With a voice like cinnamon and a pen like butter, Roberta Lea is a rising artist, ready to give the world a taste of what she’s made of. Fellow artists have called her Hampton Roads’ best kept secret. It’s as though she’s a family recipe, kept hidden until now. Fellow musicians have described her sound as “country-neo-pop”. As a millennial, it’s often quite difficult to pin her down to one particular genre. Her influences range from 80s RnB legends like Roberta Flack, Anita Baker and Sade, to pop 90s girl-power players like Alanis Morissette, Sheryl Crow, Shania Twain and everything in between. 

From Knoxville to Nashville via Hertfordshire, Martin Harley, Daniel Kimbro & Sam Lewis collaborate for the first time on a slow cooked, laid back album reminiscent of an early American songbook. Produced at Wow & Flutter studios the old fashioned way; writing songs in the morning and rolling the tape in the afternoon, the album highlights Daniels Appalachian roots, Sams Nashville tones and Martins traveling riverside blues. Individually they have worked with some of the biggest names in the business. This is acoustic Americana at its finest. 

Jake Blount’s music is rooted in care and confrontation. He is a scholar of Black American music, speaking ardently about the African roots of the banjo and the subtle, yet profound ways African Americans have shaped and defined the amorphous categories of roots music and Americana. His 2020 album Spider Tales (named one of the year’s best albums by NPR and The New Yorker, earned a perfect 5-star review from The Guardian) highlighted the Black and Indigenous histories of popular American folk tunes, as well as revived songs unjustly forgotten in the whitewashing of the canon.

Carsie Blanton writes anthems for a world worth saving. Inspired by artists including Nina Simone and Randy Newman, her songs encompass a wide range of genres, from sultry pop to punk-tinged Americana. Whether alone with her electric guitar or fronting her four-piece “handsome band,” Carsie delivers every song with an equal dose of moxie and mischief, bringing her audience together in joyful celebration of everything worth fighting for. We have been trying to get her to Memphis for YEARS, and trust us, this is a show worth waiting for. 

Crosstown Arts presents The Chills with Ibex Clone in collaboration with Goner Records.

The Chills are a band from Dunedin, New Zealand fronted by the rare talent of Martin Phillipps. Originally formed in 1980, The Chills had a revolving cast of band members with Phillipps remaining the only constant. His knack for writing fantastic pop songs led to chart hits back home and a cult following around the world. With early releases via the legendary NZ label Flying Nun, The Chillsproduced a number of critically acclaimed recordings such as the single “Pink Frost” (their first hit) from the compilation album ‘Kaleidoscope World’ and “Wet Blanket” from the LP ‘Brave Words’. Joining influential labels Creation and Homestead, they then moved to Warner Brothers imprint Slash and onto the world of majors.

Crosstown Arts presents Brian Blake in the Green Room.

Crosstown Arts presents Mak Ro in the Green Room.

Memphis singer/songwriters Vicki Loveland and Van Duren return to the Green Room celebrating more than 10 years of collaboration through hundreds of live shows here and abroad. As recording artists, Vicki and Van have released 3 albums of original songs on their Edgewood Recordings imprint with the most recent, Any Such Thing, making The Memphis Flyer’s “10 Top Albums of 2021 list.” From rock & soul to power pop to orchestral to rhythm & blues to eclectic improvisation, Loveland Duren & Band conjure quite a soundscape to experience live—and the Green Room is the ultimate venue where you can surrender to it all.

Mike digs deep into the musical bag of American roots guitar, favoring the melodic Piedmont style of acoustic blues masters like Mississippi John Hurt and slide great Tampa Red. But Mike can’t be pigeonholed as a blues player, or even as a fingerstylist. He’s far too versatile for that. From bottleneck blues to vintage jazz and much more in between, Mike’s musicality, depth, and mastery of the instrument translates fluently to flattop, archtop, and resonator guitars alike.

Memphis-bred, GRAMMY-nominated, Echo Award-winning bassist/composer Stephan Crump is an active bandleader with twelve critically-acclaimed album releases in addition to numerous film scoring contributions. Known for transforming his instrument into a speaking entity of magnetic pull, his focus on creative instrumental music has led to collaborations with many of the leading lights of his generation, most notably Vijay Iyer, in whose trio and sextet Crump plays a dynamic, founding role. He can also be heard as long-standing member of Jen Chapin Trio, Ches Smith Trio, Rez Abbasi Acoustic Quartet, Liberty Ellman Sextet, Secret Keeper (duo with Mary Halvorson), his own Rosetta Trio (with Jamie Fox, Liberty Ellman), his Rhombal quartet (with Ellery Eskelin, Adam O’Farrill, Tyshawn Sorey), as well as co-led ensembles with Kris Davis, Ingrid Laubrock, Cory Smythe, Eric McPherson, Mat Maneri, and Okkyung Lee.

