Events

The Memphis Jazz Orchestra was founded in October, 1992 at Joyce Cobb's night club on historic Beale Street. Since 1997 The MJO has been in residence at Alfred’s on Beale Street. The M.J.O. has distinguished itself in a series of concerts featuring such national jazz artists as guitarist Herb Ellis, trumpeter Marvin Stamm and pianist James Williams. A powerful and disciplined ensemble with virtuosic soloists and a command of many styles makes a concert by the Memphis Jazz Orchestra a truly memorable event.

Rachel Maxann is a performer who loves to bend genres with her style. In the last decade she has moved from Cincinnati, New Orleans, Los Angeles and travelled around the world performing. Each new space has allowed her to grow while experimenting with different styles of the culture. Rachel has been happy to create roots in Memphis and to share her love of Vintage Indie-Rock and Post-Modern Folklore music.

Max Gomez apprenticed in the rarefied musical micro-climate of northern New Mexico, where troubadours like Michael Martin Murphey and Ray Wylie Hubbard helped foster a Western folk sound both cosmic and cowboy. Gomez has assumed stewardship of that lineage by producing the Red River Folk Festival, a boutique event held annually in late September in the musical mountain village of Red River, NM. Judging by the company he keeps, Gomez is positioned to emerge as a prominent voice of Americana’s next generation.

Although a native of Taos, it’s fair to say Max Gomez has some Memphis in him. The critically acclaimed singer-songwriter has collaborated with local legends like Keith Sykes and Mark Edgar Stuart, so we wouldn’t be surprised if some friends stop by and sit in.

Roseanna Vitro began singing at an early age, drawing inspiration from gospel, rock, rhythm and blues, musical theatre, and classical music. Vitro has performed with Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Tommy Flanagan, Keter Betts, Kenny Werner and Fred Hersch. She sang with Lionel Hampton and toured with him and has appeared at The Blue Note, Iridium, Birdland, and Dizzy’s Jazz Club at Lincoln Center. She appeared with Steve Allen at The Town Hall at The Apollo Theater and recorded an album of Allen’s songs. In 2005 she performed and recorded with the Kenny Werner Trio at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

She has also worked with Kenny Barron, Christian McBride, Elvin Jones, Gary Bartz, Kevin Mahogany, and David “Fathead” Newman, all of whom have appeared on her recordings.