Jazz is more than music—it is a mirror of the American experience. As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, this panel discussion explores how jazz has reflected the nation’s values, challenged its contradictions, and helped define its ideals of freedom, expression, and collective voice.

The conversation examines how Charleston and the broader American South helped set the rhythms and cadence of jazz, shaping its evolution from local tradition to global art form. From sacred and social roots to improvisation and innovation, panelists will consider the enduring values jazz has contributed to American culture.

Master drummer Herlin Riley and Demetrius Doctor, Director of the Charleston Jazz Academy, will be joined by Dr. Karen Chandler—co-founder of the Charleston Jazz Initiative, which documents South Carolina’s profound influence on jazz in America and around the world—and Dr. Al Fraser, co-author of To Be, or Not . . . to Bop: Memoirs, the 1979 autobiography of legendary trumpeter John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie, for this dynamic, community-centered conversation. The panel will be moderated by Larry Blumenfeld, Spoleto Festival USA’s Jazz Curator and a contributor to The Wall Street Journal, and will conclude with a performance by the Herlin Riley Quartet.