“Revisiting Sketches of Crosstown” feat. Sean Murphy with special guests Jim Spake + Tom Lonardo
2024-02-22 13:30 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Crosstown Arts, The Green Room, 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 280, Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts presents “Revisiting Sketches of Crosstown” feat. Sean Murphy with special guests Jim Spake + Tom Lonardo in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Thursday, February 22, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $15 in advance | $20 at the door
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Join Sean Murphy as he creates soundscapes based on his 2013 site-specific album “Sketches of Crosstown” and his latest experimental EP “Imbolc Ice”.
Saxophonist Jim Spake and Percussionist Tom Lonardo will join Sean and his multitude of instruments including didjeridus, flutes, tuba, kalimbas, frame drums, bowls, bells, gongs, and more. Together they’ll weave a tapestry of sound and musical conversation unlike anything you’ve likely experienced before!
BIO
Sean Murphy is a multidisciplinary artist living in Memphis, Tennessee. He is a musician, ethnomusicologist, instrument maker, sound healer, teaching artist, nature lover, listener, explorer…
Born in Scooba, Mississippi and raised in Memphis, he attended the University of Memphis earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Music History with an emphasis on Ethnomusicology. He was trained to play western classical and jazz tuba; but his fascination with world cultures and music has led him to play and make innumerable instruments.
Early in his career, he began performing as a solo improvisation musician accompanying dance and yoga which eventually led him to the practice of sound healing. Sean and his wife, Anne J. Froning, have led workshops in restorative yoga & mediative movement with music throughout the United States.
As a performing and recording musician, Sean has delved into nearly every genre into which music has ever been categorized! From classical to hip hop, world to ambient, jazz to hard rock, new age to jazz, he is equally at home. He is the leader of the Mighty Souls Brass Band as well as regularly playing as a sideman with many jazz groups while also regularly performing improvised music for dance, healing, and yoga. He also has many recording credits to his name as a soloist, bandleader, and sideman. He has also been fortunate enough to perform with many world-renowned musicians and bands including Dr. John, Paul Winter, William Eaton, the Meters, Galactic, Clyde Stubblefield, Rufus Thomas, and Robert Randolph & the Family Band to name a few.
He and Anne co-own Being:Art LLC, a fusion arts company specializing in music, dance, visual art, instrument making, and site-specific design. The company builds musical instruments for outdoor classrooms; and conducts workshops, residencies, and performances throughout the United States. Their largest public installation can be found in the courtyard of Overton Square in Memphis. OS Tower Chimes is one of the ten largest sets of wind chimes in the world.
Sean currently splits his time between performing and recording as a solo artist, presenting healing arts experiences with yoga/dance and live music (often in collaboration with Anne), leading the Mighty Souls Brass Band, building functional art in the form of musical instruments, and spending as much time with his granddaughters as possible!

Sound Fuzion
2024-02-23 13:00 - 14:00 | Crosstown Arts, The Green Room, 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 280, Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts presents Sound Fuzion in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Friday, February 23, 2024
Doors open at 6:30 pm | Show begins at 7 pm
Tickets: $10 | Free for University of Memphis students and faculty
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Sound Fuzion is the Rudi E. Schedit School of Music’s flagship popular/commercial music ensemble. This touring ensemble serves as musical ambassadors for the University of Memphis and performs for thousands of fans yearly. Consisting of eight vocalists, rhythm section, horn section and two engineers, Sound Fuzion provides its members with professional performance experience and prepares artists for success in the music industry. Sound Fuzion performs all styles of popular music including Top 40, R&B, hip-hop, rock, and country. Members receive a half-tuition scholarship and are highly selected each year.

Mahogany Chamber Music Series: Vocal Juggernauts
2024-02-25 12:00 - 13:30 | Crosstown Theater, 1350 Concourse Ave., Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts presents Mahogany Chamber Music Series: Vocal Juggernauts in Crosstown Theater.
Crosstown Theater at Crosstown Arts
Sunday, February 25, 2024
Doors open at 5:30 pm | Show begins at 6 pm
Tickets: $20 | $5 student tickets available
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

The Mahogany Chamber Music Series makes its exhilarating return in February by elevating the awareness underrepresented composers as well as standard works for voice. Mahogany series curator, Artina McCain brings along esteemed colleagues mezzo-soprano Paulina Villareal, pianist Jonathan Tsay, baritone James Rodriguez, and soprano Gwendolyn Alfred to share a variety of genres through this vocally virtuosic program.

