Crosstown Arts and Folk All Y’all presents Make the Yuletide Gay with Chrys Matthews, Flamy Grant, and Spencer LaJoye in The Green Room
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Saturday, December 14, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $25
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Crys Matthews (she/her), the poster child for intersectionality, and Flamy Grant (she/her), the “Bible Belt Baby” are teaming up once again to pick up where the Winter Magic Tour left off, and ….

Crosstown Arts presents Rachel Maxann’s Holiday Spirits: A Christmas Special with Friends in The Green Room
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Friday, December 13, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $20 in advanced | $25 at the door
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

Join singer-songwriter Rachel Maxann for a soulful Christmas celebration featuring heartfelt performances of holiday classics, original tunes, and special guests from the local music scene. With her ….

Crosstown Arts presents Kortland Whalum in The Green Room
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Friday, December 6, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $25 in advanced
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Kortland Whalum is a singer-songwriter and actor whose talents span from music to the stage. As an actor, Kortland has over a dozen theatre credits, including: Guys & Dolls, The Color Purple, CATS, and Carmen Jones.

With Sold Out shows at Crosstown ….

Crosstown Arts presents Ally London in The Green Room
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Thursday, December 5, 2025
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $12.36
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
“Reminiscent of Sad Pop icons like Ethel Cain and Phoebe Bridgers” (Josh Jordan, Operation615), she seeks to express authenticity and vulnerability through creative writing that doesn’t cut corners. She writes lyrics audiences can relate to and understand that still transcend the mundane. While coming up ….

Crosstown Arts presents Bluff City Fest in The Green Room
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $10 in advanced | $15 at the door | $5 student ticket
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

Join us at Bluff City Fest, where Memphis’ musical heartbeat comes alive. This festival celebrates the city’s legendary music scene with a dynamic mix of genres—from rap and contemporary ….

Crosstown Arts presents the Jazz Jam Session: Hosted by Alex Upton Quartet in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $7 | Free for performing musicians
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
For both the house band performance and jam portion, the set/jam tunes will be announced from the stage.

Alex Upton is a saxophonist and composer with a deep-rooted passion for all ….

Crosstown Arts presents Kesha Cook in The Green Room
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Friday, November 15, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $20
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Kesha Cook is a passionate and talented singer who has been enchanting audiences with her soulful voice and heartfelt performances. With a deep love for music that spans genres, Kesha’s artistry is a blend of contemporary and classic sounds, creating a unique and captivating experience ….

Crosstown Arts presents the Modern Masters Jazz Series: Rex Gregory and The Ted Ludwig Trio in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Wednesday, November 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
A Seattle based saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist, Rex Gregory has performed and/or recorded with a diverse array of luminaries such as Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennett ….

Crosstown Arts and Folk All Y’all presents Teneia in The Green Room
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Saturday, November 2, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $20
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Originally from Jackson, Mississippi, Teneia (she/her) is an international touring musician and songwriter and has seven albums to her credit. She has won multiple awards and had her work featured in HBO, Netflix, and award-winning independent films. She’s shared the stage with ….

Crosstown Arts presents Bailey Bigger: Resurrection Fern Album Release
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Thursday, October 31, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $22 in advance | $22 at the door
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Join us for a captivating evening of music as Bailey Bigger celebrates the release of her new album, “Resurrection Fern.” Immerse yourself in the haunting beauty of her voice and the heartfelt lyrics that have captivated audiences nationwide. ….

Crosstown Arts presents Sound Journey: Mike Tamburo and Sean Murphy
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Sunday, October 27, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $25 in advance | $25 at the door
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Mike Tamburo is a world-renowned musician, composer, artist and educator. He is known and loved for his transformational live concerts performed on his personally curated set of gongs, bells and other metal instruments.
A lifelong multi-instrumentalist, Tamburo ….

Crosstown Arts presents Vaneese Thomas in The Green Room
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $25 in advance | $30 at the door
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Born in Memphis Tennessee, Vaneese is the daughter of Rufus Thomas, whose legendary career as a musician and entertainer began in Vaudeville and spanned more than half a century in R&B recording and radio. Her older siblings are ….

