Get a Look-See at the Tinney Contemporary (on view through December)
A BRIEF PAUSE BETWEEN TWO MYSTERIES
Nashville Artist Wendy Walker Silverman invites viewers to pause, reflect, and inhabit the present moment.
With its rich fields of color and quiet emotional charge, A Brief Pause Between Two Mysteries invites viewers to slow down and look closely. On view at Tinney Contemporary from November 22nd through January 3rd, the exhibition by Nashville painter Wendy Walker Silverman explores the spaces between what we know and what we can only sense. The show takes its title from a line by Carl Jung—“life is a luminous pause between two mysteries that are yet one”—which wonderfully captures the contemplative tone of Silverman’s recent work. Known for her intuitive approach to abstraction and her sensitivity to color, Silverman reflects on memory, emotion, and the passage of time, offering painting itself as a moment of stillness within life’s constant movement.
MCR: The exhibition takes its name from one of your paintings, A Brief Pause Between Two Mysteries. What drew you to that title, and what does it capture about the spirit of the show?
Wendy Walker Silverman [WWS]: The title is based on a quote by Carl Jung, “Life is a luminous pause between two mysteries that are yet one.” So the pause is what we are experiencing as this existence, and the mysteries are birth and death. Not to be too cheeky, but I thought that should cover everything I would like to in this show, right?
MCR: Was that particular painting a starting point for the series or something that emerged later — a piece that helped everything else fall into place?
WWS:I’m always working on several paintings at one time, and they all kind of feed off of one another, and have a certain thread of continuity whether I realize it at the time or not. Over the years I’ve been painting, I’ve learned to trust that it will all form a narrative that makes sense (at least to me). It may sound strange, but the titles of my exhibitions and paintings just come to me as I am working.
MCR: How do the other works in the exhibition speak to or expand on the ideas behind that central painting?
WWS: My work for the last several years has really been inspired by my meditations on the human experience. Specifically, I’m thinking of emotional states, memory, and the passage of time. I think a lot about what we inherit in an intergenerational way–that means trauma and strengths, as well as emotional and physical traits. I’m very interested in patterns and repetition in every sense, too, and that comes through in my work, I think. So all of that to say that all of my work is driven by the idea of how we experience this existence we are in together right now.
MCR: Your paintings often seem to hover between abstraction and something nearly recognizable. Do you think about that balance as you work, or does it happen more intuitively? What does your painting process look like— are you someone who plans carefully, or do the images unfold on the canvas as you go?
WWS: For the last few years, anything recognizable in most of my work is unintentional, and the work unfolds intuitively as I paint. I begin with an idea of a palette and maybe a central shape…but I have learned that I cannot get too attached to the beginning shape, and it usually doesn’t even remain in its original state–if at all–in the finished painting. I think that because I am a traditionally trained painter who did a lot of landscapes and figurative work for the first several decades I was painting, that still comes through. I begin with an awareness of proportions of my surface, and then build the painting out intuitively from there.
When my work is seen in-person, I think people are surprised that they can see my hand in the work, and the layers of the initial decisions are intentionally left–this manifests sometimes as an edge of an original color, or the texture of the original shapes. So much of my work of the last few years features fields of solid, opaque color, and I have come to realize that leaving some trace as a ghost image of the decision-making process lends a translucency of sorts to the opacity of the finished surface. For me, seeing traces of the earlier decisions in the painting process parallels how the past is always woven into the present–a “past-presence”–and so that pentimento effect in my work is symbolic and important to me.
“I just think color holds a certain magic, much like how certain musical chords do.”
MCR: Color plays such a strong role in your work. How do you think about palette and tone when you’re building a painting?
WWS: I just think color holds a certain magic, much like how certain musical chords do. Color is always my starting point, and it is the thing that makes me excited every time I walk into my studio. I think for my process, more than the colors themselves, it is the rhythm and resonance that I am seeking in how colors relate to one another. My work for the last 5 or so years has greatly relied on the resonance of colors based on how they are arranged and juxtaposed. I am compelled to ground bright colors with earthier hues, which is another symbolic element in my work, because I feel the earth colors represent our corporeal existence, and blues, the spiritual; the other colors hold personal symbolism for me, too. There’s a point in the arrangement of the colors that the work begins to “sing” to me, or the painting comes alive suddenly, and that is the thing I am seeking every time I begin a painting–it is the driving force of my practice.
MCR: The title suggests a moment of stillness inside something much larger. Does that idea connect to how you see painting itself — as a kind of pause or reflection?
WWS: Oh, yes, most definitely. I would never suggest that my paintings are spiritual, but the practice of painting is very spiritual for me; I think that is the gift of a creative practice of any kind for anyone who gets to experience that. I really do feel deeply that creativity is an important facet or byproduct of the luminous pause that Jung is referring to.
MCR: When people step into the gallery, what do you hope they’ll feel or take away from this body of work?
WWS: I hope that people can find a bit of respite, warmth and stillness from some of the hard realities that are swirling around us.
MCR: You’ve been part of the Nashville art scene for some time now. How has that community influenced the way you make and show your work?
WWS: I will admit that I tend toward being a bit insular in my studio practice, and can slip into hermit mode quite naturally, but there are so many visual artists in Nashville doing great work right now, and I feel lucky to be making work at the same time and in the same place with them. I am also really grateful to have such a wonderful and supportive relationship with the team at Tinney Contemporary.