The Mahogany Chamber Music Series is a series of three chamber music concerts curated by Dr. Artina McCain and presented by Crosstown Arts, spotlighting Black and other underrepresented composers and performers.

The Crosstown Arts Film Series presents DAY FOR NIGHT
2024-02-29 13:00 - 15:00 | Crosstown Theater, 1350 Concourse Ave., Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
The Crosstown Arts Film Series presents Day for Night at Crosstown Theater.
Crosstown Theater
Thursday, February 29, 2024
Tickets: $5 at the door
Doors at 6:30 p.m. | Films begin at 7:00 p.m. (sharp!) at Crosstown Theater
Francois Truffaut / 1973 / 115 minutes / Rated PG
A film director (François Truffaut) tries to get his movie made while observing the real-life dramas in his actors’ lives. Fading icon Severine (Valentina Cortese) forgets her lines when she drinks, while her co-star, Alexandre (Jean-Pierre Aumont), is fixated on his lover’s imminent arrival. Meanwhile, insecure young star Alphonse (Jean-Pierre Léaud) has emotional outbursts, yet seems well-balanced compared to Julie (Jacqueline Bisset), a British actress recuperating from a nervous breakdown.
The Crosstown Arts Film Series showcases a diverse collection of independent, international, historically significant, artistic, experimental, cult, underground, and documentary features.

Stephen M. Lee “In The Moment” Album Release Show
2024-03-01 13:30 - 15:00 | Crosstown Arts, The Green Room, 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 280, Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts presents Stephen M. Lee “In The Moment” Album Release Show in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Friday, March 1, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $15 in advance | $20 at the door
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Stephen Lee is the Founder/Artistic and Executive Director of the Memphis Jazz Workshop, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. He has an undergraduate degree in Jazz Performance from City College University in New York City. Master in Education from Freed Hardeman. He has been in the education sector in Memphis since 2010, teaching for three years in the Shelby County Schools system, five years at the Stax Music Academy, and seven years as a fellow for the Memphis Music Initiative.

He has worked with Gregory Porter, Esperanza Spalding, Kirk Whalum, Warren Wolf, Corcoran Holt, Ulysses Owens Jr and many more. Lee has received numerous awards, including the Rhythm of Gospel Award, Steinway & Sons Top Music Teacher Voted by Amro Music Store, WC Handy Award, and Jimmie Lunceford Award. He has been nominated for a First Round Stellar Award and the Kennedy Center’s Citizen Artist Fellowship. He is a proud Carver Cobras Alum and member of Omega Psi Psi.

Michael Shults Quartet featuring Bennett Wood
2024-03-02 13:30 - 15:00 | Crosstown Arts, The Green Room, 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 280, Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts presents the Michael Shults Quartet featuring Bennett Wood in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Saturday, March 2, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $15 in advance | $20 at the door | $10 student tickets
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

Saxophonist Michael Shults has been praised for his “strong, imaginative” improvisations (Downbeat Magazine) and “fresh and intelligent musical ideas” (The Pitch). A first-call musician on the Kansas City jazz scene for nearly a decade, Shults remains an active performer in the Fountain City, Memphis, and beyond, and has twice appeared as a sideman on the Jazzweek National Radio Airplay Charts.

As a concert saxophonist, Shults has been praised for his “jaw-dropping” and “authoritative” performances (Bill Brownlee of the Kansas City Star) and has performed by invitation at the College Band Director’s National Association conference, North American Saxophone Alliance biennial conference, the Minnesota Music Educator’s Association conference, and the University of Iowa Festival for New Music.

Bennett Wood is a freelance musician, composer and clinician. He was recently appointed as Director of Jazz Studies at Webster University. He previously held academic appointments at the University of Memphis, Mineral Area College, Texas State University, Texas Lutheran University, and Texas A&M University-Kingsville and served as the Interim Director of Education and Community Engagement and Education Coordinator at Jazz St. Louis.

Wood is an experienced bandleader and an in-demand sideman. In addition to leading his own groups, he has performed alongside internationally acclaimed musicians including Nat Adderley Jr., Chris Cheek, Alan Ferber, Andre Hayward, Butch Miles, and Bruce Saunders. He plays lead tenor saxophone in the Jazz St. Louis Big Band directed by Victor Goines.

