Rapp on Jazz

Rapp on Jazz

By South Carolina Public RadioMusicMusic CommentaryMusic History
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Rapp on Jazz episodes

  • Jazz and the Great Depression

    The Great Depression of the 1930s was a time of hardship, but it was also the era when jazz became America’s popular music. 

    Visit southcarolinapublicradio.org/rapponjazz for full transcripts.

    1 min
  • Jazz and Prohibition

    When Prohibition went into effect in 1920, it was meant to end the nation’s drinking habits.

    Visit southcarolinapublicradio.org/rapponjazz for full transcripts.

    1 min
  • Fred Wesley

    Fred Wesley is a key figure in funk and jazz history. As music director and arranger for James Brown, he helped shape the explosive horn sound that defined Brown’s band in the late 1960s and early '70s.

    Visit southcarolinapublicradio.org/rapponjazz for full transcripts.

    1 min
  • Pee Wee Ellis

    Pee Wee Ellis, born Alfred Ellis in Bradenton, Florida, was a saxophonist and composer who significantly influenced James Brown's sound. 

    Visit southcarolinapublicradio.org/rapponjazz for full transcripts.

    1 min
  • James Brown: His roots and rise

    Before he became known as the Godfather of Soul, James Brown was a musically talented child growing up near the South Carolina-Georgia border.

    Visit southcarolinapublicradio.org/rapponjazz for full transcripts.

    1 min
  • Tommy Benford

    Tommy Benford, born in 1905, was a remarkable jazz drummer whose journey began—like his brother Bill’s—at the Jenkins Orphanage in Charleston, South Carolina. 

    Visit southcarolinapublicradio.org/rapponjazz for full transcripts.

    1 min
  • Bill Benford

    William “Bill” Benford, born in 1902, found his musical path through the legendary Jenkins Orphanage in Charleston, South Carolina. As a child, he toured with the orphanage band’s musical revue as early as 1915, gaining early exposure to jazz on the move.

    Visit southcarolinapublicradio.org/rapponjazz for full transcripts.

    1 min

About Rapp on Jazz

From the publisher's feed

Rapp on Jazz, co-produced by South Carolina Public Radio and the ColaJazz Foundation, highlights the Palmetto State's connection to the history of jazz music and the current jazz scene. Join Mark…