MCR: When the show is finished and out in the world, what’s next — are there new ideas or directions taking shape in your studio?
WWS: I have been feeling a pull to turn toward figurative painting again for the last few years, and I have a few pieces started that are based on dreams I have had, but we will see what happens! Honestly, I usually don’t know what is going to happen in my studio until I walk in and pick up the brush, and that is one of the most enjoyable things about my practice. I am also working on a Masters of Science in Social Work, and I can already feel shifts in my work from that experience, so this is a really exciting time for me in the studio.
A Brief Pause between Two Mysteries is on view at the Tinney Contemporary Gallery through January 3rd.
Instagram is @wendywalkersilverman_art
website: https://www.wendywalkersilverman.com.
For inquiries contact: https://tinneycontemporary.com
Urban Musical Theatre at TPAC
From South Pacific to South Georgia: The Color Purple
In 1949, only a few years after the casualties of World War II, the famed team of Rodgers and Hammerstein premiered a musical that dealt courageously with controversial issues of war outside the US and the dangers of prejudice inside American hearts. Now, nearly 75 years later, only a few years after massive protests about the dangers of prejudice in American hearts, the new team at Urban Musical Theatre has performed a musical that deals courageously with a controversial book on issues of war inside an American community.
This performance of The Color Purple, premiered in Atlanta, produced on Broadway by Oprah Winfrey, et al, and licensed through Theatrical Rights Worldwide, occurred to a nearly sold-out crowd on Saturday evening November 15, 2025. Five minutes before start of show, it didn’t seem as if the “sold-out” part would be the case, with huge swaths of empty seats apparent throughout the orchestra level. But at 7:35 pm, the competent and courteous TPAC staff quickly seated the sudden influx of last-minute theatregoers resulting in only a minimal delay. After a lively welcome by announcer/artistic director Dee DuVall, the purple curtains rose.
For Nashville, Urban Musical Theatre, headed by Executive Director Trina Dingle produced the finely crafted musical that joins an impressive list of works in recent years chronicling the American experience. Much like South Pacific, this show is set in in wartime: one during World War II battle fronts in the Pacific south and the other during a more personal series of battles in the American South.
The story traces the life of Celie beginning in her early teen years through her arduous path of drudgery and unrelenting abuse—including cruel separation from her children, beloved sister, and her one love interest, toward ultimate liberation, independence, and a measure of happiness. It is based Alice Walker’s powerful work, which inspired two award-winning films and this musical.
Winner of both the Nobel Prize and National Book Award in fiction in 1983, the book is both celebrated and controversial, one of the most commonly challenged works for those advocating book bans. In addition to its descriptions of physical, emotional and sexual violence against women, and implied incest, not to mention a lesbian relationship, some parents also object to its use of black vernacular, profanity, and some characters who challenge the will of God in their miserable lives.
Given this, my sole issue with the musical is the imbalance between the gut-wrenching pain in the book and the musical’s overemphasis on the positive, the cheerful, the humorous. Audiences who have not read the book or are able to separate the musical from the book are more likely to consider this musical in two acts a more complete success.
Yet, however understated or simply alluded to, the writer Marsha Norman and director Dee DuVall still include aspects of the heartbreak. The opening with two young girls, Celie and Nettie, playing patty cake, for example, would seem unremarkable, except Celie, barely in her teens, is heavily pregnant with her second child. Later, Mister’s entry, asking to court Nettie but agreeing to accept Celie while carrying a whip, is effective. And when we see Celie’s friend Sofia in jail, we have not witnessed her severe beating, but seeing the once jubilant woman sitting cowed, slumped over, and silent, shows her suffering. 
In addition to the actors’ skilled body language, Nicholas Owens’s choreography effectively depicts widely diverse scenes in the aisles of a church, down the road to a juke joint, and across the ocean into West Africa. Avoiding colorless imitation, he and his talented dance crew reveal distinctive references to those traditions in the raised arms and stamping feet of the churchgoers, the swivelling hips of the juke joint patrons, and the bent waists and shuffling bare feet of the Africans. And similar to the Martha Graham Dance Company’s 2025 production of Appalachian Spring, also held in TPAC’s Polk Theater, the minimalist sets and basic, but appropriate, costuming leant robust support to the story.
Most effective of all, however, was the use of the three Church Ladies (Carleen Reynolds, TaShia Smith, Donequa Glascoe). With each change of costume and affect, they serve as a movable feast of Greek choruses, appearing in each stage of the story: capped by fancy netted fascinators for church scenes, glittery dresses in the joint, and swatches of kente cloth for African scenes, their bright personalities and skintight harmonies stitched the episodes together seamlessly.
Celie, quite well-acted by Jasmine Elliott, used her body expertly, initially beaten into what seemed like permanent subservience, but gradually finding her voice and straight posture through the examples of Harpo’s wife Sofia and Shug Avery, the woman Mister dreams of. Elliott cleverly saved the power of her thrilling voice until the cri de coeur “Dear God” midway through Act I. Many Broadway belters cannot help but let loose too early, but she had the control to put the story above the ego. Similarly skilled as Harpo, Marcus Elliott used a recurring goofy chuckle and horse-pawing leg movements as comic relief while his character transformed from mindless aping of his father’s misogyny to faithful expressions of his sincere love for Sofia.
