Written by Erin Davis and Eve Katz, Photos by Gaby Martinez and Erin Davis, Video by Julia Moran, Christian Phillips and Mallory Chain
The city of Savannah held its 38th annual Jazz Festival Sept. 23-28. There were a total of 28 performances over the past week, each one of them free to anyone who wanted to head to Forsyth Park and listen. Various types of jazz were played, ranging from traditional to Latin, to blues and more.
Local dancing along to Big Sams Funky Nation. {GabyMartinez/scaddistrict.com] 
Sam Williams is not only the lead vocalist but also a trombonist. [GabyMartinez/scaddistrict.com] 
Audience singing along to Big Sam’s Funky Nation. [GabyMartinez/scaddistrict.com] 
Big Sam’s Funky Nations Lead Vocals, “Big Sam” WIlliams, praising trumpeter, Drew Baham. [GabyMartinez/scaddistrict.com] 
Locals gather for a night of listening to funk and jazz music. [GabyMartinez/scaddistrict.com]
Thrown by Savannah Jazz, the festival is funded by the city in an effort to bring free concerts to locals all across the city. People of every age, race and not to mention the occasional canine, crammed into the park Thursday to hear Eric Culberson and Dolette McDonald. Booths lined the edges of the park, offering everything from boiled peanuts to rose petal ice cream.
As the stage lights flared, people began to gather into the park. Slow and thick as honey, there’s nothing like experiencing jazz under the swaying moss, the dripping chords clinging to the warm air. It was like the music was woven together into a colorful tapestry; it’s threads held together by every person in the audience.
Though the festivities ended September 28, visit their website to keep up with upcoming events.
