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Rapp on Jazz
All Stations: Mon-Fri, throughout the day

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 Rapp, executive director of the foundation and host of SC Public Radio’s ColaJazz Presents, for these 60-second segments covering everything from famous South Carolinians like Dizzy Gillespie and Eartha Kitt to the “Big Apple” dance craze of the 1930s to the best clubs to experience jazz in the state.

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Latest Episodes
  • Rapp on Jazz: Oscar Lee Mack
    Oscar Lee Mack, another lesser-known jazz musician from South Carolina, was born in Sumter County around 1936.
  • Rapp on Jazz: Space in jazz
    Space is vital in jazz, exemplified by the Bill Evans Trio—Bill Evans on piano, Scott LaFaro on bass, and Paul Motian on drums. This group showcased equal contribution, with Evans’ introspective sound, LaFaro’s innovative bass playing, and Motian’s color-focused drumming.
  • Rapp on Jazz: Dr. Matt White
    As Director of Jazz Studies at the University of South Carolina, Dr. Matt White is an accomplished trumpeter and educator as well as a gifted arranger and composer whose work bridges tradition and innovation.
  • Rapp on Jazz: The Left Bank Big Band
    One name stands out when it comes to swinging, sophisticated big band sound in South Carolina: the Left Bank Big Band at the University of South Carolina.
  • Rapp on Jazz: University of South Carolina School of Music
    The University of South Carolina School of Music is celebrating a century of musical excellence. For 100 years, it has been a beacon for aspiring musicians, educators, and scholars.
  • Rapp on Jazz: George Kenny
    Charleston native George Kenny, born in 1932, may not have been a household name, but his influence ran deep in jazz.
  • Rapp on Jazz: Jabbo Smith
    Jabbo Smith was born in 1908 in Pembroke, Georgia. At just six years old, he entered the Jenkins Orphanage in Charleston, South Carolina, where he discovered his passion for music.
  • Rapp on Jazz: Bill Evans Trio
    To hear how three instruments can truly breathe, listen to the Bill Evans Trio, especially with Scott LaFaro on bass and Paul Motian on drums. This ensemble wasn’t just a typical piano-led group; each musician contributed equally.
  • Rapp on Jazz: Ballads
    In jazz, speed impresses, but it’s the ballad that reveals the soul.
  • Rapp on Jazz: Women's influence in jazz
    Jazz history isn’t just a man’s story—it’s been shaped, driven, and revolutionized by women from the beginning.