But this is, after all, a music. Among the most moving songs was “Our Prayer” a duet for Celie and Nettie and “What About Love?” a duet for Celie and Shug, the first non-family member who ever showed Celie both emotional and physical affection. But in addition to “Dear God” the showstopper was “Hell No!” an ensemble piece where Sofia (played by Urban Musicals talent director Kila J. Adams) confidently sings of just how much crap she is willing to take, which is exactly none.
Like its famed predecessor, South Pacific, this musical deals with troubling racial, gender, and religious issues peculiar to the American experience. Color Purple also has a happy ending as Celie is reunited with the children she had thought dead and with her sister to whom she had written letters for forty years, letters Mister had kept hidden with letters to her from Nettie in Africa. And like the team Logan, Rogers, and Hammerstein for South Pacific, Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, the musical team of The Color Purple created a lively, thought-provoking evening’s entertainment perfect for Nashville’s interactive audience. Example? When Celie pronounces “If God ever listened to a poor colored woman the world would be a different place,” there were head nods and shouts of “AMEN!” all over the theater, including the gay white male couple seated right in front of me. When we realized how many people agreed, the nods and shouts became companionable chuckles.
Both these excellent musicals are quintessentially American, using American subjects, American musical genres, ultimately, highlighting American optimism and determination to survive.
Although The Color Purple has left Nashville, you should check out Urban Musical Theatre for future tours, and there are other great shows at TPAC forthcoming during the holiday season, including Die Hard: A Christmas Carol in the Johnson Theater, Nutcracker in Jackson Hall, and It’s a Wonderful Life in Polk Theater. Happy Holidays!
Coming in December
The Jazz Beat — December 2025
Hello, all, and welcome back to this regular column here at Music City Review. Here, we will update you with the most can’t-miss jazz events happening in Music City, so you can be sure to catch all your favorites, as well as discover new ones along the way. Get out there and support your local musicians and keep Music City thriving! We are always looking to promote great music that may not get the attention it deserves. Have an event you think should be included in the next issue? Email me at: [email protected]
If you wish to subscribe to this guide, click here! Links to specific venues below:
This Month’s Highlights
Hello, all, and welcome back to this regular column here at Music City Review. Here, we will update you with the most can’t-miss jazz events happening in Music City, so you can be sure to catch all your favorites, as well as discover new ones along the way. Get out there and support your local musicians and keep Music City thriving! We are always looking to promote great music that may not get the attention it deserves. Have an event you think should be included in the next issue? Email me at: [email protected]
Here are the performances this month that I have picked out as really special, ones you won’t be able to catch any day of the week. They span across Nashville’s many great jazz venues and offer something of interest for everyone.
El Mantis / Monica Shriver Trio / J.W. Bird – Friday, December 5 – 7:00 PM ($20) (Random Sample)
El Mantis is a Houston-based experimental music group born through a collaboration between drummer/vocalist Angel Garcia, saxophonist Danny Kamins, and guitarist Andrew Martinez. With a mix of many genres and a focus on avant-garde jazz, the group quickly became known in the Houston experimental music scene for their inventive compositions. They released their first album independently in 2022. They will be supported on this show by the Monica Shriver Trio, another experimental jazz ensemble who have released two albums, and J.W. Bird, a Nashville-based violinist, and composer who has released 10 full-length records, both solo and as collaborator, on his independent label Sagittal Plane.
A Charlie Brown Christmas w/ Alex Murphy Trio (multiple shows) (Rudy’s)
Rising star pianist Alex Murphy offers a number of performances of the classic Charlie Brown Christmas score with his trio, sure to get anyone in the Holiday spirit. He will also be joined by several special guest vocalists throughout these performances. Sunday, December 7 – 6:00 PM ($33) Thursday, December 18 – 9:00 PM ($33) Friday, December 19 – 5:30 PM ($35) & 8:00 PM ($43) Saturday, December 20 – 5:30 PM ($37) & 8:00 PM ($43) Sunday, December 21 – 6:00 PM ($33)
The Yohannes Tona Band – Sunday, December 7 – 7:30 PM ($35) (NJW)
Bassist Yohannes Tona is originally from Ethiopia, where he grew up absorbing the sounds of his parents’ traveling music ministry, forming his early love of music. Through education at Yared Music School in Addis Ababa and Berklee College in Boston, Tona honed his craft and quickly established himself as a world-class musician and composer. His music blends his Ethiopian heritage with the language of American jazz, soul, and funk music, making for an incredibly rich and unique sound. Now he brings his band to the Jazz Cave, accompanied by David Rodgers on piano/keyboards, Luke Sullivant on guitar, Miguel Alvarado on sax/flute, and Wendell Henry on drums/percussion.
Sam Greenfield – Monday, December 8 – 8:00 PM ($30) (Cannery Hall)
Saxophonist Sam Greenfield’s music is upbeat, funky, and features intricately written harmonic lines. His sound will hit home for any jazz fan.
