Deborah Swiney with Special Guest Ra Kalam Bob Moses

1350 Concourse Avenue,Memphis TN 38104

09 December, 2021

Description

Crosstown Arts presents Deborah Swiney with Ed Finney, Bob Buckley, and special guest drummer Ra Kalam Bob Moses in the Green Room. The Green Room at Crosstown Arts Thursday, December 9, 2021 Doors at 7pm / Show at 7:30pm Tickets are $10 in advance / $15 day of the show Deborah Swiney Deborah’s affinity for music started at an early age with piano lessons and being active in music, whether in church or in school. Growing up in a musical family, music had no borders. If the walls of her home could sing, they’d reverberate the sounds of Nancy Wilson, Aretha Franklin, The Staple Singers, The Carpenters, and B.B. King, all mixed together; not to mention classical music, having a Memphis Symphony Orchestra bassoonist for a big brother. Being on the local music scene, Deborah, a Memphian, eventually landed a position as a backup vocalist for the legendary Al Green during the ‘90s, which led to an international touring experience that included performances on The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Today Show. That was then and this is now. In a city that loves its Blues, Rock, Jazz and Gospel, Deborah has carved out a niche uniquely her own. This is evident with her highly praised co-produced debut album, I Remember Rio, a Brazilian inspired album with “Memphis-Soul seasoning” (All about Jazz). I Remember Rio is filled with classic Bossa Nova standards and tunes written by the legendary Antonio Carlos Jobim as well as Deborah Swiney’s “Bossa Nova Casanova” and guitarist Ed Finney’s title song, “I Remember Rio”. Jazz Weekly describes her as bringing “ a strong and Sarah Vaughan-esque voice to deliver soulful reads of Brazilian..." Transcending the standard definition of a Jazz songstress, her melodic and sultry approach to Bossa Nova and other Brazilian stylings are natural without betraying her Bluff City roots. Ra Kalam Bob Moses Bob Moses, born January 28, 1948 in New York City, NY, is an American jazz drummer. Bob Moses's life has been a continuous quest for vision, spirit, compassion, growth, and mastery in a multiplicity of art forms. A partial list of stellar musicians Bob Moses has worked and/or recorded with both as a leader and a sideman includes: Charles Mingus, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Jim Pepper, Larry Coryell, The Free Spirits, Dave Liebman, Gary Burton, Keith Jarrett, Steve Swallow, Michael Gibbs, Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Paul Bley, Herbie Hancock, Jack DeJohnette, Jaco Pastorius, Hal Galper, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Steve Kuhn, Sheila Jordan, Bobby McFerrin, Dave Sanborn, Bill Frisell, Eddie Gomez, Don Alias, John Scofield, Terumasa Hino, Dave Holland, Charlie Haden, Hermeto Pascoal, Jovinos Santos Neto, Danillo Perez, David Sanchez, Chucho Valdes, Jimmy Slyde, Savion Glover, Gregory Hines, Stan Strickland, Tiger Okoshi, Nana Vasconcelos, Obo Addy, John Medeski, Vernon Reid, DJ Logic, Badal Roy, Ravikiran, Master Anand, Raqib Hassan, Sam Rivers, Pharoah Sanders, Tisziji Muñoz, and many others. Ed Finney When you think Memphis, you think Music and Ed Finney, aka Jupiter-Skyfish, Personifies this concept. Born and raised in Memphis, Finney started playing guitar in the early 60’s and immediately took to playing the Blues. He soon discovered Jazz which has been his passion ever since. Ed Finney’s experience includes: recording with Stax legendaries such as Isaac Hayes, Carla Thomas and David Porter; touring with Otis Redding; opening for Al Green, Chick Corea; The Doors; Frank Zappa and many more. Finney’s most recent recording project was as music director for Deborah Swiney’s debut CD, “I Remember Rio”. Finney has followed music around the world, and yet articulated in his compositions, which are layered with rich styles and rhythms from Mexico, Morocco, Brazil and many other international venues. When not writing music, Finney teaches others to play guitar which is part of his dream “for all beings to have access to creativity”. Bob Buckley Bob Buckley is a longtime Memphis sideman specializing in rhythm section work. He has backed such acts as the Drifters, The Platters, and the Coasters. Other rhythm and blues artists include Bobby Little and James Austin. These formative years included the opportunity to hang and sit in with heroes such as Little Milton, James Williams, Calvin Newborn and R.L. Burnside. “Being able to sit in and play or rehearse with these guys early on set an example I’m still building on today,” says Buckley. Providing a pocket with some of the best drummers in the world is the Memphis tradition and Buckley holding down the fort. Crosstown Arts is a contemporary arts organization dedicated to further cultivating the creative community in Memphis. We provide resources and create opportunities and experiences to inspire, support, and connect a diverse range of creative people, projects, and audiences. The spaces and programs we manage integrate varying components of exhibition, performance, production, education, and retail.  We welcome anyone in the community to join any of our events or projects, regardless of prior experience or expertise with creative interests.