Doin' The Charleston

Enjoy an evening of friends, history, and jazz! The Doin' The Charleston Jazz Tour is the only tour in Charleston that allows tourists to experience the "Jewel of the South" in a entirely different light.  Travel back in time to the beginning of jazz in America and see how Charleston had a huge impact on the art form that is jazz.  ​If you love jazz, a tour Charleston's music heritage is essential.

 

What would a trip to Charleston be without experiencing one of our city’s cultural gifts to the world?  Our guides play music from a list of classic recordings as you walk through the birthplace of so many styles.  Stand at what is one of the single most important place in the history of 20th century American popular music... Catfish Row (Cabbage Row) from Porgy and Bess.

​

During the Jim Crow era, black ministers and educators promoted self-help theories as a means of rising above white supremacy.  Black leaders began to take the initiative to improve their quality of life.  They mobilized entire communities, seeking to improve their condition through religion, education, and hard work. No exception to the rule, Reverend Daniel J. Jenkins rallied parishioners at the Fourth Baptist Church in 1891 to help him open the Jenkins Orphanage. It was not long before the first orphanage band was organized.  The "Doin' The Charleston Jazz Tour" takes you to the site of the Jenkins Orphanage and gives you a unique insight into Charleston's cradle of improvisation and THE "Charleston" dance.

​The Doin' The Charleston Tour even includes a tour of the church where the inspiration for the gospel standard "Amazing Grace" originated!  Although this tour covers much of Charleston jazz scene, nothing beats live jazz!   As our tour concludes, at a local jazz hot spot.  While there, guests can indulge in their favorite legal beverage (not included in tour price) and take in "The Frank Duvall Trio" or "The James Slater Trio".    As most of our guests enjoy the spirits and music, our tour ends here.

​

The tour lasts approximately 1.5 hours and meets at Southend Brewery at 161 East Bay Street.  Due to the unique nature of this tour, there is a limit of 5 guests per tour.