The Crosstown Arts Film Series presents 8 ½
2024-03-07 13:00 - 15:00 | Crosstown Theater, 1350 Concourse Ave., Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
The Crosstown Arts Film Series presents 8 ½ at Crosstown Theater.
Crosstown Theater
Thursday, March 7, 2024
Tickets: $5 at the door
Doors at 6:30 p.m. | Films begin at 7:00 p.m. (sharp!) at Crosstown Theater
Federico Fellini / 1963 / 138 minutes / Not Rated
Marcello Mastroianni plays Guido Anselmi, a director whose new project is collapsing around him, along with his life. One of the greatest films about film ever made, Federico Fellini’s 8½ (Otto e mezzo) turns one man’s artistic crisis into a grand epic of the cinema. An early working title for 8½ was The Beautiful Confusion, and Fellini’s masterpiece is exactly that: a shimmering dream, a circus, and a magic act.
The Crosstown Arts Film Series showcases a diverse collection of independent, international, historically significant, artistic, experimental, cult, underground, and documentary features.

S.C. Ramblers: “Ramblings of the Big Easy”
2024-03-07 13:30 - 15:00 | Crosstown Arts, The Green Room, 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 280, Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts presents the S.C. Ramblers: “Ramblings of the Big Easy” in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Thursday, March 7, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $15 in advance | $20 at the door
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
The S.C. Ramblers is a brass band hailing from Memphis, Tennessee, specializing in the trademark sounds of street bands, initially made popular by the street musicians of New Orleans.
Whether it’s a classic jazz tune or a current pop song, in the style of the New Orleans brass band, it’s an automatic party when you hear the S.C. Ramblers, perform live!

The band:
Paul McKinney – Trumpet
Tom Link – Tenor Sax
Victor Sawyer – Trombone
Sean Murphy – Sousaphone
Cedric Keel – Bass Drum
James Sexton – Snare

Everything Yes
2024-03-08 13:30 - 15:00 | Crosstown Arts, The Green Room, 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 280, Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts presents Everything Yes in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Friday, March 8, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $20
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Everything Yes is an American jazz fusion band spearheaded by the drummer Zack Graybeal, known famously as ZackGrooves on his platforms, Sean Reeser, prolific composer, producer and tenor sax master, and Cole Sipe, composer, sound engineer and magistral bassist. This powerhouse of a band brings a fresh take on the style while staying true to the roots.

Mar10 Day 2024
2024-03-09 12:00 - 14:00 | Crosstown Concourse, Central Atrium, 1350 Concourse Ave., Memphis, TN
Crosstown Concourse & Crosstown Arts present Mar10 Day 2024!
The Central Atrium, Crosstown Concourse
Saturday, March 9, 2024
Time: 6-8 pm
Tickets: Free + open to the public
Mar10 Day is an annual salute to the entire Mario franchise. For the second year, Crosstown Concourse will celebrate the holiday with retro games, video game-themed mini golf, a DJ, and more!
Come celebrate classic video games with the community at Crosstown Concourse!

Folk All Y’all: Julie Williams
2024-03-09 13:30 - 15:00 | Crosstown Arts, The Green Room, 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 280, Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Folk All Y’all and Crosstown Arts present Julie Williams in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Saturday, March 9, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $20
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
“Making waves with these waves”
Fearlessly forging ahead down country roads, CMT Next Women of Country singer-songwriter Julie Williams (she/her) carries her mixed-race heritage proudly, just as she carries her tunes. Raised in Florida, Julie is turning heads in Nashville’s country music scene with the soft but powerful songs that capture the soul of growing up as a mixed-race child in the South.
Music has always been a part of Julie’s life — honing her singing talent in church and beach bars and belting national anthems before packed stadiums. She grew up listening to everyone and everything, from The Chicks and James Taylor, to Gladys Knight and Michael Jackson. Even though she was drawn to the storytelling of country music, she never quite found the sound that spoke to everything she was: Black, white, Southern, a woman, hopeful, truthful. So naturally, it was up to Julie to make this sound. “My music is mixed like me,” is how she describes it, “I want to tell the stories that need to be told.”