A Young Original Christmas – Wednesday, December 17 – 6:00 PM ($18) (Rudy’s)
For something a little different from what we’re used to seeing as live jazz fans, Young Original brings their acoustic band to Rudy’s, offering a unique fusion of jazz, classical, folk, and pop influences for an evening of Christmas tunes. The band is known for their dynamic performances and incredible level of musicianship. The group consists of pianist and multi-instrumentalist Benjamin Morren, vocalist Josie James, cellist Silas Johnson, and producer and multi-instrumentalist Joe Xiques.
Tribute to McCoy & Trane w/ Don Aliquo (2 shows) – Saturday, December 27 – 8:00 PM ($22) & Sunday, December 28 – 6:00 PM ($18) (Rudy’s)
Saxophonist Aliquo offers another special tribute-style performance this month, which you will have two chances to see. This time, he is focusing on John Coltrane, and specifically, the work the legendary saxophonist did with pianist McCoy Tyner, who became the harmonic heart of Coltrane’s classic quartet. These performances pay homage to the indescribable impact the pair made on jazz music. Aliquo’s group will feature Marc Payne on piano, Jack Aylor on bass, and Joshua Cook on drums.
New Years Eve w/ the Wooten Brothers – Wednesday, December 31 – 8:00 PM ($140) (Rudy’s)
Brothers Regi and Joseph Wooten return for their super-popular annual NYE show at Rudy’s. With a ticket, guests gain access to the show, a photo booth, New Orleans-themed hors d’oeuvres, and a midnight champagne toast. The brothers and their band offer a night of high-energy funk music, setting the perfect mood to bring in the New Year.
Analog at Hutton Hotel
The Analog is a cozy and intimate venue at the heart of Nashville’s Hutton Hotel. Here you will find music of all types, from jazz and blues to folk to pop.
Moga Family Band – Thursday, December 4 – 7:00 PM ($15 GA / $20 reserved)
Musical collective Moga Family Band present for one night only their show How the Moga Family Band Stole Christmas, which will transform the Analog into a Christmas playground and present classic Christmas tunes uniquely arranged to feature the band’s genre-bending style and top-notch musicianship. The band is known for their powerful harmonies, jam-band worthy playing, and pop-friendly hooks.
Monica Ramey – Friday, December 5 – 8:00 PM ($20)
If you’ve followed the jazz scene in Nashville, you probably know vocalist Monica Ramey. She is known for her deep knowledge of the classic jazz tradition, masterfully interpreting the Great American Songbook and other jazz standards. She has been described as having an “impeccable” voice and as öne of the best jazz vocalists” (Broadway World). Joining her for this performance are Pat Coil on piano, Chris Autry on bass, and Miles Damaso on drums.
Analog Soul – Every Sunday (except December 14) – 7:00 PM (Free GA / $20 reserved seating)
The Analog continues its Analog Soul series, featuring some of the city’s most promising emerging talent who are redefining soul music. These shows will as usual feature Will Davenport and DJ Smoke.
Joseph Wooten’s Annual Holiday & Birthday Celebration – Sunday, December 14 – 8:00 PM ($30)
Grammy-nominated keyboardist, vocalist, and composer and Wooten brother Joseph Wooten returns to the Analog for his annual Holiday concert which also celebrates his birthday. Wooten spent thirty-two years as the keyboardist for the legendary Steve Miller Band, and is a highly acclaimed songwriter in his own right, blending all his influences from funk, soul, and jazz. He is currently entering a new phase of his career, focusing on solo projects, and is due to release a new album next year.
Arrington Vineyards
With the dropping temperatures, Arrington Vineyards continues to offer weekend entertainment, but with a somewhat reduced capacity. You’ll still be able to catch live jazz here every weekend, at Arrington’s Pavilion Tent. I’ve listed the dates and performing acts below.
Jazz in the Pavilion Tent
Saturday, December 6 – 3:00-7:00 PM – Triple Dare Jazz Band
Saturday, December 13 – 3:00-7:00 PM – The Lilliston Effect
Saturday, December 20 – 3:00-7:00 PM – Andrew Carney Quartet
Sunday, December 21 – 1:00-5:00 PM – Miles Damaso Group
Saturday, December 27 – 3:00-7:00 PM – 9 Volt Romeo Band
Sunday, December 28 – 1:00-5:00 PM – Reed Pittman Band
City Winery Nashville
Nashville’s City Winery is a beautiful venue that consistently features top-talent acts that span genres from Jazz to Americana to Hip Hop. The below performances showcase a mix of several genres, but will certainly be of interest to any jazz audience. Enjoy these concerts accompanied by a stellar selection of wine and delicious bites.
Main Stage
A Charlie Brown Christmas w/ Jody Nardone – Sunday, December 14 – 7:30 PM ($20-35)
Another chance to catch A Charlie Brown Christmas, this time with Jody Nardone and his trio. If you follow the jazz scene here, you probably know Nardone as a frequent face at Rudy’s Jazz Room. This marks Nardone’s 10th annual performance of this music. His trio features Brian Allen on bass and Chris Brown on drums.
Nashville Jazz Orchestra: Boxing Day – Friday, December 26 – 7:30 PM ($25 advance / $30 day-of-show)
The NJO continues their annual Boxing Day performance, for those that want to get out of the house after the big holiday. The NJO was one of Nashville’s very first big bands, and for many years was one of the only big bands that existed in Music City. The level of musicianship of this band has not diminished over the years, so expect an incredible performance.
