The Charleston Jazz Orchestra is establishing itself as a resident big band jazz ensemble accessible for entertainment and education year round. The 20-piece band debuted as the Charlton Singleton Orchestra on March 22, 2008 with an electrifying performance at the Charleston Music Hall. That show was billed as the South Carolina Hit Parade, a two-hour show that comprised jazz music composed or made popular by South Carolinians. The orchestra’s first engagement of its inaugural season will be a performance of Duke Ellington’s “Nutcracker Suite” during the 2008 Christmas holiday season. The concert will kick off the inaugural season of the Charleston Jazz Orchestra subscription series. A performance in the second, third and fourth quarters of 2009 will round out the season. Shows planned include The Music Of Count Basie, A Tribute to Duke Ellington, Latin Jazz Night, Jazz Vocalists Night, a reprise of the South Carolina Hit Parade, A Tribute to the Blues and many others. Among many of Ellington's talents was his ability to apply the American jazz esthetic to European classical pieces. Another example is his version of Edvard Grieg's "Pier Gynt Suite." With Peter Tchaikovsky's Christmas season evergreen, "Nutcracker Suite," Ellington's talents shine through brightly. Among fans of American music, particularly jazz, his "Nutcracker" is almost as famous. While it is an adaptation, his version approaches originality while still true to the Russian master's intent and feel. Most of all, it swings - a cornerstone of Ellington's compositions. Singleton's work here channels Ellington.

The band is made up of many of the finest musicians in the Charleston area such as drummer Quentin Baxter, trumpeter Chuck Dalton, saxophonist Mark Sterbank, bassist Kevin Hamilton and Charleston’s first lady of jazz, vocalist Ann Caldwell. They all have extensive resumes and have played in all kinds of configurations all around the world. Most of them are multi-instrumentalists and are proficient in all the forms. The ability to seriously swing is one of Singleton’s basic requirements for membership in the band. CJO plays all the forms of jazz. Charlestonian Freddie Green’s “Corner Pocket,” Duke Ellington’s “Happy Go Lucky Local” and Count Basie’s “Splanky” are representative of its sound - bright, melodic and swingin’ like a hammock in a Charleston hurricane. The band’s repertoire comprises blues, swing, Afro-Cuban, bop, progressive, Latin, ballads and sacred.

CJO is produced by Jack McCray and directed by Charlton Singleton. Its performance season activities are administered by Jazz Artists of Charleston, a Charleston-based jazz musician not-for-profit advocacy organization, under the direction of board member Leah Suárez. McCray, author of the acclaimed “Charleston Jazz” (Arcadia 2007), conceived of the band and oversees its general operation. Trumpeter Singleton is a highly regarded multi-instrumentalist, educator, composer and arranger. He is artistic director and he handles artists and repertoire. The band’s approach to its programs is informed by the universal jazz canon as well as research results of the Charleston Jazz Initiative. The orchestra is entertaining, educational and a stellar exemplar of the rich history and legacy of jazz in Charleston. Given Charleston’s place in the history of jazz, America’s most original art form and its most significant cultural export over the last 100 years, the Charleston Jazz Orchestra represents the continuation of a musical tradition begun about a century and a half ago in coastal South Carolina.

This project benefits the non-profit efforts of Jazz Artists of Charleston and the Charleston Jazz Initiative. Jazz artists, such as the members of the Charleston Jazz Orchestra, have inspired the 2008 inception of Jazz Artists of Charleston (JAC), a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote musical awareness and education, including the recognition and preservation of the history of jazz, in the City of Charleston through performances, special events and educational outreach. A significant hallmark of JAC’s inaugural year is its partnership with the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs in its efforts to produce the 2008 Piccolo Spoleto Festival Jazz Series in its 30th year, including Upstairs at Mistral, Holy City Homecomin’ and the Cuban Block Party. For more information about Jazz Artists of Charleston and the Charleston Jazz Orchestra, visit www.jazzartistisofcharleston.org or call 843.641.0011.

CJO relies on the fiscal support of individuals and businesses to continue its quality programming. We are currently in need of sponsors of all levels. If you are interested in contributing to the 2008-2009 CJO Series, please click on the link below. As always, your time and consideration is very much appreciated!

SUPPORT CJO HERE!

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