Kafé Kirk: Kirk Whalum and Eric Darius
2024-03-10 13:00 - 14:30 | Crosstown Theater, 1350 Concourse Ave., Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts presents Kafé Kirk with Kirk Whalum and special guest Eric Darius in Crosstown Theater.
Sunday, March 10, 2024
Crosstown Theater
Box office opens at 5 pm | Doors open at 5:30 pm
Show begins at 6 pm
Tickets: General Admission $59 (plus fees)
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Join Grammy-winning saxophonist Kirk Whalum for Kafé Kirk, an ongoing jazz series in Crosstown Theater featuring musical and spiritual collaborations with special guest artists. This iteration’s performance will feature jazz saxophonist Eric Darius.
ERIC DARIUS
With his iconic, signature jump and unrivaled crowd-captivating energy throughout his world-renowned live performances, Billboard chart topping saxophonist, songwriter, and performer, Eric Darius, is breaking the mold of modern Jazz. His latest and boldest venture to date, Unleashed, is a testament to his ever-evolving artistic vision, fearlessly pushing all musical boundaries while innovatively fusing Jazz with elements of R&B, Hip-Hop, Pop, and more.
Now, with eight highly acclaimed albums to his name, Eric continues to be a dynamic force on the music scene. To date, he has racked up five No. 1 Hit Singles and 17 Top 10 Radio Hits on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Chart. He was SESAC’s Top 10 Jazz Artist of the Year in 2015, Citril Starz Awards’ Best Jazz, Saxophonist, Composer, Producer & Musician of the Year in 2017, and most recently was selected the Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival Artist of the Year for 2022.
From sharing the stage with GRAMMY® Award-winning artists such as Prince, Mary J. Blige, Jamie Foxx, David Foster & George Benson to name a few, making TV appearances on FOX’s The X Factor and TNT’s Mob City, running his own SagiDarius Music label, to serving as annual host of the San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival, Mexico Jazz Experience, & Paris Smooth Jazz Festival, Eric’s impact on the music industry is undeniable. Determined and steadfast in making a difference through music education in the schools, Eric Darius stands as a beacon of unparalleled talent and dedication in today’s world of entertainment.
KIRK WHALUM
Soulful, passionate, stirring…these are the words most often used to describe Kirk’s music. Forged from his Memphis, Tennessee, gospel roots and his 1980s initiation into the thriving Houston, TX nightclub scene, Kirk’s big, rich tenor sound is unmistakably his. The ’80s were highlighted by Kirk’s stepping out of his blossoming sideman role and forming his own band. It was there that Kirk ultimately developed both his “voice” and songwriting in the crucible of the local club scene—especially at a rooftop club called Cody’s. It was also in Houston where jazz pianist Bob James “discovered” him and brought him on tour, which led to five successful albums with Columbia Records, including Cache, Kirk’s first #1 album. As well, Kirk and Bob received a Grammy nomination for their collaboration album, Joined at the Hip. After moving to Los Angeles, Kirk became an in demand session player for top artists like, Barbara Streisand, Al Jarreau, Luther Vandross, Larry Carlton, Quincy Jones and most notably, Whitney Houston, amongst many others. It’s his sax heard on the mega-hit, “I Will Always Love You.” Kirk soon followed that career high point with his phenomenal hit album released on Warner Bros. Records, For You, perhaps the most successful of over 25 solo recordings to date; others include his eclectic, and much lauded, Gospel According to Jazz series, (Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4). In addition to his many solo projects, Kirk was also a member of the popular soul/jazz group, BWB, which features Kirk as the “W” of the group with Rick Braun (trumpet) and Norman Brown (guitar).
Kirk is the recipient of numerous awards and acknowledgements for his musical excellence including three Dove Award nominations, an NAACP Image Award nomination and has won two Stellar Awards- Gospel music’s highest honor. A twelve time Grammy nominee, Kirk won his first Grammy award (2011)for Best Gospel Song (“It’s What I Do”—featuring Lalah Hathaway) alongside life-long friend and gifted songwriter, Jerry Peters.

Shoot & Splice: Music Licensing & Composition
2024-03-12 14:00 - 16:00 | Crosstown Arts, The Green Room, 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 280, Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts & Indie Memphis present Shoot & Splice: Music Licensing & Composition in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Time: 7-9 pm
Tickets: Free and open to the public
Join Indie Memphis & Crosstown Arts for our March Shoot & Splice all about music in film! Crosstown Sync’sMckenzii Webster and Charles Seaton will discuss their process for musicians to have their music licensed for film & TV, plus how filmmakers can best utilize their services. Immediately following will be a discussion with Memphis film composers Paul Vinsonhaler and Jeff Cohran about their process in creating the music for filmmakers across the city and beyond.
NOTE: SHOOT & SPLICE WILL NOW TAKE PLACE IN THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS (LOCATED INSIDE CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE EAST ATRIUM).

