Savannah Music Festival is inviting everybody to grab their guitars, banjoes, trumpets, violins, bongos, maracas, washboards — whatever instrument you play — for an epic jam session in Daffin Park, 1 Waring Drive.
The Savannah Music Festival Community Family Jam is hosted by SMF Jazz Academy, which is a part of Savannah Music Festival’s educational initiatives. The family-friendly event will feature live performances by more than 100 new and returning SMF Jazz Academy students. Expect to hear classic jazz and blues songs by legendary composers including John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Mary Lou Williams and Charlie Parker.
This is the first year Savannah Music Festival has invited outside ensembles to participate in the family jam. This year’s program includes exciting performances by Savannah Arts Academy’s talented Skyelite Jazz Band, the energetic Windsor Forest High School Marching Band, and The Deep Center’s acclaimed Slam Team of spoken words artists.
“We’ve done a family jam just for our jazz academy’s students and families, and now we’re really hoping that all of Savannah will come out,” said Jenny Woodruff, Savannah Music Festival’s Senior Director of Community Impact.
An education in jazz
Founded in 2020, The SMF Jazz Academy is an after-school program organized by the Savannah Music Festival. It is free to all Savannah-Chatham County Public School System students in grades 5-12 who qualify for free and reduced lunch, attend Juliette Gordon Low Elementary School or Shuman Elementary School or are returning SMF Jazz Academy students.
SMF Jazz Academy students attend weekly ensemble rehearsals and receive one private music lesson per week. Participants enjoy live local performances and have the opportunity to attend master classes and seminars with accomplished regional and national jazz artists.
“The real vision behind Jazz Academy is to build an inclusive jazz community in Savannah,” explained Woodruff. “We’re really focused on bringing students from different schools together and really bringing in kids who did not have access to jazz education outside of Jazz Academy.”
“Now we have 53 students who are participating from 17 different schools in Savannah-Chatham County. All public school students and all levels. We have 5th graders that are beginners, we have high school juniors at Savannah Arts Academy, so at the family jam you’re going to see all levels playing together.”
There will be food trucks and vendors set up around Daffin Park, as well as fun family activities and resources provided by local non-profit organizations including Loop It Up Savannah, The Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire, Front Porch Improv, and Migrant Equity Southeast.
Everybody, no matter what skill level, are invited to bring their favorite instrument and join in on the community jam session beginning at 3:30pm. Savannah Music Festival is even providing egg shakers for little children, so that they can participate, as well.
“We would love nothing more than for everybody to bring their instruments and to jam with the kids,” said Woodruff. “That’s my favorite part of the event. There are student performances, but then at the end, anybody who wants to—parents, community members, kids, little brothers, older sisters—can bring an instrument and play together, and have a chance to solo on the stage.”
The Savannah Music Festival Community Family Jam begins at noon on Saturday, and is free and open to the public. With that many people playing music at the same time there is no reason to get stage fright, and no excuse to not make some noise.
“We want everybody to come hang out, enjoy music, play music,” said Woodrruff. “The weather is going to be awesome, so I think it’s going to be a real highlight of the Fall in Savannah.”
“It will really bring the whole community together on stage….literally!”
If You Go >>
What: Savannah Music Festival Community Family Jam
When: 12-4pm, Oct. 21
Where: Daffin Park, Victory Drive and Waters Avenue
Cost: Free and open to public
Info: savannahmusicfestival.org