Crosstown Arts presents Lawrence Matthews Live at The Green Room
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Friday, October 25, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $10 in advance | $10 at the door
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Born and raised in a suburb of Memphis; the story of Lawrence Matthews is the journey of an artist trying to move forward toward a healthy and free self, all while reckoning with the extreme environmental stimulus ….

Crosstown Arts presents Mak Ro: Love in The Dark
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $20 in advance | $25 at the door
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Mak Ro is a duo of Filipino-American cousins based in Memphis, TN: Eric Makapugay (Multi-Instrumentalist/Producer/Songwriter) and Kristoffer Ruaro (Singer/Producer/Songwriter). The duo has crafted a sound that blends neo-soul and R&B with edgy, genre-crossing influences. With 15 singles and ….

Kyshona lends her voice and music to those who feel silenced, forgotten or alone. She began her career as a music therapist, writing her first songs with patients — students and inmates under her care. She became compelled to write independently and find her own voice, an endeavor which led her to the Nashville creative community and songwriting culture. Since then, she balances her music career with her passion to heal in community through her organization Your Song.

A hectic touring schedule; twenty-one recordings as a leader, countless sideman recordings including Ray Brown, Bobby Hutcherson, Roger Kellaway; soundtrack performances on three of Clint Eastwood’s distinguished films—most notably Academy Award-winning Million Dollar Baby; raconteur, arranger, acclaimed educator, in residence at USC’s Studio/Jazz Guitar Dept., when does Bruce Forman rest?

For both the house band performance and jam portion, the set/jam tunes will be announced from the stage.

The opening season concert for the acclaimed returning Mahogany Chamber Music Series is an afternoon of music and poetry, which explores themes of identity, sisterhood, love, and redemption. The show celebrates arts as a powerful vehicle for healing. Performed by world-renowned artists German-American violinist Anyango Yarbo-Davenport, Nigerian-Canadian poet, playwright and performer Titilope Sonuga, and concert pianist and MCS curator, Artina McCain.

Stephen Lee is an accomplished jazz musician whose talent, passion, and leadership have made a transformative contribution to the vibrancy of the Memphis community’s cultural center.

Alice Hasen releases her new EP, Dream of Rain, with a concert at Crosstown Arts.

Brennen Leigh is an American songwriter, guitar player, mandolin player, and singer whose to-the-point storytelling style has elevated her to cult icon status in Europe, Scandinavia, across the United States, South America, and the United Kingdom.

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 the Muneer Nasser Quintet paying tribute to the music legend Miles Davis.

The Overly Sensitive Orchestra covers beloved full albums with original arrangements for classical chamber ensemble, pairing with local Memphis singers. The 2024-25 season will include Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers, Pink Moon by Nick Drake, and Carrie and Lowell by Sufjan Stevens. The richness and variety of orchestral timbres both enhances and reimagines the original music of these great artists, giving the songs new perspective and a timeless quality.

The No Tears Project is a jazz-inflected collective formed in 2017 and led by Arkansan-based vocalist Kelley Hurt, and pianist Christopher Parker. The group’s repertoire is inspired by explorations into social equality and strives to create recognition as a precursor to reconciliation. Born from a musical composition (“No Tears Suite”) written by Hurt and Parker and commissioned by the nonprofit Oxford American magazine to honor the civil rights heroes the Little Rock Nine, No Tears has evolved into a touring group. The ensemble’s second album, Humanitics is forthcoming in early 2025.

The bluntness of Reeder’s lyrics are softened by his crooning; yet, even with multi-layered harmonies, his voice maintains its iconic “wisp”. Reeder’s musical intelligence is as present as ever. You’re hearing every piece of a self-made artist and his multifaceted skill set — from the soulful, smoky vocal overlay to a singular, meticulous guitar sound, but best of all, you’re hearing the ingenuity that is Dan Reeder.

Critics hail Tae & The Neighborly as “having more kick than a bagged-up mule” (Rotary Times) and their live show “… going down smoother than a can of [beans] warmed on the campfire” (Cowboy Gazette).

Joslyn & The Sweet Compression are bona fide, and they want the world to know it.
A rising force out of Lexington, Kentucky, the band led by Joslyn Hampton come out swinging on their sophomore album, ready to uplift and inspire through their singular and stirring soul-funk sound.

For both the house band performance and jam portion, the set/jam tunes will be announced from the stage.