The Reggae band Chinese Connection Dub Embassy was created by Omar, David, and Joseph Higgins in 2010, bringing hard-hitting originals and revamped covers that leave dance floors Irie all around. They released their first LP in 2013, The Firm Foundation, with the lead singles “Heavy Meditation” and “Tyrant”. They’ve played festivals all over such as Beale Street Music Fest, Wakarusa, Grateful Fest, W.C. Handy Fest, and they’ve opened for such artists as T-Pain, Bone Thugs & Harmony, The Wailers, The Slackers, and Mephiskapheles. After the passing of their fellow band leader/brother Omar Higgins in 2019, Joseph and David are now leading the band to continue the legacy that was built on the foundation of unity. They took a newer Dacehall & Roots Reggae approach to their 2020 project Crew Vibez.

Tim Fitzgerald is a Chicago based guitarist and bandleader. He is also author of the book 625 Alive: the Wes Montgomery BBC Concert Transcribed, which has been hailed as the “Ultimate Study of Wes Montgomery’s music” (Just Jazz Guitar Magazine) and “One of the 50 greatest guitar books of all time” (The 50 Greatest Guitar Books). He has written columns for Downbeat Magazine, Just Jazz Guitar Magazine and Chicago Jazz Magazine and performed clinics at the Frank Mantooth Jazz Festival.

Lilli Lewis has composed in every tradition that inspires her, including soul, Americana, hip hop, classical, folk, jazz, rock, gospel, blues, soul and R&B. She integrated elements of New Orleans funk while co-writing and co-producing “Mask Up” in the summer of 2020. After carving out space for herself as an African-American lesbian of size, Lewis has lent her voice to the inclusion and equity in the music industry by speaking in conferences and seminars for Americana Music Association and Folk Alliance International in her role as VP & Head of A&R at Louisiana Red Hot Records. And she’s further sharing her message in the music of her eagerly awaited “Americana” album, following 2019’s critically acclaimed “We Belong.” In all things, Lewis does her best to live by the creed she and her ensemble have become known for: Practice Radical Decency. That’s a belief system we can get behind!

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.

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.

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.

Crosstown Arts presents Dylan Dunn at the Green Room at Crosstown Arts.

Elizabeth King recorded her first single in 1970, and if all had gone as planned, she would have made her first album a few years later. Instead, it took another half century for King to release her 2021 album Living In The Last Days, which captured King at the height of her powers, with the intervening decades only serving to stoke the flames of one of the most memorable voices in modern gospel music. Now Elizabeth is back with yet another collection of offerings, each more fiery than the last. I Got a Love is a testament to her dedication to God, her family and to her craft.

Alice Hasen and Josh Threlkeld combine instrumental virtuosity, creative songwriting and a rainbow of tonal colors in Memphis’ newest duo act. From reinventions of old fiddle tunes to subversive and dynamic improvisation, the pair transports their audience to vibrant and unexpected soundscapes. Inspired by spontaneity, Alice and Josh assure that no one performance will ever resemble the next.

Sunny Side is a jazz band based out of New Orleans, Louisiana. They are heavily influenced by the music of Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Fats Waller, Cab Calloway, and many other early jazz legends, Sunny Side was formed in 2019, and is composed of musicians that have played together in various jazz projects around New Orleans since 2017. The name “Sunny Side” was influenced by the 1930 Fats Waller/Jimmy McHugh jazz standard “On the Sunny Side of the Street”.

Though still in the early stages of her blossoming career, 24-year-old vocalist, violinist and songwriter, Emmaline, has accomplished an impressive laundry list of achievements so far. From being featured in top music publications such as Rolling Stone and American Songwriter to performing as the opening act for 10-time-GRAMMY winner Chaka Khan on her first ever US tour, this Cincinnati based, independent artist captivates the hearts of all who hear her smoky, jazz-infused, genre-fluid voice.

Keia was born in San Antonio, TX but grew up all over the world in a military family. Keia listened to a wide range of artists. But it was the move to Memphis that helped her establish her sound and performance style. She has performed with some of the best talent Memphis has to offer, while also building relationships with notable national names like The Bar-Kays and David Porter of Stax Records.