The Lounge
CusCampbell – Sunday, December 7 – 7:00 PM ($20-30)
Award-winning artist, songwriter, and trombonist CusCampbell comes to the Winery, backed by his stellar four-piece band. His music blends the traditions of jazz and R&B with newer styles like hip-hop and Afrobeats, creating a unique personal style. He and his band have become known for their high-energy performances and top-notch musicianship.
The Nashville Jazz Workshop
Moving on to Music City’s premier jazz venue, the Jazz Cave at the NJW is a venue with world-class acoustics, which consistently ranks in Downbeat Magazine’s list of Great Jazz Venues in the world. The Cave is packed with great performances this month, so get your tickets now!
Jazz Cave
A Charlie Brown Christmas w/ Lori Mechem (2 shows) – Friday, December 5 & Saturday, December 6 – 7:30 PM ($35)
Longtime mainstay Nashville pianist Lori Mechem leads her quartet for two performances of the timeless Vince Guaraldi A Charlie Brown Christmas. As many of you surely know, Mechem has enjoyed an incredibly storied career spanning decades and including performances with Dizzy Gillespie, Jimmy Smith, Red Holloway, and many more. If you’re in the mood for the nostalgic feeling of this classic score, you would be hard pressed to find a better version than this. Her band will feature Roger Spencer on bass, Andy Reiss on guitar, and Chris Brown on drums.
Jazz AM: Holiday Jazz – Saturday, December 6 – 10:00 AM (FREE)
Jazz AM is a series of free Saturday morning programs, mostly geared towards children age 2-10 and their families. The program, facilitated by professional musicians, offers an interactive jazz concert to engage students, encourage creativity, and build musical awareness for these young people. This edition, of course, will feature Holiday music.
The Yohannes Tona Band – detailed above
Christmas w/ Haley and Friends – Friday, December 12 – 7:30 PM ($35)
Nashville vocalist Haley Schattschneider returns to the Cave with her band to lead a special Christmas set featuring music from her beloved annual “Christmas Sessions” YouTube series. Schattschneider released her debut album in July of this year, and her career has already included session work and performances with Stephen Schwartz, Sheryl Crow, Amy Grant, and more. She will be joined by a host of other wonderful musicians, including guest vocalists, Hannah Howell, Maxwell Sadler, James Richardson, and Chloe Parrish, and her band, featuring Daniel Kuk on piano, Isaas Mauldin on bass, Justin Amaral on drums, Patrick Dukes on guitar, and AJ Huang on saxophone.
Random Sample
Random Sample is an art gallery located in West Nashville. Though it primarily focuses on art displays, the venue also hosts various other types of events, from film screenings to intimate musical performances.
El Mantis / Monica Shriver Trio / J.W. Bird – detailed above
Nashville Improvisation Ensemble presents “Jacob’s Ladder” – Wednesday, December 10 – 7:00 PM ($20)
The Nashville Improvisation Ensemble is a group led by pianist Matt Endahl, featuring some of Nashville’s top improvisational talent. This includes names like Rod McGaha (trumpet), Steve Pardo (sax/clarinet), Kris Karlsson (guitar), and many others. As the name suggests, the group’s music is highly improvisational and experimental, pushing the boundaries of what a live band can do. “Jacob’s Ladder” is a composition by leader Endahl, a series of pieces based on the structure of DNA nucleotides.
Sean Hamilton / Klimchak – Saturday, December 20 – 7:00 PM ($20)
Sean Hamilton is a percussionist, composer, and improviser whose work is rooted in avant-garde and experimental music, free jazz and improvisation, as well as electronic music. He also incorporates design, photography, and multimedia projects, bringing together the analog and digital medium.
Rudy’s Jazz Room
Now we move on to Nashville’s premier jazz club, with its cozy, intimate setting. I’ll start with some of the unique highlights for this month, then follow up with the great regular acts performing. Please note that some shows are one dollar cheaper if you purchase advance tickets. I have listed the door price for all shows.
Rudy’s Highlights
Below are the performances for this month that I’ve picked out as the real can’t-miss shows, some featuring touring artists from out of state, others featuring local artists giving specialized, unique performances.
Wendy Burns Presents: The Christmas Star – Wednesday, December 3 – 6:00 PM ($18)
Top Nashville vocalist Wendy Burns presents Rudy’s first Christmas performance of the year, joined by special guests and backed by a stellar band. Burns is a highly-acclaimed singer who has won many awards, including the 2024 Best Jazz Vocalist from the Nashville Music Industry Awards. She is joined by Brian Allen on bass, Bryan Brock on drums, Melvin Macias on piano, and Bryan Meggison on sax.
Rougarou 6-Piece New Orleans Brass Band – Thursday, December 4 – 9:00 PM ($14)
Continuing its running “SINdustry night” series on the first Thursday of the month, this New Orleans-style brass band returns to Rudy’s to showcase the club’s Cajun roots. Led by New Orleans native Chris Walters on piano, this band offers as authentic a brass band experience you can find without traveling to the French Quarter. Service industry workers with some form of proof of their employment will receive half off the door price and half price draft beer.