John Hébert, bassist, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he first began to study double bass with Bill Huntington. He has worked alongside world-famous artists such as Andrew Hill, Lee Konitz, Paul Bley, John Abercrombie, Kenny Wheeler, Paul Motian, Joe Maneri, Mary Havorson, Tomasz Stanko, David Liebman, Uri Caine, Greg Osby, Bill Stewart, Marc Copland, Fred Hersch, Toots Thielemans, Maria Schneider, and many others.

Reba Russell is a name synonymous with the Memphis Music scene. Beginning in the early 1980s (with bands Visions, Portrait, and Reba and the Portables) and now currently fronting the Reba Russell Band, Reba has covered most bases in the music industry including touring throughout the United States and Europe and releasing 8 albums independently.

Memphis-born artist-and-producer duo The PRVLG have been simmered in soul from the birthplace of rock and roll. Over years of playing together, the pair of performers/songwriters has crafted a sound that is radically authentic, vintage but modern.

Indie Memphis & Crosstown Arts are excited to welcome filmmaker and author Robert Gordon for a conversation on documentary filmmaking. Mr. Gordon (BEST OF ENEMIES, RESPECT YOURSELF) will discuss various facets of documentary filmmaking, from the creative like crafting a compelling story to the practicalities of distribution and deals. This event provides a great opportunity to learn from an experienced professional in documentary filmmaking. The conversation will be moderated by filmmaker Molly Wexler.
Emmy and Grammy Award winning writer Robert Gordon is the author of 6 books, and producer/director of 8 feature documentaries. He has focused on the American south—its music, art, and politics—to create an insider’s portrait of his home that is both nuanced and ribald.

After a lifetime of crafting finely-wrought, heart-touching songs, singer-songwriter Pierce Pettis feels that he’s finally found his comfort zone. “The biggest change,” he says of this point in his career “has been getting over myself and realizing this is a job and a craft. And the purpose is not fame and fortune (whatever that is) but simply doing good work.” 

Steve Hirsh plays music on the drum set. He leads improvising ensembles around the Twin Cities in Minnesota and beyond. Hirsh was recently awarded a Jazz Road Tours grant by South Arts to support a tour by the Sparks Quartet. He has been fortunate to perform and record with, among others, Eri Yamamoto, William Parker, Joel Futterman, Daniel Carter, and others. Born and raised in New York City, Steve now makes his home in the woods of northern Minnesota.

Roland is now a mainstay in the Nashville studio scene, having recorded in almost every genre imaginable. Roland’s  combination of experience and talent that puts him at the top of the city’s list when brass performance is needed.  Despite the global difficulties of 2020, Roland celebrated the first year of recording on EVERY brass instrument (from trumpet to tuba) in the studio, and is trailblazing a path as a one-man, multi-instrumentalist brass machine. 

Eve Essex is a composer and multi-instrumentalist based in Brooklyn, NY. She performs with woodwinds and voice, accompanied by instrumental ensembles, and by electronic arrangements that use synthesizers, drum machines, live processing, and other sounds.

Sunny Side provides a full New Orleans-style jazz band experience with three-part harmonies, a solid rhythm section, and an energetic vocalist and dancer.⁠
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Fareed Haque is a modern guitar virtuoso. Steeped in classical and jazz traditions, his unique command of the guitar and different musical styles inspire his musical ventures with tradition and fearless innovation.

Indie Memphis & Crosstown Arts are excited to present a presentation and conversation on TV & screenwriting with writer Brandi Nicole (Showtime’s YOUR HONOR, Amazon’s BALLARD, Paramount+ HAPPY FACE). Brandi will discuss her writing career and provide advice and practical tips on both the creative and business sides of the film and television industry.

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 New York-based performers JD Warren & The Rudiment in two back-to-back Memphis performances.

JD Warren & The Rudiment is helmed by husband and wife duo drummer Jeremy Warren and vocalist Dermel Warren. They play original music and arrangements of standards, and their debut album, “I Can Do All Things,” is available on all music outlets and platforms.

Recognized for their raucous and rowdy shows, they seldom get to perform a fair bit of their catalog that is more conducive to a listening room environment. This show will feature many of Dead Soldiers’ least-performed songs and unique arrangements of existing songs in their live repertoire.

