Mark Rapp designated Columbia and state jazz ambassador
He’s sold out Jazz at Lincoln Center four times and played the Blue Note in Greenwich Village. He’s performed solo gigs in Vienna, Geneva, Boston, Washington, and – of course – New Orleans. He’s taken the stage with Branford Marsalis, fellow South Carolinians Hootie and the Blowfish, Darius Rucker, and Edwin McCain, Wess “Warmdaddy” Anderson, and Delfeayo Marsalis.
And according to a resolution by the S.C. House of Representatives, Mark Rapp is now also “Jazz Ambassador of Columbia and the State of South Carolina.”
The resolution was presented to the accomplished jazz trumpeter in February by Reps. Beth Bernstein and Kirman Finlay and recognizes him as “master jazz musician, composer/arranger, and teacher” and lauds his many accomplishments.
“I am humbled and excited by this recognition,” Rapp said. “It not only reaffirms the foundations which Skipp Pearson built, but acknowledges my genuine dedication to the work of growing and serving our jazz community.
“My mission is to grow, elevate, and expand the jazz community in and around Columbia through recordings, events, and education, creating a thriving scene for both the artists and our audiences. I’m determined to enrich and advance the lives of our citizens and the culture of our communities through the wonderful art form of jazz.”
The designation was held by the late Skipp Pearson, also of Columbia, from 2002 until his passing in summer 2017.