Modern Masters Jazz Series: Matt Otto and The Ted Ludwig Trio
2024-03-13 14:30 - 16:00 | Crosstown Arts, The Green Room, 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 280, Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts presents the Modern Masters Jazz Series: Matt Otto and The Ted Ludwig Trio in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $20 in advance | $25 at the door | $10 student tickets
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Matt Otto is currently the Associate Professor of Jazz Studies at Kansas University (KU) teaching Jazz Theory and Performance, Jazz Combo 1, and private lessons. Matt was also an Adjunct Professor at Rutgers New Brunswick, teaching online courses in jazz improvisation, theory, and performance.
Matt currently performs his original compositions and jazz standards with his Kansas City-based quartet as well as traveling several times per year to New York and L.A. for performances and recordings.
Matt has recorded and performed with the Grammy-nominated Anthony Wilson Nonet (The Power of Nine, Groove Note 1035, 2006), The Rashid Bakr Quintet, has performed in Los Angeles with the Grammy Nominated Alan Ferber Big Band as well as having recorded on over 50 CDs as both a leader and a side man.

The Crosstown Arts Film Series presents THE AWFUL TRUTH
2024-03-14 14:00 - 16:00 | Crosstown Theater, 1350 Concourse Ave., Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
The Crosstown Arts Film Series presents The Awful Truth at Crosstown Theater.
Crosstown Theater
Thursday, March 14, 2024
Tickets: $5 at the door
Doors at 6:30 p.m. | Films begin at 7:00 p.m. (sharp!) at Crosstown Theater
Leo McCarey / 1937 / 90 minutes / Not Rated
Jerry (Cary Grant) and Lucy (Irene Dunne) are a married couple who doubt each other’s fidelity: Jerry suspects Lucy and her music teacher (Alexander D’Arcy) of spending an evening together, and Lucy is convinced Jerry lied about a business trip. When the jealous pair file for divorce, both rush into new relationships, but quickly realize their love never died. The soon-to-be-divorced husband and wife then both scramble to spoil each other’s chances for newfound romance.
The Crosstown Arts Film Series showcases a diverse collection of independent, international, historically significant, artistic, experimental, cult, underground, and documentary features.

The Cooper Young Quintet Reunion
2024-03-15 14:30 - 16:00 | Crosstown Arts, The Green Room, 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 280, Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts presents The Cooper Young Quintet Reunion in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Friday, March 15, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $15 in advance | $20 at the door
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

The Cooper-Young jazz group was an institution in Midtown Memphis for the better part of the 2000s, playing at the Young Avenue Deli every Sunday from approximately 1999-2006. At a time when jazz wasn’t exactly thriving in Memphis, this group helped to bridge the gap that would carry the torch from Memphis’ storied past of jazz innovation to the burgeoning scene it is today.

For the first time in over 20 years, the core members of the original ensemble are reuniting for a very special Jazz Month performance on The Green Room stage!

Joyce Cobb and the Bosco Band
2024-03-16 14:30 - 16:00 | Crosstown Arts, The Green Room, 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 280, Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts presents Joyce Cobb and the Bosco Band in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Saturday, March 16, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $20 in advance | $25 at the door | $10 student tickets
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

Joyce was born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, and reared in Nashville. She first sang in her grandmother’s church. At an early age, the influence of music was present in her home environment. Both her parents were avid music lovers, with an emphasis on jazz.

Joyce’s career spans from live orchestrations for Nashville’s WSM radio and television stations, to live performances in Europe. She landed a record deal with a subsidiary of Stax Records just before the label folded, but continued her recording career with the West Coast-based Cream Records. Under the direction of Wayne Crook of Shoe Productions, she wrote, sang, and performed the single “Dig the Gold” that earned her a No. 42 spot in Billboard Magazine.

Maestro Alan Balter, conductor of the Memphis Symphony, heard her sing at the Peabody Hotel in 1990 and Cobb has since been invited to perform with the symphony on numerous occasions.

Joyce hosts two radio shows on WEVL FM90 — “Voices” and “Songs for My Father”, a program that shares a collection of jazz music. Joyce also travels from the East Coast to the West Coast with the Beale Street Jazz Band performing at traditional jazz festivals. Joyce has been featured on numerous CDs with other artists and is currently writing and producing her own CD.

Resident Artist Talks
2024-03-20 13:00 - 15:00 | Crosstown Arts, The Green Room, 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 280, Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts presents the Resident Artist Talks in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Time: 6-8 pm
Tickets: Free and open to the public
Crosstown Arts Spring 2024 resident artists will present artist talks.
The presenters will include:
MadameFraankie
Lina Beach
Caleb Suggs
Mark Mayer
This event is free and open to the public.