Marisa Anderson channels the history of the guitar and stretches the boundaries of tradition. Her deeply original work applies elements of minimalism, electronic music, drone and 20th century classical music to compositions based on blues, jazz, gospel and country music, re-imagining the landscape of American music. The New Yorker calls Anderson ‘one of the most distinctive guitar players of her generation’, while NPR refers to her as among ‘this era’s most powerful players’.

Jessye DeSilva’s new, crowdfunded album, Renovations, chronicles an ongoing, imperfect journey to self-love and -acceptance, full of both moments of resignation and moments of triumph.

On their way to the Bentonia Blues Festival, Ryan Lee Crosby & Grant Smith will be playing new songs on 12 string and calabash, as well as material from the Bruce Watson produced Winter Hill Blues (recorded in Memphis). Willie Farmer and his trio will play songs from their upcoming album and also the Bruce Watson produced The Man From The Hill. Memphis local (by way of the UK) Shaun Marsh kicks it off solo with acoustic pre-war blues on National steel guitar.

Three time Grammy Award-Winning Drummer Ulysses Owens Jr. is known for being a drummer who The New York Times has said “take[s] a back seat to no one,” and “a musician who balances excitement gracefully and shines with innovation.”

Join Indie Memphis & Crosstown Arts for our 6th annual Filmmaker Speed Meetings! Think of it like Speed Dating, but for filmmaking guidance and mentorship. This is a great opportunity for new/rising/new-to-Memphis filmmakers to connect with other Memphis-based industry professionals. 

Takuya Nakamura has distinguished himself by composing and effectively fusing uncommon and exciting styles of music, leaving audiences and music critics alike excited for future performances. Takuya moved to New York from his native Tokyo and became a sought-after part of NYC’s vibrant live/electronic scene. Now the producer/DJ/multi-instrumentalist plays trumpet, keyboards, and various electronic instruments with various artists and musicians throughout the United States and the world.

Raised in a coastal Massachusetts town north of Boston, Hayley Reardon spent three years based in Nashville and much of the past six years carrying her songs and stories all over the globe — including a six-month artist-in-residency stay in Dachau, Germany — gathering experiences, inspiration and soulful connections. Her ever-deepening music carries a lyrical and melodic weight beyond her years, being described as “brilliantly moving folk/pop with a lyrical depth and soul” (Performer Magazine) and “a melancholy little masterpiece” (American Songwriter Magazine). No Depression writes “Reardon is truly a treasure.”

Join Indie Memphis & Crosstown Arts for a discussion of best practices when applying for filmmaking grants and labs. Joseph Carr will lead a presentation for filmmakers applying for Indie Memphis’ IndieGrant program*. He will break down the application process step-by-step and provide tips on what the jurors look for when reviewing submissions. Additionally, Indie Memphis’ Kayla Myers and Amanzi Arnett will discuss other local and national opportunities for grant funding, as well as provide guidance on how to best present yourself and your project when applying for funding.

Described in a recent 5-star review in DownBeat magazine as having “incredible prowess and tender musicality,” New York saxophonist and composer Jim Snidero encapsulates what is both unique and compelling about jazz, reflected in over 10 million plays on Spotify. Hailed as having a sound “at the highest level among his fellow alto saxophonists of the 21st century” (All About Jazz), and improvisation that is “mind-boggling and, at the same time, hugely enjoyable” (The Guardian), Snidero is a veteran recording artist placing in both DownBeat critic and reader polls (EMI, Milestone, Savant …) and sideman (Mingus big band, Jack McDuff, Eddie Palmieri, Frank Sinatra …) who can truly say “been there, done that.”

Memphis music legends Lucero’s Ben Nichols and Rick Steff are teaming up to play a very special performance in The Green Room at Crosstown Arts.

Memphis-based saxophonist Alex Upton will bring their original modern, straightahead jazz compositions to The Green Room at Crosstown Arts. The second half of the performance will be the premiere of a brand-new, five-movement suite for jazz combo entitled “In Retrospect”.

