Charlotte’s Jazz Arts Initiative (JAI) will host its inaugural Spring Gala: Lush Life on Saturday, May 20, 2017 at the Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte in Uptown. This elegant evening will include a superb three-course dinner, open wine bar, and feature live music and dancing from the renowned Piedmont Triad Jazz Orchestra with guest vocalist Mandi Stapleton playing the classics of Ellington, Basie and Strayhorn. Dress is black tie preferred.
"This will be a night unlike anything Charlotte has seen," says Lonnie Davis, President and CEO of JAI. "We are pulling out all the stops to make sure all of our guests and supporters have a truly memorable experience and one of the most elegant and extraordinary nights of their lives."
The evening will include a special champagne raffle featuring unique items donated by Windsor Jewelers. Jazz Arts Initiative will also recognize two national honorees with the Nica’s Dream Achievement Award and Ellis Marsalis Excellence Award for their extraordinary contributions to Jazz music and Jazz education. An outstanding Jazz Academy student alum will also be recognized with the Clyde Kerr Jr. Scholarship Award to further support their studies in music.
Limited tickets are $200 per person and can be purchased online from the JAI website - thejazzarts.org - or by calling 704-334-3900. The evening will begin at 6:00PM with a cocktail reception followed by the formal Gala at 7:00PM at the Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte located at 201 East Trade Street.
About Jazz Arts Initiative
Jazz Arts Initiative is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the promotion, education, preservation of jazz and related art forms. This organization is made up of arts patrons, educators, performing jazz artists, business leaders, and volunteers. Their mission focuses on three program development areas: Jazz Education, Performance, and Musician Support. These three elements were established to help nurture a future audience and preserve the tradition of this great American Art Form, Jazz. For more information, visit www.thejazzarts.org and follow Jazz Arts Initiative on Facebook and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/thejazzarts.