The Crosstown Arts Film Series presents THE TENANT
2024-03-21 14:00 - 16:00 | Crosstown Theater, 1350 Concourse Ave., Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
The Crosstown Arts Film Series presents The Tenant at Crosstown Theater.
Crosstown Theater
Thursday, March 21, 2024
Tickets: $5 at the door
Doors at 6:30 p.m. | Films begin at 7:00 p.m. (sharp!) at Crosstown Theater
Roman Polanski / 1976 / 125 minutes / Rated R
In Paris, isolated Eastern European émigré Trelkovsky (Roman Polanski) rents an apartment in a spooky old building whose inhabitants regard him with suspicion and even outright hostility. When he learns that the apartment’s previous tenant, a beautiful woman, tried to commit suicide by jumping out the window, Trelkovsky begins to identify with her in increasingly disturbing ways. Then, to make matters even worse, he reaches the conclusion that his new neighbors are plotting to kill him.
The Crosstown Arts Film Series showcases a diverse collection of independent, international, historically significant, artistic, experimental, cult, underground, and documentary features.

Emily Barker
2024-03-21 14:30 - 16:00 | Crosstown Arts, The Green Room, 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 280, Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts presents Emily Barker in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Thursday, March 21, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $20
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
After living in the United Kingdom for more than two decades, Emily Barker – the prolific, award-winning contemporary singer-songwriter best known for composing and performing the theme for Wallander, the BBC’s hugely successful crime drama starring Kenneth Branagh – returned home to Western Australia to begin a new musical chapter with her latest single, “Wild To Be Sharing This Moment”, out today through Everyone Sang/Kartel Music Group and embarking on a national tour with UK artist, Frank Turner.

“I’m an advocate for keeping conversation alive across divides,” Emily stresses, “for trying to approach each encounter as an opportunity for connection. We must find our common humanity in order to make the world a safer, better place for us all to live in.”

Art Edmaiston with Ra Kalam Bob Moses
2024-03-22 14:30 - 16:00 | Crosstown Arts, The Green Room, 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 280, Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts presents Art Edmaiston with Ra Kalam Bob Moses in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Friday, March 22, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $15 in advance | $20 at the door
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Memphis saxophonist Art Edmaiston wants to share his version of “Ecstatic Energy Music” with the world. Thirty-plus years of experience touring and performing on stages and in recording studios with a wide array of artists (Gregg Allman, Bobby “Blue” Bland, the Doobie Brothers, JJ Grey & Mofro, Stevie Wonder, Little Feat, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Justin Timberlake) earned Edmaiston the ability to enhance music in colorful and exciting ways that make him a crucial element in every setting. Art’s voluptuous sound on the tenor saxophone was sculpted from years spent playing R&B and blues in Memphis, but has origins in the small country town of Troy, Tennessee, where he grew up playing alone in wide open cow pastures and soybean fields. Now at the age of 51, Edmaiston feels ready to make music that looks forward while being fully present in the moment.
After a year of intense mentorship with legendary percussionist/composer/visual artist Ra Kalam Bob Moses, Edmaiston’s improvisations have a fresh energy that feature melodic lines alternating between husky subtones and brilliant multiphonic flourishes. Art has developed a unique and creative approach to the soprano saxophone that makes use of smeared notes, pitch bends and tonal manipulations offering listeners an aural picture of abstract liberated instrumental expression unlike anything heard in mainstream music performances.
The upcoming concert at The Green Room will showcase Edmaiston on saxophones along with master rhythmatist Ra Kalam on drums/percussion/gongs in various instrumental configurations with an eclectic mix of talented guests.

Strictly Jazz: The Music of Sarah Vaughan & Ella Fitzgerald
2024-03-23 14:30 - 16:00 | Crosstown Arts, The Green Room, 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 280, Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts presents Strictly Jazz: The Music of Sarah Vaughan & Ella Fitzgerald in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Saturday, March 23, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $20 in advance | $25 at the door
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
The Crosstown Strictly Jazz Series, presented by Crosstown Arts in collaboration with Strictly Jazz Entertainment, is designed to salute classic jazz music as contemporary musicians perform the work of the legends. This special Jazz Month presentation of the series features Memphis singer Tonya Dyson paying tribute to the music legends Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald.
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. Join Tonya as she pays tribute to one of her favorite artists, the legendary Sarah Vaughan.