Rissi Palmer describes her work as “Southern soul,” which is as deceptively simple as each of those words on its own. Pulling influences from country to jazz to folk to rock to pop, Rissi’s sound is a rich combination of cultures and perspectives. After releasing her debut album in 2008, she was featured in Ebony, Rolling Stone andThe Wall Street Journal and performing everywhere from the White House to the Grand Ole Opry. Her debut single, “Country Girl,” put an African-American woman at the top of Billboard’s Country chart for the first time in 20 years. Since that whirlwind beginning, Rissi has left Nashville and re-centered in North Carolina, writing and performing the songs that reflect her constant evolution. She has toured extensively across the country, sharing stages with Taylor Swift, The Eagles, Chris Young, Charley Crockett, and many more. 

Crosstown Arts presents pianist Pat Coil with the Ted Ludwig Trio in the Green Room.

Jazz guitarist Peter Bernstein has been a part of the jazz scene in New York and abroad since 1989. During that time he has participated in numerous recordings and performances with musicians from all generations. As a leader, Peter has released nine albums and a DVD. As a sideman Peter has appeared in groups led by Sonny Rollins, Bobby Hutcherson, George Coleman, Lou Donaldson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Fathead Newman, Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Diana Krall, Lee Konitz, Jimmy Cobb and many more. Current projects include his album, Monk, with Doug Weiss and Bill Stewart, a recently released solo record, Solo Guitar – Live at Smalls, and the highly acclaimed organ trio with organist Larry Goldings and drummer Bill Stewart.

Sofia Talvik is a rare artist and an avid storyteller with a voice comparable to giants like Joni Mitchell, or as the Folk/Americana Magazine NoDepression said it ”A singer/songwriter who is able to evoke the essence of Laurel Canyon circa the ‘60s as expressed in the work of Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, Buffy Sainte-Marie and others who were able to paint beautiful tapestries from words and music.”.

Rob Jungklas came roaring back into the Memphis music psyche with 3 new critically acclaimed recordings in a few short years: Arkadelphia, Gully, and Mapping The Wreckage. Ever prolific, he has released four more since his reemergence. The Spirit and The Spine, Nothing To Fade, and Blackbirds on Madjack Records, and 7 Sisters.

Lee Froelich calls Rob’s songs “profane and poetic, haunted by ghost and damnation” and the sentiments are echoed by the likes of Rolling Stones’ David Fricke who describes the sounds as “bloodied bottleneck guitar and choked prayer.”

Memphissippi Sounds have taken their music on the road to places such as Thacker Mountain Radio Hour in Oxford, Clarksdale’s Juke Joint Festival, and Little Rock’s Whitewater Tavern backing up Grammy-nominated local bluesman R.L. Boyce. Memphissippi Sounds has made local appearances at such venues as the Levitt Shell, Radio Memphis, and the Indie Memphis Film Festival. Between gigs, they enjoy doing some old-school busking on South Main, a throwback to the heyday of Memphis music.

Their album Welcome To The Land was released late in 2021 by Little Village to great critical and commercial acclaim, and has ridden at the top of the radio charts since. The album has been nominated for the Best Emerging Artist Award in the annual Blues Music Awards in early May.

This unique show encompasses the essence of singer Diana Ross’ 1973 album “Touch Me In The Morning”. A tribute to the Diva, this performance extends the music into the various sounds of a 20-piece orchestra with a special one-of-a-kind visual presentation. The Jazz Masters Orchestra features a genuinely diverse group of exciting instrumentalists who offer fiery and inspiring solos, paying tribute to the legacy of Diana Ross.

Dustin Furlow is an award-winning singer/songwriter/guitarist whose playing and songwriting reflect a clear influence of today’s contemporary-folk artists. With comparisons to songwriters such as Ray LaMontagne and virtuoso guitar-players like Tommy Emmanuel, Furlow eventually carved out a sound that became easily distinguishable by it’s marriage of complex guitar work and warm, home-spun lyrics. From the haunting melodies in “Evergreen” to the foot-tapping groove of “Cherokee Lake” Dustin is an ambassador of dynamic control on stage. In 2019 he played over 200 shows, many with harp-guitarists and International Fingerstyle Guitar Champion Matt Thomas.

