Gulf Coast Ethnic & Heritage Jazz Festival

The Gulf Coast Ethnic & Heritage Jazz Festival (GCEHJF) is founded in the belief that “ethnic” means everybody and “heritage” is not some fixed point in the past. GCEHJF seeks to present Jazz through a declaration of its evolution at every turn.

We are a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation whose mission is to further the preservation and growth of Jazz music for future generations. Our goal is to encourage young musicians to play Jazz by educating them in its history and music.

GCEHJF provides a vibrant mix of entertainment and education. The Festival is known for the Marcus Johnson Summer Jazz Camp, its venue for the “telling” arts, An Evening of Poetry and Jazz, and at the heart of it all, an incredible main stage jazz concert!

GCEHJF has presented nationally and internationally acclaimed Jazz musicians, with some having their roots in Mobile and Baldwin counties. Many are alumni of those school systems. These artists have contributed to the success of this Jazz Festival.

Artists performing at the Gulf Coast Ethnic & Heritage Jazz Festival have provided audiences with truly unique entertainment experiences, from such diverse performers as Lil Greenwood (formerly of the Duke Ellington Orchestra) and Fred Wesley (formerly of the James Brown Review), to new jazz visionaries, such as Esperanza Spalding, Christian Scott, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, and Art Sherrod Jr. among many others.