In the heart of Overtown, where the echoes of Miami’s musical golden age still linger, the Historic Lyric Theater recently became a sanctuary for the sounds of liberation and improvisation. On Friday, April 3, the Sunshine Jazz Organization (SJO) and The Black Archives joined forces to host a special concert celebrating Jazz Appreciation Month, transforming the venue into a living monument to the city’s Black music legacy.
The event served as more than just a performance; it was a reclamation of space and history. By centering the celebration in Overtown, the organizers highlighted the intrinsic link between the geography of Miami and the evolution of an art form that began as a distinctly African American tradition. Jazz, born from a fusion of African and European elements, emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries—with New Orleans often cited as its birthplace—to become a global symbol of individual expression within a collective framework.
For the Sunshine Jazz Organization, this concert marked a milestone in a journey that has spanned nearly four decades. Founded in 1986 by the late jazz radio broadcaster Charles L. “China” Valles, the SJO has spent years creating performance avenues and educational opportunities across South Florida. Today, the organization continues its mission through a partnership with the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, ensuring that the “village” of jazz musicians and enthusiasts remains vibrant.
Jazz Appreciation Month has been celebrated each April since 2001.
The Legacy of the ‘Chitlin’ Circuit’ and the Valles Family
The roots of the SJO are deeply intertwined with the history of the Chitlin’ Circuit, the network of performance venues that provided safe havens for Black entertainers during the era of segregation. From juke joints to theaters, these spaces were the engines of creativity and resilience, popularizing jazz and soul food alike. Charles “China” Valles operated within this tradition, fostering deep relationships with icons like Dizzy Gillespie, Nancy Wilson, and Nina Simone before they became household names.
It was Duke Ellington, one of the most influential figures in jazz history, who gave Valles his nickname, “China.” This connection to the masters of the genre became the foundation for the SJO. In the 1980s, Valles expanded his personal network into a public one, using broadcast radio to invite listeners into his “village” of music lovers.
That legacy is now carried forward by his son, Keith Valles, the current president of the SJO. Having been immersed in the Florida jazz community since his teenage years, Keith views the organization not just as a professional entity, but as a family. While he admits he wasn’t initially a jazz devotee—preferring the R&B sounds of groups like The Temptations—he grew to love the genre through the artists themselves.
“I wasn’t really a jazz fan… But when I got to know the artists as I got older, I wanted to hang out with them. They always had a good time,” Keith Valles said.
The Power of Improvisation and Escape
The April 3 concert featured vocalist Lenard Rutledge, a longtime member of the SJO village who grew up listening to China Valles on the radio. Accompanied by an all-star band featuring keys, double bass, trumpet, and percussion, Rutledge delivered a performance that emphasized the “American classical music” nature of jazz.
Currently a member of the Sunshine Jazz Organization, Rutledge’s career as a vocalist began in 1997.
The repertoire for the evening included the works of Duke Ellington, highlighting the genre’s reliance on spontaneous composition and rhythmic intricacy. This element of improvisation—drawing from spirituals, blues, and ragtime—allows jazz to evolve in real-time, reflecting the immediate emotions and experiences of the performers.
For Keith Valles and Lenard Rutledge, this musical flexibility provides a necessary psychological reprieve from the hardships of modern life. “Life is challenging,” Keith noted. “You hear the ugly news on the radio and then all of a sudden, turn and hear some jazz, and for that moment, you escape.”
The repertoire included a song by Duke Ellington that featured a trumpet solo.
Understanding Jazz Appreciation Month
The concert was timed to align with Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM), a designation established in 2001 by the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. The month is designed to recognize jazz as both a historic tradition and a living art form. The observance reaches its peak on April 30 with International Jazz Day, a global event recognized by UNESCO to promote peace, diversity, and intercultural dialogue.
The SJO’s commitment to these values is evident in their focus on representation and quality. As Rutledge observed, “Quality performance is quality performers,” and the SJO continues to prioritize the elevation of artists who can authentically represent the genre’s complexity.
Rutledge was joined by a band of all-star musicians on keys, double bass, trumpet and percussion.
While Charles “China” Valles passed away in 2014, his belief that music is “my love” and “my life” remains the guiding principle of the organization. By bridging the gap between the historical Chitlin’ Circuit and the contemporary stages of Miami, the SJO ensures that the resilience and creativity of Black musicians are not just remembered, but actively practiced.
The Sunshine Jazz Organization will continue its series of celebrations at the Historic Lyric Theater. Their next scheduled performance, “Back Together Again: A Tribute to Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway,” is set for May 1. Those interested in the organization’s educational initiatives or upcoming events can find more information at sunshinejazz.org.
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