Ellisa Sun – Friday, December 5 – 5:30 PM ($15)
Guitarist Ellisa Sun is an original artist combining elements of R&B, soul, jazz, and bossa nova in her music, some of which has been featured in major TV shows like “LA’s Finest,” “Dollface,” and “Kung Fu.” Her debut full-length album was released in February 2024 after a successful crowdfunding campaign.
Desmond Ng Quintet – Friday, December 5 – 8:00 PM ($20)
One of Music City’s finest jazz trombonists, Desmond Ng leads a quintet with some of Nashville’s top jazz talent. Since relocation to Nashville from Phoenix, Arizona, Ng has recorded and performed with notable artists like Dan & Shay, Judah and the Lion, the Nashville Symphony, Nashville Jazz Orchestra, and may more. He is also a prolific composer.
Jazz Clarinet Spectacular w/ Don Aliquo – Saturday, December 6 – 5:30 PM ($16)
Prominent Nashville saxophonist and Rudy’s regular Don Aliquo presents a special concert, this time switching it up and focusing on the clarinet in jazz music. He will be joined by fellow woodwind-ist David Williford on clarinet, bassist Jack Aylor, and drummer Ryan Brasley.
Jacob Jezioro Quartet – Saturday, December 6 – 8:00 PM ($21)
Mainstay Nashville jazz bassist Jacob Jezioro now leads his own quartet featuring some of Nashville’s most well-known players, including Matt Endahl on piano, David Williford on sax, and Sofia Goodman on drums.
A Charlie Brown Christmas w/ Alex Murphy Trio – detailed above
Cox, Flowers, & Meeks: Ready for Christmas – Wednesday, December 10 – 6:00 PM ($18)
Another Christmas show focusing on vocal music, singers Kyle Cox, Abigail Flowers, and Tabitha Meeks join forces for an evening of both original music and Christmas classics. All three are known as top-tier vocalists who also write their own music, so this should be an interesting evening, offering tunes you’ve a thousand times and ones you’ve never heard before.
An Old Fashioned Christmas w/ Stephanie Adlington (multiple shows) – Thursday, December 11 through Sunday, December 14 – 6:30 PM & 9:00 PM ($36-39)
For those in the mood for a more traditional Christmas sound, Rudy’s presents a series of shows, led by the “Siren of the South” Stephanie Adlington, featuring timeless Holiday standards and New Orleans Christmas classics. The Rudy’s menu will also feature special seasonal cocktails and New Orleans inspired holiday food selection.
A Young Original Christmas – detailed above
Sofia Goodman Trio – Friday, December 19 – 11:00 PM ($10)
Internationally recognized drummer and composer Sofia Goodman leads her trio to conclude their “Presence Tour.” Goodman’s arrangements and compositions have been described as “mesmerizing and compositionally rich” (DownBeat) and she has been called a “splendid composer and drummer” (All About Jazz). As a group, the Goodman Trio has toured the US and Canada, and appeared at many notable venues and festivals. Her trio features Matt Twaddle on piano and Jacob Jezioro on bass.
The David Ian Vintage Christmas Experience – Monday, December 22 – 6:00 PM ($14)
Pianist David Ian brings his “Vintage Christmas” show back to Rudy’s, right before the big holiday. This show is a live performance of a collection of his jazz trio arrangements from his four Vintage Christmas releases, which span over a decade of his career. As the name might suggest, these tunes offer a traditional, nostalgic sound for Christmases of yesteryear. Ian is joined by Blake Branch on bass, Sean McDonald on drums, and James Zimmerman on clarinet and saxophone.
Miguel Alvarado Quartet – Friday, December 26 – 11:00 PM ($10)
Multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, and educator Miguel Alvarado has made a name for himself as an innovator on the scene today, fusing the classic traditions of jazz music with contemporary R&B, Latin, and electronic music. His 2020 album Idile was praised for its innovative compositions and Alvarado himself for his improvisational prowess, which he also brings to his live performances. Alvarado has also toured extensively with the Darren English Quintet, including throughout South Africa and Europe.
Tribute to McCoy & Trane w/ Don Aliquo – detailed above
New Years Eve w/ the Wooton Brothers — detailed above.
Rudy’s Regulars
Joshua Constantine Quartet (2 shows) – Mondays, December 1 & 15 – 6:00 PM ($12)
Saxophonist Constantine is a former member of Grammy-nominated UNT One O’Clock Lab Band, and student of world-renowned saxophonist Brad Leali. Currently an active performer and educator in Nashville, Constantine tends to pay homage to the classic giants of jazz, honoring composers and performers like John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk, Wayne Shorter, and more. His quartet will feature Sam Smith on bass, Danny McGonegle on drums, and Daniel Mandrychenko on guitar.
Regi Wooten & Friends – Wednesdays, December 3, 10, 17 – 9:00 PM ($15)
Coming from a distinctly talented musical family, Regi Wooten is one of the most innovative and dynamic musicians on the scene today, pushing the boundaries of the traditional genres. Equally at home playing Hendrix as Wes Montgomery, Wooten assembles a group of some of Nashville’s best musicians to offer a night steeped in funk, jazz, soul, blues and rock.
Geoff Pfeifer Quartet (2 shows) – Friday, December 5 & Saturday, December 27 – 11:00 PM ($10)
Playing a mix of Wayne Shorter tunes and originals, Geoff Pfeifer brings gritty, edgy, genuine NYC-style jazz to Rudy’s stage with his Quartet.