Apollo Mighty is an R&B/Soul artist based out of Chicago in the United States. In 2020, Apollo released his EP project “Behavior” which amassed over 600,000+ streams across platforms. “Behavior” was well received and reviewed by both critics and fans. It was featured on multiple official Spotify playlists; including “Fresh Finds” and “Fresh Finds: The Wave”, Apple Music playlist “Future Hits”, Youtube Music’s “RELEASED” and Tidal’s “New Suggested Tracks” and “New Albums” for R&B/Soul. More features included; KISS FM, CS Magazine, Raynbow Affair Magazine, Sounds So Beautiful, Alfitude, Dynmk, IndieShuffle, h-wing, CaesarLivenLoud, Yellow & Black to name a few.

Join us for some fun and fast moving Resident Artist talks Pecha Kucha-style! 20 slides for 20 seconds each by 8 residents will give you a flavorful window into each of their practices! Featuring Christine Lee, Reyes Ramirez, Glass Half Full (Caroline Reck & Connor Hopkins), Mahwish Chishty, Megan Milks, Miah Jeffra, Tommy Kha and Basia Thomas.

From the Bluff and Blues of Memphis, Lana J. comes from a soulfully-sound city and creative culture. Her exposure and acceptance into the Stax Music Academy at the age of 13 allowed her to develop songwriting, live show, production, and recording knowledge at an early age. Along with the influence of R&B, Neo-Soul, Funk genres, Lana J. started singing in her hometown church and began studying music in choir in middle and high school. In high school, she was a member of an all-female a capella group “Key of She”, providing her with experience arranging, traveling, and performing. She recently graduated with a B.A. in Popular and Commercial Music at Loyola University New Orleans.

As the son of a musician and a guitar prodigy himself, Daniel Champagne had a head-start on a career in music, but it’s his indefatigable work ethic and exuberant appreciation for his supporters that have elevated him from simply an artistic genius to a rising international star. If he were simply a songwriter, his work would be admired throughout the industry; if he were only a singer, audiences would be engaged and enchanted by his voice; if he were just a guitarist, he would deserve world-wide acclaim for his artistry. But he’s not just any one of these, he’s all three. And he is, quite simply, amazing.

The Smartest Man in the World began as the solo songwriting project of Memphis-based Dead Soldiers vocalist and rhythm guitar player Michael Jasud. It features eclectic songwriting propelled by Jasud’s unconventional arrangements and unique melodic sensibility, with songs crafted by Jasud and shaped by some of Memphis’s most talented gigging and session musicians. With this latest group of songs he continues to explore relationships, pop culture, technology, and trauma through a millennial lens of postmodern existential dread.

For more than 30 years, Joel Frahm lived in New York City working in jazz clubs, collaborating with other musicians, and honing his craft. He now lives in Nashville, where he continues to play the music he loves. His bold, inventive tenor sound has won fans in the U.S. and across the world. He has worked alongside Betty Carter, Kenny Barron, Freddy Cole, Dianne Schuur, Kurt Elling, Jane Monheit, Bill Charlap, Brad Mehldau, Matt Wilson, Cyrille Aimee, and many other top artists. He has played as a leader or sideman on more than 100 recordings and has appeared at jazz festivals in the United States, Europe, Israel, Canada and South America. 

TANGELA is the glittery finish to a masterfully crafted collage. She glows, sparkles, and shines wherever she is present. A fusion of love & artistic vision, TANGELA has dibble-dabbled in The Arts since she was a toddler— weaving in & out of painting classes, bands, theatrical outfits & dance troupes, intent on discovering her most magical talents. Memphis music legends baptized and verified TANGELA at a young age, as she studied under the tutelage of soul music icons at the city’s STAX Academy of Music. The spirit of Memphis — the tension, hustle, grind, grit, and flair — are evident in the Berklee College of Music graduate’s products. 

Yubu and the Ancient Youth is a unique assortment of musicians with experience in different music genres and cultures in America, East Africa, West Africa and Europe. This has molded them to have a unique perspective on the global music scene. The band has found a home in Memphis Tennessee, the home of the blues, where they develop, create and perform a tasteful spin of blues music.

Crosstown Arts presents the Pete Fucinaro trio, featuring Kansas City-based musicians saxophonist Pete Fucinaro, bassist Ben Tervort, and drummer Briant Steever.

JD Daltrey and Mike Maxis have been making music together for 10 years now. They have developed a chemistry in their musicianship that shines through on the stage with attitude and charisma. Their album Dancing Is Forbidden is a dance party project that takes you from the island to the disco with an air of sophisticated funk.