Jazz Art by Debra Hurd
23rd Annual GCEH Jazz Festival
July 30-August 1, 2021
The festival begins with
“An Evening of Poetry”
July 29, 2021 @ 6:30 PM
Hosted by
Huggy Bear Da Poet
We look forward to announcing the performers for the 2021 GCEH Jazz Festival.
2021 GCEH Jazz Festival Essay Contest
Do you love jazz music? If so, here is your chance to let the world know! Compile your love for jazz and describe, “What jazz music means to you?” in 200 words or less. This essay is due by April 16, 2021. Send all entries to gcehjazzfestival@gmail.com. Contest is open to students ages 6-18.
- First Prize: $100 Scholarship to The Marcus Johnson Summer Jazz Camp or School Supplies
- Second Prize: $75 Scholarship to The Marcus Johnson Summer Jazz Camp or School Supplies
- Third Prize: $50 Scholarship to The Marcus Johnson Summer Jazz Camp or School Supplies
About Us
The Gulf Coast Ethnic & Heritage Jazz Festival (GCEHJF) is founded in the belief that “ethnic” means everybody and “heritage” is not some fixed point in the past. GCEHJF seeks to present Jazz through a declaration of its evolution at every turn.
We are a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation whose mission is to further the preservation and growth of Jazz music for future generations. Our goal is to encourage young musicians to play Jazz by educating them in its history and music.
GCEHJF provides a vibrant mix of entertainment and education. The Festival is known for the Marcus Johnson Summer Jazz Camp, its venue for the “telling” arts, An Evening of Poetry and Jazz, and at the heart of it all, an incredible main stage jazz concert!
GCEHJF has presented nationally and internationally acclaimed Jazz musicians, with some having their roots in Mobile and Baldwin counties. Many are alumni of those school systems. These artists have contributed to the success of this Jazz Festival.
Artists performing at the Gulf Coast Ethnic & Heritage Jazz Festival have provided audiences with truly unique entertainment experiences, from such diverse performers as Lil Greenwood (formerly of the Duke Ellington Orchestra) and Fred Wesley (formerly of the James Brown Review), to new jazz visionaries, such as Esperanza Spalding, Christian Scott, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, and Art Sherrod Jr. among many others.
For more information contact:
Creola Ruffin (Founder)
251-478-4027
