Past Events › The Green Room

Memphis native She’Chinah’s love for music has roots deeper than she can remember. As a child, she sang with her church choir, and music has continued to soothe her throughout her life. “I have no idea how,” she says, “but when I sing the frustration I get with being misunderstood and unheard completely goes away and I am soothed. Music loved me first really, so I fell for it back.”

In paying homage to Memphis’ Historic Evergreen district in mind, the “Evergreen Sessions” seeks to serve as a quarterly showcase of musical talents from a wide scale of artists with various backgrounds, and perspectives. Hosted by Brandon Blvd, this will be the first session of hopefully many more to come that sheds light and emphasizes independent/underground artists locally and beyond. Although there’s a focus on shining light on underground/independent Hip Hop & R&B artists, the Evergreen Sessions seeks to create an all-inclusive space of collaboration for all musical creatives and genres.

Fula Brothers are a burst of unbridled creative musicianship and happy making. A high spirited meeting of veteran performers from West Africa and America, each with a history of innovation and collaboration with some of the beloved musicians of these cultures. Together they weave West African hunter’s harp, fingerstyle guitar, drums, vocals, and a bounty of improvisation into an ecstatic groove based dialogue which the heart – and the feet – cannot resist.

Over the years, Mike Moreno has toured and performed with The Joshua Redman Elastic Band, Lizz Wright Band, Nicholas Payton Quartet, Stefon Harris Sonic Creed, Me’Shell N’Degeocello, Jason Moran, Terence Blanchard, Robert Glasper, Ambrose Akinmusire, Gretchen Parlato, Aaron Parks, Claudia Acuña, Greg Osby 4, Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Jeremy Pelt, John Ellis, Myron Walden, Kenny Garret, Yosvany Terry, Ralph Bowen, Will Vinson and more.

Grace epitomizes the term singer/songwriter. As a singer, her voice is both powerful and beautiful, and she uses it like a fine arts painter to color and craft her songs. American Songwriter Magazine wrote “As a decorated songwriter, Pettis blurs the lines between country, Americana and folk. Her soulful delivery of calculated lyric lines helps her tell stories for all generations.” Her songs have been recorded by many esteemed artists, including Sara Hickman and Ruthie Foster. For Grace, who has been characterized as “a little bit folk, a little bit country/Americana, and a whole lot of soul,” 2020 had many silver linings. She signed with MPress Records, released three critically acclaimed singles — “Landon,” “White Noise,” and “Drop Another Pin,” — and recorded Working Woman in Nashville employing an all-female/non-binary creative team.

Tonya Dyson wears so many hats: non-profit arts executive, music educator, serial entrepreneur, community leader, and festival organizer. You name it. She’s also a beloved artist who has not only built a devoted following in a creative landscape of her own design but has helped develop and nurture that same environment for countless other Memphis artists. She’s the genuine article in Memphis’ new soul underground.