Charitable Trust and Hilton C. Smith Jr., and the Byron Fellowship Educational Foundation.