Since moving to Los Angeles from her native Guatemala, singer-songwriter-producer Gaby Moreno has released eight albums and earned 4 GRAMMY nominations for her albums “Illusion” (Best Latin Pop Album, 2017) , “Alegoría” (Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album, 2022), “X Mí (Vol. 1)” (Best Latin Pop Album – 2023) and for producing legendary cuban singer Omara Portuondo’s album “Vida” (Best Latin Tropical Album – 2023). She is also a 5-time nominee and winner of a Latin GRAMMY for “Best New Artist” (2013).

Hailing from Azerbaijan, the New York-based Amina Figarova is an internationally influenced—and recognized—composer, pianist, and bandleader. Those three roles come to the forefront in Figarova’s sextets, bands with a remarkable chemistry that brings her detailed arrangements to life. Every member of the group stands out as a first-rate individual, but their dedication to Figarova’s eclectic and powerful compositions gives this group its depth of feeling and elite status. The Amina Figarova Sextet has been a hit at major festivals like the Newport Jazz Festival and New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

From the outside, Jeff Hulett might seem like a late-blooming guitarist and songwriter. But if you ask any of his fellow musicians they’ll tell you he was writing songs and playing music long before he put pen to paper or strummed a chord.

From his work with Me & Leah to Snowglobe, from solo shows and soundtrack work to the Hand Me Down’s, Jeff Hulett is a Memphis music mainstay, with a talent for warm and honest songwriting.

To celebrate the release of his new record Nowhere in Between, John Bass brings an amazing lineup of talented Memphis musicians and friends who the guitarist has worked with over the past 20 years. 

Flamenco Memphis celebrates its one-year anniversary with an evening of flamenco music, singing, and dance!
The performance, presented in a “tablao” style, will bring the audiences a diverse repertoire that includes traditional and original flamenco compositions.

Flamenco Memphis will bring an evening of art aiming to inspire and captivate audiences with this unique blend of history, sounds, and movement that is flamenco. New works include “Alegrias,” “Soleá por Bulerias,” and “Seguiriyas.”

The group brings the Often and Rarely played: Beethoven and Fibich to The Green Room at Crosstown Arts. The Cypress Ensemble, a group of classically-trained Memphis musicians, is a collaboration of friends who love playing chamber music. The ensemble is currently on a mission to play the Beethoven Opus 18 Quartets and also chamber music treasures that Memphis audiences rarely hear in live performance.

David was the first artist Folk All Y’all reached out to host, way back in 2014. After that first (more-than-)sold-out show, David’s come back and played seven more. We’re thrilled to welcome David Wilcox back to The Green Room at Crosstown Arts, a space that has inspired him for years.

Cyrena Wages fell in love with music on the country backroads between Millington and Shelby Forest, two small towns just north of Memphis. Her upcoming debut album, Vanity Project, is both an exercise in rebellion against years of conditioning, as well as a way of processing her own struggles, healing, and growth. As much as Memphis shaped her positively, there were aspects of growing up as a woman in the South that didn’t align with who she wanted to become. Cyrena tapped producer Matt Ross-Spang (Charley Crockett, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Margo Price) to helm Vanity Project at Southern Grooves Studio in Memphis.

Steve Masakowski is an award-winning jazz guitarist, educator, and inventor. He invented the guitar-based keytar and the switch pick, and has designed three custom-built seven-string guitars. He developed an approach to playing the guitar by using his pick design, allowing him to switch from fingerpicking to flatpicking.

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.

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”.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.”

Crosstown Arts Spring 2024 resident artists will present artist talks.

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.

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.

Matt Otto 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. 

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.

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.

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.

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!

Saxophonist Michael Shults has been praised for his “strong, imaginative” improvisations (Downbeat Magazine) and “fresh and intelligent musical ideas” (The Pitch). Now he and is quartet are teaming up with experienced bandleader and an in-demand sideman Bennett Wood for an unforgettable Jazz Month performance at Crosstown Arts.

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.

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.

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!

The singular singer and songwriter Leon Timbo is a veteran artist who brings “a unique, rootsy sound that incorporates equal measures of vintage soul, gospel, folk, R&B, funk, dance music, and even modern blues” (All Music Guide) to a style he calls “transparent soul.”

His most recent albums are 2021’s Lovers and Fools Vol. 1and follow-up Lovers and Fools Vol. 2 released last year. These albums represent Timbo’s fully-realized steps into Americana, and showcase a musician whose has found his true voice — a voice full of passion, power, and depth.

