CHARLTON SINGLETON: Riffin' and Croonin' | 7:00pm-9:00pm

Charlton Singleton and his Beehive Jazz Orchestra return to Forte Jazz Lounge, Charleston's #1 listening room. The band will be drawing from the rich tradition of big band crooners and instrumentals for a night of swingin' tunes and world class musical entertainment.

A native of Awendaw, SC, Charlton Singleton began his musical studies at the age ofthree on the piano. He would then go on to study the organ, violin, cello, and the trumpetthroughout elementary, middle and high school. In 1994, he received a Bachelor of Artsin Music Performance from South Carolina State University. Since that time, he hastaught music at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, as well as being anadjunct faculty member at the College of Charleston. In 2008 he co-founded andbecame the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Charleston Jazz Orchestra; an 18piece jazz ensemble of some of the finest professional musicians in the Southeast andthe resident big band in Charleston, SC. Mr. Singleton is also the organist and choirdirector at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Charleston, SC. In November of 2016 he wasnamed the inaugural Artist in Residence at the recently renovated Gaillard Center indowntown Charleston. He remained in this position until July 2019; at that point he wasnamed Artist in Residence Emeritus. In this position he continues to lead the SummerYouth Jazz Orchestra Camp as well as lead the “Jazz Through the Ages” assembly,which attracts a capacity crowd of students at the Gaillard Center.

As a performer, Charlton leads his own ensembles that vary in size and style. He hasperformed in France, Great Britain, Scotland, Spain, Germany, Austria, Italy,Switzerland, Norway, Canada, The Netherlands, as well as many great cities throughoutthe United States. He is a founding member of a new ensemble called Ranky Tanky.The group is a quintet that interprets the sounds of Gullah from the Southeast Coast ofthe United States. In 2017 Ranky Tanky reached the top of the Billboard, iTunes, andAmazon Contemporary Jazz charts with their self-titled debut recording. In 2019 theyaccomplished the same feat with the release of their sophomore effort, “Good Time”,which recently won the 2019 Grammy Award for “Best Regional Roots Music Album.”

In addition to performing, he is in demand as a speaker, clinician, composer, andarranger. He has also shared the stage with and/or worked with some of most talentedentertainers in the world, including Bobby McFerrin, Jimmy Heath, Slide Hampton,Houston Person, Darius Rucker, Fred Wesley, and Cyrus Chestnut to name a few.Outside of music and entertainment, he and his wife, MaryJo, are the proud parents ofShalamar and D’Marcus, as well as their pets...Sassy, Jango, Mojo, Kota Bear,Pumpkin, and Ginger.

Host or Publisher Forte Jazz Lounge