Bobby "Blue Bland

Bobby "Blue" Bland earned his enduring blues superstar status the hard way: without a guitar, harmonica, or any other instrument to fall back upon.  All Bland had to offer was his magnificent voice, a tremendously powerful instrument in his early heyday, injected with the charisma and melisma to spare.  Bobby "Blue" Bland endures as a blues superstar and has been inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1981, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997.

Anthony David


Anthony David was born in Savannah, Georgia, but got involved in the music business in Atlanta, Georgia.  There he met India.Arie, an R&B singer and have since become friends.  David's first song written for Arie was entitled "Part of My Life" for Arie's 7x Grammy nominated album Acoustic Soul.  David also toured with Arie in support of her album.  He is best known for his 2008 song "Words", a duet with contemporary R&B singer India.Arie from his solo album Acey Duecy.  "Words" landed David one Grammy nomination and two NAACP Image Award nominations.

Phil Perry


R & B singer, songwriter and musician Phil Perry had his biggest success with the number-on R&B hit "Call Me (previously recoreded and written by Aretha Franklin)", a remake of the 1970 hit, as well as the top forty R&B singles "Amazing Love" and "Forever" (written by Brenda Russell) all from the hit album, Perry's first solo release The Heart of the Man (1991).  Phil Perry is also featured on many GRP Records projects, with guitarist Lee Ritenour in particular.  He is a featured vocalist on recording by Michele Columbier, Don Grusin, Freddie Hubbard, George Duke, Najee, Bill Withers, Barbarar Streisand, Johnny Mathis, the Benoit-Freeman Project (David Benoit & Russ Freeman), Sergio Mendez, Bobby Womack, Chaka Khan, FourPlay, and Wil Downing, to name a few.

Maysa


Maysa is a true original.  Blessed with a remarkably beautiful and instantly recognizable voice, the vocalist possesses the ability to know just where to take a song and what to do to unearth the heart of it and drive it home.  Maysa is a singer who is at home in any musical context whether it be jazz, soul, funk or R&B.  She is also a first rate composer.  It is no wonder why Jazziz Magazine calls her "one of the most identifiable and consistently enjoyable singers on the scene today!" and why The Baltimore Sun calls Maysa "one of the best singers in underground soul."  The songbird, who was a member of Stevie Wonder's Wonderlove and who was the lead vocalist for the celebrated British jazz/funk group Incognito also has a Soul Train Award for "Soul Approved Underground Singer."

Joe Johnson


The Memphis, Tennessee native started on his road to jazz distinction at an early age playing in his high schools music program and his family's church choir.  "There should be some type of bridge built between contemporary jazz lovers and fans of Hip-Hop and R&B music" says international jazz saxophone sensation Joe Johnson.  Johnson has played on more than 400 commercial and jingle dates working for major clients such as Target, Ford Motor Company, Budweiser Beers, Taco Bell, Coke, and Mattel Toys just to name a few.  He has opened national concerts for or shared the stage with a "Who's Who" of musical mega stars such as: Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker, Sade, Vanessa Williams, Gerald Levert, Jamie Foxx, KEM, Roy Ayers, Boney James, Cameo, Kim Waters, Kirk and Kevin Whalum, Peabo Bryson, the O'Jays, Barbara Mandrell, Howard Hewitt, Kindred, Karen Briggs, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmunds, Dr. Bobby Jones, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, and a host of others.  His voice of enthusiasm generates a compassionate sound that has garnered attention to his harvest of mouth-watering yet unpretentiously fresh sounds of smooth urban jazz.

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Bessie Smith Cultural Center
200 East Martin Luther King Blvd
Chattanooga, TN  37403