Rapp on Jazz Podcast
1) Louis Armstrong's goodwill trips during the Cold War
Louis Armstrong was a global ambassador for music and goodwill. During the Cold War, he toured the world under the auspices of the U.S. State Department, performing in Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Mi...Show More
2) Dave Brubeck's Cold War goodwill tours
In the 1950s and ’60s, Dave Brubeck led some of the most influential U.S. State Department jazz goodwill tours, bringing his quartet to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Visit southcarolina...Show More
3) Duke Ellington's goodwill stops during the Cold War
During the Cold War, Duke Ellington became one of America’s most powerful cultural ambassadors. Beginning in the 1960s, Ellington and his orchestra toured Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa as ...Show More
4) Dizzy Gillespie's Cold War goodwill tour
In 1956, Dizzy Gillespie led one of the Cold War’s most influential cultural missions—the U.S. State Department’s jazz goodwill tour. Visit southcarolinapublicradio.org/rapponjazz for full transcrip...Show More
5) Jazz as cultural exchange during the Cold War
During the Cold War, jazz became a form of cultural exchange. As the United States and the Soviet Union competed for influence, jazz traveled the world as a symbol of creativity, freedom, and individu...Show More
6) Failure
Failure is one of the most important teachers in jazz. Every missed note, every rough gig, every moment that didn’t go as planned carries a lesson—if you’re willing to listen. Visit southcarolinapub...Show More
7) The origins of ColaJazz
I started ColaJazz because I saw both a need and an opportunity. I was performing, teaching, and traveling, but I kept asking myself a simple question: How do we build something that lasts—for musicia...Show More
8) Mentorship
Mentorship has always been at the heart of jazz. You can learn scales, theory, and history in the classroom—and that foundation matters—but the bandstand teaches lessons no book ever can. Visit sout...Show More
9) Why jazz still matters
Jazz still matters because it teaches us how to listen -- to each other and to the moment we’re living in. Visit southcarolinapublicradio.org/rapponjazz for full transcripts.
10) The influence of technology on jazz
Technology has always shaped how jazz is recorded—and how it’s heard. Early jazz musicians crowded around a single microphone, capturing performances in one take. Visit southcarolinapublicradio.org/...Show More