It’s time to jazz up your weekend plans. Greenville Jazz Fest takes over the West End on Friday, May 30 + Saturday, May 31.
The free festival features seven performances across two stages. Find your favorite sounds + listen to each act before you go. Pro tip: Learn what food you can snack on, where to park, and how to book a Greenville Bike Taxi.
Reedy Stage (at Main Street + Court Street)
Friday, May 30
Tamika Howard Quartet | 4 p.m. | Kick off the festivities with this foursome known for its jazz, gospel, and R&B music.
Calixto Oviedo & Afro Jazz Quartet | 5:30 p.m. | Listen as this Latin-Grammy nominee plays alongside the quartet fusing jazz harmonies, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and improvisation techniques.
YAM YAM | 7:30 p.m. | Enjoy a unique blend of funk, jazz, and soul.
Saturday, May 31
Greenville Brass Connection | 11:30 a.m. | Get sassy and brassy with some local musicians.
Absinthe Minded | 1 p.m. | Spend some time with the five-piece speakeasy band promising “toe tappin’ tunes.”
Shannon Hoover Trio | 2:30 p.m. | This local musician, composer, and educator will soothe your soul with the help of two other musicians.
Art of Thieves | 4 p.m. | Listen to jazz, rock and pop, Latin, African, and World Music from this newly-formed quartet.
Brass Queens | 5:30 p.m. | All the way from NYC, feast your ears on music from this New Orleans-inspired all-female brass band.
Nate Smith | 7:30 p.m. | The three-time Grammy nominee known for his ability to switch between styles takes the stage.
Roots Stage (at Main + Augusta Streets)
Friday, May 30
Blue Notes Band | 5 p.m. | This band has an array of styles, performing songs from Frank Sinatra to Herbie Hancock, and Miles Davis to Louis Armstrong.
The Darrin Jackson Encounter | 6:30 p.m. | Feel the groove as this group “permeates your mind, body, and soul” with its sounds.
The Soul Rebels | 8:30 p.m. | Who’s played with Katy Perry and DMX, was featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk series, made a TV appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and headlined a set at the TED Conference? This group.
Saturday, May 31
Olayemi Ogundola | 12 p.m. | This Nigeria-born musician is an alto saxophonist, percussionist, performer, composer, and educator.
The All County Jazz Ensemble | 1:30 p.m. | The 20-piece ensemble is a collective of students from seven Greenville County Schools high schools + the SC Fine Arts Center.
Gwen Hughes Jazz of the Soul | 3 p.m. | Celebrate the joyful side of jazz and soul music that “evolved out of the ‘happy sadness’ of the blues.”
Dirk Quinn Band | 4:30 p.m. | Get to know this high-energy funk + jazz band based out of Philadelphia.
Greenville Jazz Collective Big Band | 6:30 p.m. | Greenville Jazz Collective is the only non-profit serving Greenville dedicated to promoting jazz arts through education outreach.
Bookmark the fest’s website for updates + peek the road closures.
