The Green Room

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.

Reba Russell and The Reba Russell Band are names synonymous with the Memphis Music Scene and the Blues. Beginning early in the 1980’s (bands Visions, Portrait, Reba and the Portables) and currently fronting The Reba Russell Band, Reba Russell has covered most bases in the music industry. Reba is a published songwriter, vocalist, guitarist, backing vocalist, bandleader and producer, as well as a touring and recording artist. She and her band have toured throughout the United States and Europe and have released 8 independent original Blues albums. Reba and all her band members have countless recording credits with a multitude of various artists.

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.

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.

Memphis-based rock band Mama Honey will perform their album Out of Darkness and debut new songs in celebration of this special occasion.

The Blackwater Trio is an Americana, folk, roots and rock band from Clarksdale, Mississippi. With over eight years of friendship, traveling and writing, their unique sound is crafted with influences ranging from Led Zeppelin to hot club jazz. No Blackwater Trio show is complete without Seth's charisma, Walt's chordal complexity, Alice's blazing fast fiddle and the band's trademark three-part harmonies. A favorite on tours, their original music and artful covers captivate audiences all over the country.

Amina Figarova is a quite phenomenal Azerbaijan-born, New York-based pianist and stunning composer. Her sextet is fast developing a huge reputation on the international scene. Amina has toured extensively, developing a tight-knit ensemble that, despite inevitable personnel changes, has attained a distinctive and inimitable voice by concentrating on all-original repertoire for almost 18 years. During that period, having collaborated with musicians residing in both the U.S. and Europe and having built up a circuit of welcoming venues, the Amina Figarova Sextet has triumphed at the main stage of the Newport Jazz Festival, been invited repeatedly to New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, won critical and audience acclaim in Chicago, Detroit, Paris, Amsterdam — and of course New York.