The Charleston Jazz Initiative (CJI)

Dr. Karen A. Chandler
Associate Professor of Arts Management
School of the Arts
College of Charleston
66 George Street
Charleston, SC 29424-0001
(843) 953-5474 (voice)
(843) 953-7068 (fax)
chandlerk@cofc.edu
karenchandler@charlestonjazz.net

Please send comments and questions about this website to info@charlestonjazz.net.

The Jenkins Orphanage bands were particularly productive in that they provided instruction and experience for so many world-class musicians – many of whom enjoyed outstanding careers with internationally heralded jazz orchestras. The sheer numbers of these musicians, coupled with the knowledge of their musical backgrounds, leads one to speculate about the role and impact this common musical heritage may have had on the development of the American fine art we now know as jazz.
(Source: Alvin Batiste, “Charleston: Another Cradle of Jazz?”)