The John Coltrane Music Edu-tainment Festival (JCMEF) is celebrating its Sweet 16 indoor music festival on Saturday, October 5, 2024, from 12 pm to 5 pm, at Wayman Chapel Faith Center, located at 1935 Ghio Osborne Road in Hamlet, NC. This year’s theme is “Polishing the Diamonds in Our Own Backyard.”
The event will be a jubilant celebration in the city that introduced the legendary jazz musician to the world. The festival, named after Coltrane, honors Coltrane’s legacy and what he meant to the town of Hamlet.
The festival will feature an artistic explosion of talented writers, poets, dancers, musicians, producers, cultural creators, and more from the Carolinas, especially from the Sandhills and Pee Dee regions. The festival stands out for its diverse range of musical genres, educating guests on Coltrane, and providing attendees with a unique cultural experience. This family-friendly event will feature vendors, community resources, exhibits, and a fashion show. The festival is free and open to the public.
Other displays in honor of John Coltrane – L: John Coltrane’s Historical Marker in Philadelphia (Courtesy of The Constitutional) and R: John Coltrane’s Statue in High Point, NC (Courtesy of John Martin)
Now in its 16th year, Gerard A. Morrison, founder of the JCMEF, continues to drive its mission by showcasing talent in rural communities as a token of celebration for the jazz legend in the heart of his birthplace. Coltrane, who grew up in High Point, NC, is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in jazz and 20th-century music history. Coltrane was known for his lush tone, masterful upper register control, and innovative use of improvisation and arrhythmic music. He released many albums, some of which became five-star classics. His music spanned over styles and genres, transcending cultural boundaries. His saxophone sound remains recognizable in modern jazz, serving a profoundly spiritual and connective purpose.
At the beginning of his career, Coltrane collaborated with jazz legend Miles Davis on a few albums before joining forces with North Carolina Born-Thelonious Monk. Coltrane and Monk worked on multiple projects, including a live album in 1957 at Carnegie Hall, a studio album, and a 6-month residency at New York City’s Five Spot Club.
The festival aims to continue Coltrane’s legacy and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the composer’s ties to rural communities. To Morrison, the festival is not just a celebration but also an inspiration to platform the talent of emerging artists in rural communities. He expands to many rural areas throughout the Carolinas and Virginia to promote and help cultivate talent in spoken, performing, and visual art, offering hope and opportunity to rural artists.
The Hamlet native shared his passion with the Exclusive Press (EP) about his love for preserving a lively culture in the rural community under his organization, inspiring a supportive community for the festival, and a history experience of famous legends with rural connections.
Morrison, according to the author, embodies the essence of a human library, preserving the rich artistic and cultural heritage of rural communities that is often overlooked. The North Carolina A&T graduate even put the writer to the test by quizzing her on the hometowns of famous people like Afeni Shakur (mother of Tupac Shakar) and Famous Attorney, Ben Crump, which the author correctly identified as Lumberton, a rural NC city. In addition, Morrison shared some fun facts about other rural jazz legends, such as Dizzy Gillespie being from rural Cheraw, South Carolina, and receiving a musical scholarship at Laurinburg Institute, a historic African American preparatory school in rural North Carolina where famous faces such as rapper Joe Budden and many NBA players attended.
Morrison is just as excited about what the festival will bring. The festival is celebrated every first weekend in October, and it is an opportunity to highlight Coltrane’s small-town roots and push for a progressive rural community.
The EP invites readers to join in on the celebration of the John Coltrane Music Edu-tainment Festival, acknowledging and valuing the unique talent and famous connections in rural areas. The festival is a testament to the fact that talent does exist in rural communities, and it’s a chance for all to come together and celebrate rural communities’ unique contributions.