Marc Payne Quartet (2 shows) – Saturdays, December 6 & 20 – 11:00 PM ($10)
One of Nashville’s most talented up-and-coming pianists Marc Payne will lead groups three times this month. Payne has been praised for his diversity and wide knowledge of many jazz styles. He has spent his life in Nashville soaking up many different sounds and styles, and this diversity comes through in his masterful playing.
Jonathan Wires Quartet – Monday, December 8 – 6:00 PM ($12)
Nashville bassist Jonathan Wires returns as bandleader in a quartet setting.
Cliff Richmond & the CliffNotes – Friday, December 26 – 5:30 PM ($14)
Guitarist and vocalist Cliff Richmond’s band always features some of Nashville’s top talent, and presents a great blend of soulful, swinging, and funky jazz.
Pat Coil Quartet – Friday, December 26 – 8:00 PM ($21)
All-star Nashville pianist Pat Coil returns with his quartet this month. As you all probably know by now, Coil is a highly in-demand pianist in Nashville and just about everywhere else, having toured extensively both nationally and internationally. His quartet for this show will feature Steve Kovalcheck on guitar, Craig Akin on bass, and Ryan Brasley on drums.
Re-Evolution – Monday, December 29 – 6:00 PM ($12)
This five-piece band is heavily influenced by classic jazz cutting-edge artists like Thelonius Monk, Wes Montgomery, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, and more. The band consists of Brian Cornish on saxophone, Regi Wooten on bass, Daryl Johnson on drums, Adam Charney on guitar and Alex Murphy on piano.
Rebecca Carlson – Saturday, December 27 – 5:30 PM ($14)
Jazz and blues vocalist Rebecca Carlson has made a name for herself across the country, taking stints based in New York City, Tucson, Los Angeles, and now Nashville. An extensive touring and recording career has made her quite an in-demand performer.
Giovanni Rodriguez & 12 Manos – Every Monday – 9:00 PM ($15)
A favorite on the Nashville Latin and jazz scene, multi-instrumentalist Giovanni Rodriguez presents an electric night of salsa, along with his band consisting of Rodriguez (timbales/vocals), Melvin Macias (piano/vocals), Yosvany Cordero (congo/bongo), Michael S. Morton (flute/vocals), and Isoel Villarrubia (bass).
Hot Club Gypsy Jazz – Every Thursday (except December 25) – 6:00 PM ($12)
Every Thursday night, Rudy’s honors its New Orleans and French roots by celebrating the vibrant music of Gypsy Jazz. These nights feature a variety of small groups either led or curated by New Orleans native Brook Sutton, all performing music in the style of the great Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grapelli. The bar will feature French Quarter-inspired cocktails as well as gumbo and beignets. Come out for as authentic a night as you can get without a trip to the French Quarter.
Rudy’s Jazz Jam – Every Sunday (except December 14) – 9:00 PM ($10)
I couldn’t make a list of Rudy’s events without including a shout-out for the regular weekly Jazz Jam the club hosts every Sunday night. Whether you are a jazz musician and you want to jam with your fellow artists, or you just want to come and enjoy what the local talent has to offer, the Jazz Jam is a great way to end your weekend.
The Underdog Nashville
Cam G and the Tasty Soul – Thursday, December 4 – 7:00 PM ($10)
Led by saxophonist Cam Gallagher and comprised of young and energetic musicians, this is one of Nashville’s premier funk bands. Great songwriting along with killer performance chops make these shows a ton of fun.
Regular Nashville Hangs
Bohemia After Dark: Live Jazz Band with Andrew Golden – Every Monday – 8:00 PM (Old Glory)
Tuesday Bluesday w/ Shantelle & The Juke Joint Band – Every Tuesday – 6:30 PM (Rawhides)
Weekly blues night with a different special guest each week.
Dinner & A Show – Live Jazz Band – Every Friday – 7:00 PM (Flamingo Cocktail Club)
Living Room Sessions – Every Friday & Saturday – 8:00 PM (W Nashville Hotel)
Regular weekly showcase featuring local indie, jazz, funk, and R&B bands.
Eastside Jam – Every Sunday – 9:00 PM (Inglewood Lounge)
This is not a traditional jazz jam playing standards, but rather an improv jam, but any jazz player or listener will still be interested!
Live Jazz at Wilburn St. Tavern – Tuesday Evenings
Nightly Jazz at Skull’s Rainbow Room
Nightly Jazz at Sinatra Bar & Lounge
Live Jazz at Skye Lounge – Every Friday & Saturday – 7:30 PM
NJW at Char Steakhouse – Evenings and Sunday Brunch
Monday Night Jazz – Every Monday – 7:00 PM (Kingdom Café & Grill)
Coming to OZ
Radical Inclusion on Stage: Inside shackled feet DANCE!’s Synergy
As Nashville’s interdisciplinary arts landscape continues to evolve, few companies embody its spirit of community-rooted innovation as powerfully as shackled feet DANCE!. Led by Nashville natives Shabaz Ujima and Thea Jones, the collective has become known for its radically inclusive practice—one that fuses movement, music, storytelling, and civic engagement into deeply human performance experiences. Their upcoming large-scale work Synergy, premiering at OZ Arts Nashville, brings together an expansive intergenerational ensemble and an original score and visual environment by acclaimed musician and photographer Rod McGaha.
