Catching Some Rays: A Jazz Celebration of Ray Charles
Schedule
Fri Apr 24 2026 at 07:00 pm to 08:30 pm
UTC-04:00Location
Columbia Museum of Art | Columbia, SC
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Pianist Noel Freidline and vocalist Maria Howell return for another unforgettable evening of live jazz, this time celebrating legend Ray Charles. The audience at a Ray Charles concert was a cross-section of American culture, his fans representing every age, race, ideology, and preference in music genre. The unifying factor was Charles himself and his timeless, universal appeal.Exploring that diversity through song and narrative anecdotes, the concert weaves its way through Charles’ life and catalog, exploring his journey to become the father of soul music, combining gospel music with secular lyrics. Enjoy many of Charles’ original compositions (“Unchain My Heart,” “Hit the Road Jack”), blues standards (“I Don’t Need No Doctor”), masterful interpretations of the Great American Songbook (“Come Rain or Come Shine,” “Hard Hearted Hannah,” “Georgia On My Mind”), pop tunes (“A Song for You”), country and western (“I Can’t Stop Loving You”), and even his 1972 arrangement of “America the Beautiful,” a daring foray for an African American artist on the heels of the turbulent ’60s and the struggling Civil Rights Movement. This show spans genres, decades, and moods, all with Freidline and Howell’s signature style, inventive arrangements, and irresistible chemistry.
Doors at 6:30pm. Individual table seats: $50 / $40 for members. Four-person tables (includes one bottle of wine): $200 / $160 for members. Priority registration for members only through Wednesday, February 11.
Music at the CMA is supported by funds from the Baker & Baker Foundation, Nancy and Richard Layman, Barbara Boyd, and Sam and Mary Baskin-Waters.
Can we assist you with accommodations for accessibility during your visit? Please let us know at 803-799-2810 or [email protected].
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Where is it happening?
Columbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main Street,Columbia, South Carolina, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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