Paul McKinney and The Knights ft. Jamille “Jam” Hunter
2024-03-29 14:30 - 16:00 | Crosstown Arts, The Green Room, 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 280, Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts presents Paul McKinney and The Knights ft. Jamille “Jam” Hunter in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Friday, March 29, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $15 in advance | $20 at the door
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
With a core in the music experience of the Black Church, The Knights salute the contributions of traditional jazz artists and composers. The eclectic and seasoned audience members that enjoy impassioned blues and hearty R&B are embraced. The soundscape produced stirs the soul and rouses the hands and feet.

Spring Is in the Air: Patrice Williamson and Friends
2024-03-30 14:30 - 16:00 | Crosstown Arts, The Green Room, 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 280, Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts presents Spring Is in the Air: Patrice Williamson and Friends in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Saturday, March 30, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $15 in advance | $20 at the door
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Patrice Williamson’s childhood home in Memphis was filled with song. Her late father, Webster Williamson, an avid amateur singer, introduced his children to both sacred music and the secular styles of greats like Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, and Lena Horne. With the encouragement of her mother, Lillie Williamson, Patrice followed in the footsteps of her sister, Denise, taking up the violin and making her performance debut at age four. From then on, she was hooked on music and performing.
She still carries that dream with her today, and Patrice’s sensitive ballad work and fluent scat style have garnered invitations to perform at The Regattabar in Cambridge, MA, the famed Blue Note Jazz club in New York City, and with many well-known jazz artists such as Danilo Perez, Joe Lovano, Sean Jones, and Terri Lyne Carrington. Back in her hometown of Memphis, she has performed at Lafayette’s Music Room and at Alfred’s on Beale Street, one of the most iconic streets in America.
Her independent recordings, My Shining Hour, Free to Dream and Comes Love, an album celebrating the collaboration between Fitzgerald and legendary guitarist Joe Pass, have received high praise from jazz critics around the country.
Jazz Times magazine states that “Patrice Williamson isn’t a singer, she’s a one-woman jazz sampler. — She is a woman of many voices, each distinctly intriguing, all distinctly her own.”

Shoot & Splice: Black Creators Forum Pitch Rally
2024-04-02 13:30 - 15:30 | Crosstown Theater, 1350 Concourse Ave., Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts and Indie Memphis present Shoot & Splice: Black Creators Forum Pitch Rally in Crosstown Theater.
Crosstown Theater at Crosstown Arts
Tuesday, April 2, 2024
Time: 6:30 pm
Tickets: Free and open to the public
Join us for an exhilarating evening where film lovers and filmmakers converge, as eight talented creators pitch their projects, vying for a chance to secure $10,000 to bring their cinematic visions to life. From captivating narratives to thought-provoking documentaries, immerse yourself in a diverse array of stories waiting to be told.
This event isn’t just about watching—it’s about actively championing emerging cinematic talent. Be part of the excitement and support these filmmakers as they take the stage to pitch their passion projects!

MicroCinema: Pitch Rally Selects
2024-04-03 14:00 - 16:00 | Crosstown Theater, 1350 Concourse Ave., Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts and Indie Memphis present MicroCinema: Pitch Rally Selects in Crosstown Theater.
Crosstown Theater at Crosstown Arts
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Time: 7 pm
Tickets: Pay-What-You-Can
As part of the return of the Pitch Rally, Indie Memphis and Crosstown Arts are excited to present a selection of works from past and current Pitch Rally participants. For some of these works, it will be the first time they’ve screened publicly, so please join us in continuing to celebrate these artists by seeing their films! From a rainy Sunday morning spent getting to church, to the exploration of a young boy growing up in the 7th Ward in New Orleans, these works highlight the early and continued talents of these filmmakers.
This MicroCinema will also include the announcement of the 2024 Pitch Rally Prize recipient following the screening, which you won’t want to miss!

The Crosstown Arts Film Series presents DAYS OF HEAVEN
2024-04-04 14:00 - 16:00 | Crosstown Theater, 1350 Concourse Ave., Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
The Crosstown Arts Film Series presents Days of Heaven at Crosstown Theater.
Crosstown Theater
Thursday, April 4, 2024
Tickets: $5 at the door
Doors at 6:30 pm | Films begin at 7:00 pm (sharp!)
Terrence Malick / 1978 / 94 minutes / Rated PG
One of the most critically acclaimed films of all time, Days of Heaven is a moving story about two men who love the same woman. Richard Gere, a fugitive from the slums of Chicago, finds himself pitted against a shy, rich Texan (Sam Shepard) for the love of Abby (Brooke Adams). Writer/director Malick’s first film since Badlands is an extraordinary cinematic achievement of sight and sound.
The Crosstown Arts Film Series showcases a diverse collection of independent, international, historically significant, artistic, experimental, cult, underground, and documentary features.