Attention all Memphis filmmakers, actors, and crew members! As we enter the new year, Indie Memphis wants to hear from you—the members of our Memphis filmmaking community. Please join the Indie Memphis staff for an open discussion about what you would like to see from Indie Memphis and our filmmaking community at large over the next year and beyond. This will also be a great opportunity to chat and network with other filmmakers as we move Shoot & Splice into the relaxing confines of The Green Room at Crosstown Arts.

Enter a timeless space of listening as Crown of Eternity’s Mike Tamburo and Memphis’ own Sean Murphy weave sonic soundscapes as they navigate through a musical conversation. Together they’ll explore their way through a wide array of 50+ overtone rich instruments including Gongs, Bells, Bowls, Sound Sculptures, Hammered Dulcimer, Didjeridus, Tuba, Flutes, Kalimbas, and more.

Allow yourself to be still and listen as these two musician explorers take you through a journey through the senses and a perceptual rollercoaster.

Growing up in Akron, Ohio, Dan Wilson spent the majority of his youth within the church community, where his musical path began.

Traces of his major guitar influences – including Wes Montgomery, Charlie Christian, Joe Pass, and George Benson to name a few – can be discerned through his playing, but his musical identity has been shaped by everything from gospel and blues to traditional jazz, hip-hop and horn players like Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson.

Featuring the premiere of a brand-new work for wind quintet by George Lewis, commissioned by the ensemble, the City of Tomorrow sets the audience inside a kaleidoscope of culture and memory. Composer, musicologist, and winner of MacArthur and Guggenheim fellowships, George Lewis is currently the Artistic Director of the International Contemporary Ensemble and has written extensively on American experimental music, race, and the decolonization of contemporary music. His music is presented alongside another masterpiece for the modern quintet, De Memorias by Cuban-American composer Tania León. The City of Tomorrow’s specialty is creating immersive experiences, in which audiences are carried from one piece to the next in a transformative musical art installation. 

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.

Lawrence Matthews’ 7:30 pm concert this Friday has sold out, but never fear! By popular demand, a second show for Lawrence Matthews’ return to the stage has been added! ⁠

Crosstown Arts presents Lawrence Matthews in The Green Room.
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
Friday, January 26, 2024
Doors open at 7 pm | Show begins at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $10
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
On Friday, January 26, at 7:30 pm, the multi-hyphenated artist Lawrence Matthews will perform for the first time since retiring his former stage name Don Lifted at the Overton Park Shell in 2022. Independent and sitting on an album and a half of new material, ….

Jazz alto and sopranino saxophonist Wessell “Warmdaddy” Anderson played jazz early on at the urging of his father, who was a drummer. He played in local clubs from his early teenage years, and studied at the Jazzmobile workshops with Frank Wess, Charles Davis, and Frank Foster. He also met Branford Marsalis, who convinced him to study with Alvin Batiste at Southern University in Louisiana.

Soul/jazz/funk sax player and vocalist Hope Clayburn is on a mission to move the people. Her unique style has allowed her to perform with an eclectic mix of artists around the world, including The Temptations, The Allman Brothers Band, and Valerie June.

Hope can be found in Memphis, Tennessee, recording and performing with a variety of bands like Lucky 7 Brass Band, Frog Squad, Marcella Simien, and Obruni Dance Band. She has her own funk soul ensemble, Hope Clayburn’s Soul Scrimmage, performing her original music. Their new single and music video “Nobody” is out now on YouTube, and their new album and vinyl record Y’all So Loud is coming this December.

Ho, ho, ho here they come, come, come! The Sissy Dicks are home for the holigays, playing their first Memphis show in over a year at The Green Room at Crosstown Arts! Four-time Grammy ineligible, nationally tolerated, and locally endured, they’re the queer country that no one asked for, but that your single uncle Richard definitely listens to alone in his truck after choir practice. Come on out and get your stocking absolutely stuffed at the xxxmessiest spectacle of the season and find out why The Sissy Dicks are on everyone’s prayer list!

Memphis-based, Arkansas-born singer-songwriter Mark Edgar Stuart performs a very special concert with Blueshift Ensemble, a Memphis-based contemporary chamber music ensemble dedicated to bringing artists and audiences together through artistic collaboration.