The Fort Mose Jazz & Blues Series will return to Fort Mose Historic State Park, the site of the first legally sanctioned free African settlement in what is now the United States, from February 10 to February 19, 2023. The second installment of the series will comprise six unforgettable performances by some of the most recognized jazz, blues, R&B, and soul artists in the industry.

In a continued effort to honor the history and historical significance of the site, the Fort Mose Jazz & Blues Series 2023 will welcome 10-time Grammy Award-winner and “Empress of Soul,” Gladys Knight, three-time Grammy Award-winning soul, gospel, and R&B national treasure Mavis Staples, eight-time Grammy Award-winning bassist, composer, and bandleader Christian McBride’s New Jawn, the “future of blues” Mississippi-born, and Grammy Award-winning guitarist Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, two-time Grammy Award-winning eclectic folk singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Rhiannon Giddens, and the critically-acclaimed, Grammy Award-nominated Americana singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Valerie June.

Collectively, the artists performing in the 2023 series have won 24 Grammy Awards, and earned a total of 72 Grammy nominations.

Tickets for the Fort Mose Jazz & Blues Series in February 2023 go on sale Friday, November 4 at 10AM via The St. Augustine Amphitheatre Box Office, online at Ticketmaster.com and DiscoverFortMose.com.

Fort Mose is the site of the first legally sanctioned free African settlement in what is now the United States. In 1738, an estimated 100 Africans made Fort Mose their home and sanctuary in seeking liberation from English enslavement amidst a large-scale power struggle between European powers in the New World. Pulling from Native American, Spanish and English cultural customs, the founding residents of Fort Mose created a new cultural community. In 1994, Fort Mose was designated a Historic National Landmark.

CONCERT SCHEDULE:

Mavis Staples: Friday, February 10

Christian McBride's New Jawn: Saturday, February 11

Valerie June: Thursday, February 16

Gladys Knight: Friday, February 17

Rhiannon Giddens: Saturday, February 18

Christone Kingfish Ingram: Sunday, February 19