Those Pretty Wrongs
2024-04-05 14:30 - 16:00 | Crosstown Arts, The Green Room, 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 280, Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts presents Those Pretty Wrongs in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Friday, April 5, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $25 (plus fees)
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Those Pretty Wrongs enter their tenth year as a band having just toured the U.S., UK, and Australia in support of their best-reviewed album yet, Holiday Camp, which Mojo called “irresistible” for its “celestial harmonies and dealing with wrangled emotions” while Uncut hailed the album for its “dreamily autumnal mastery of the power pop form” — but, how did they get here?
Jody Stephens and Luther Russell have a musical partnership borne of a deep and lasting friendship, the roots of which stretch back to 1992 when they were first introduced. As the story goes, nary a note of music was made between them until 2013 when they were united for the documentary Nothing Can Hurt Me about Jody’s alma mater, the legendary Memphis group Big Star. They noticed their voices harmonised really well and set about writing songs and recording them forthwith.
After releasing their self-titled debut Those Pretty Wrongs in 2016 to a healthy dose of acclaim, Jody and Luther hit the road, managing to play for audiences all around the globe. And in the course of these runs, they began to forge the sound for their second offering, 2019’s Zed For Zulu, an earthy meditation on human interaction and communication. The music as always was a symphony of chords and melodies, yet played in an understated fashion, without too much fuss. Those Pretty Wrongs don’t have time to fuss, as Luther dwells in Los Angeles and Jody still resides in Memphis. And they like it that way. “The first record was sort of a little miracle that could, and I truly never expected to even make a second. But here we are with our third LP out, Holiday Camp…”, says Luther with more than a few notes of wonder.
Jody Stephens’ contribution to the pop canon goes well beyond his beginnings in Big Star, helping to refine alt-country with Golden Smog, and shaping the Ardent Studios legacy well into the current era.
Luther maintains his long-storied career as a solo artist, producer and songwriter, having recently been inducted into the Oregon Music Hall Of Fame and composed for the Grammy-winning album Blood Harmony by Larkin Poe. After all these years, the working approach to the way Jody and Luther make music together is aptly summed up: Those Pretty Wrongs have it when it “seems right”.
Artwork always comes from Luther’s inks and pencils, and the words mainly flow from Jody’s pen and paper. Those Pretty Wrongs will hit the UK this September to bring a decade of their music to everyone they can. “Coming out on the other side of making these records and feeling good about them is the grand reward,” contemplates Jody. “It’s a shared experience of those that help along the way.”

Sacred Soul Queen of Memphis: Elizabeth King
2024-04-06 14:30 - 16:00 | Crosstown Arts, The Green Room, 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 280, Memphis, TN, 38104, United States
Crosstown Arts presents the Sacred Soul Queen of Memphis: Elizabeth King in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Saturday, April 6, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $20 in advance | $25 at the door
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

Elizabeth King, the Sacred Soul Queen of Memphis, will release her new album Soul Provider with this special record release concert at The Green Room at Crosstown Arts. A special performance by the Jubilee Hummingbirds will open up the evening.

Elizabeth King returns with her third long-playing collection for the Memphis gospel outfit Bible & Tire Recording Co. Soul Provider finds Elizabeth in her element while exploring new ground and compositions composed and arranged in house. Weaving in and out of secular moods but keeping it all sacred, King always finds a way, using her voice as a vessel to convey the message.

Reminiscent of true gospel beginnings, King’s voice is raw and real. Determined to conjure those voices of prayer out of the darkness. To feast upon the body and blood of the divine and to transport the listener to that moment we finally meet our Soul Provider.

Resident Artists Open Studios
2024-04-09 13:00 - 15:00
Crosstown Arts presents the Resident Artists Open Studios.
Crosstown Arts
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Time: 6-8 pm
Tickets: Free and open to the public
Crosstown Arts is proud to invite the Memphis community to visit the Resident Artists’ studios during the Open Studios night. Crosstown Arts Spring 2024 resident artists will have their studios open to the public. Residency alumnus Nelson Gutierrez will present his installation A Journey into the Shadows spanning from the second-floor balcony to Crosstown Theater.⁠
