"Shall We Play That One Together?" Book Launch and Jazz Celebration

About the Event

Hosted at the Koger Center for the Arts, this free special event will also feature live music from a jazz trio led by Mark Rapp of ColaJazz Presents… and the piano phenom, Jonathan Lovett! Enjoy light refreshments, hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar. Guests will have the opportunity to meet the author, purchase signed copies of the book, and immerse themselves in the life and artistry of one of jazz’s most influential figures.

Jonathan Lovett is a Charleston-based musical virtuoso renowned for his mastery of piano, bass and organ. A prolific composer and orchestrator, he has shared the stage with jazz legends and rock icons alike, including Eric Gales, Keb' Mo, Cory Henry, Trombone Shorty, Chris Potter, John Mayer, Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder, John McGlaughlin and Joe Bonamassa. His international tours and collaborations have solidified his status as a leading figure in contemporary music. Rooted in Charleston’s rich jazz tradition, Lovett’s music is a dynamic blend of soulful artistry and technical brilliance.

About the Book

Shall We Play That One Together: The Life and Art of Jazz Piano Legend Marian McPartland tells the inspiring story of British pianist Marian McPartland, who overcame numerous obstacles to become a major figure in American jazz. The book chronicles her rise from the novelty circuit to becoming one of the most important spokespersons for jazz in the United States. Through her long-running NPR show, Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz, she introduced tens of thousands of listeners to jazz by performing and interviewing legendary musicians like Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock and Norah Jones. Written with McPartland’s full cooperation, the biography reads like a novel, capturing her triumphs and struggles in a male-dominated world.

Shall We Play That One Together: The Life and Art of Jazz Piano Legend Marian McPartland is published in partnership with the University of South Carolina Press and South Carolina ETV and Public Radio. 

About the Author

Paul de Barros has been a distinguished voice in jazz journalism for over four decades, contributing to the Seattle Times and Down Beat magazine. He has also taught jazz history at the University of Washington, Seattle Pacific University and Cornish College of the Arts. As a co-founder of the Seattle arts organization Earshot Jazz, de Barros received the 1993 Washington State Governor’s Writer’s Award for Jackson Street After Hours: The Roots of Jazz in Seattle. His 2012 biography, Shall We Play One Together: The Life and Art of Jazz Pianist Marian McPartland, was selected as the Jazz Journalists Association’s book of the year. De Barros’s work continues to resonate with jazz aficionados and newcomers alike.