Synergy explores the connective tissue between dance, improvisation, the visual. Through this fusion, the artists seek not only to honor the cultural legacy of improvisatory Black art forms, but also to foreground community representation as a vital part of contemporary performance. Ujima, Jones, and McGaha seem to approach the work as an invitation—to participate, to witness one another, and to reimagine how shared creativity can shape a more inclusive and resonant artistic future.
In advance of the premiere, The Music City Review had the opportunity to ask Ujima, McGaha, and Jones about community, collaboration, and the expansive creative process behind Synergy. Below are their responses:
MCR: shackled feet DANCE! is known for fostering a “radically inclusive” ensemble. What does it mean for your company to prioritize community representation, and what value does this bring to the art form itself?
SHABAZ UJIMA: As stated in our mission statement, shackled feet DANCE! is an interdisciplinary, intergenerational, ALL inclusive dance/movement collective that serves as an opportunity to Connect, Collaborate, and Celebrate the triumphs and troubles of the HUMAN experience from a Black and UNIVERSAL perspective.
We want the community to see themselves and their stories on stage. When we have diverse voices in the creative process, we explore and grow in unimaginable ways. There is also space for us to celebrate our differences while embracing what connects us.
MCR: As leaders of shackled feet DANCE!, you both (Shabaz and Thea) are celebrated community icons in Nashville. How does your deep connection to the city and your previous community-focused work inform the spirit and power of a large-scale premiere like this at OZ Arts?
THEA JONES: Shabaz and I are both Nashville natives. We know the heart of this city, especially the old and almost forgotten. It’s extremely important to both of us to work from the inside out, from purpose to the people, and from soul to seeing the heart of the human, and to do effectively, one must reach out and invite in.
We have had some incredible opportunities to strengthen our ties to the community creatively through unique collaborations. Some of these include: leading activations with Dr. Shamel Bell’s Street Dance Activism in the Andrew Jackson Projects, co- choreographing Little Amal- The Walk in Centennial Park, performing with Dave Ragland and Inversions Vocal Ensemble, performing with and contributing to Friends Life Community creative programming, consulting and supporting arts programming at many schools around the city, guiding movement series at 50 Forward, creating movement art with international artists Michelle Eistrup and Jeanette Ehlers for multidisciplinary gallery exhibitions at Fisk University through the Engine for Art, Democracy and Justice (EADJ), performing for and activating audiences at the The World Africulture Fest, The World Peace Festival, Kwanzaa Nashville, Deep Tropics, Fisk Art Museum, WO Smith Gallery and MLK Gala.
This community work wholly informs the spirit of this large-scale premiere at OZ because we’ve met each and every participant, individually, through the work that we have done communally. Now, we get the privilege of creating a unified sound with all these interesting perspectives and that is undeniably POWERFUL.
MCR: You are collaborating with Rod McGaha on the original score and projected artwork. How did the multi-disciplinary creative process—merging dance, live music, and visual art—influence or shape the way you and Thea Jones built the choreography?
SHABAZ UJIMA: It was our goal to show the intersection of all arts and how they can influence each other. When you look at Rod McGaha’s photography, it doesn’t just sit on the canvas. It moves, it sings, it dances!
We want to show how there is movement and song in all that we do. We also want to remind audiences that we have been moving and improvising since the beginning of time.
MCR: The piece is inspired by “Black Classical Music”—Miles Davis’s term for jazz. Why was using this terminology and the improvisational spirit of the genre essential to the core message and movement of Synergy?
ROD MCGAHA: I use Miles Davis’s term Black Classical Music because it honors this music as a deep, expressive tradition rooted in Black creativity and community. Synergy has choreography, but its heartbeat is improvisation. There are moments when a solo dancer and I respond to each other the way musicians do, and other times when I improvise on trumpet to what the different groups are creating in real time. It’s a blend of the known and the unknown. In those exchanges, where the dancer’s story and my trumpet voice shape the moment together, we tap into the true spirit of Black Classical Music: listening, trusting, and creating something soulful, honest, immediate, and unrepeatable.
MCR: What do you hope audience members—particularly those who may be new to “Black Classical Music” or improvisational dance—take away as the central emotional feeling or lasting impact of the Synergy experience?
SHABAZ UJIMA: We hope that audiences leave feeling empowered by seeing themselves on stage and understanding that we ALL move, improvise, and create.
No matter the space or place our intention is the same. You are not a spectator, you are a participate, and you are welcome just the way you are. We encourage all to join us, see a neighbor, and joyfully engage in a collective moment of gratitude.
We are NOT DANCERS DANCING, WE ARE MOVING PEOPLE. It is our desire that people leave wanting to connect and grow by fostering new connections from diverse points of view.
MCR: As Synergy prepares to take the stage at OZ Arts Nashville, audiences will have the rare chance to experience a performance shaped directly by the city’s heartbeat—its people, its stories, and its creative resilience. The work stands not only as a testament to improvisation and interdisciplinary artistry, but as a celebration of communal connection in motion. Nashville is poised to witness shackled feet DANCE! at its most ambitious, expansive, and deeply human.
at David Lusk Gallery through November
Red Grooms and the Creation of the Tennessee Foxtrot Carousel
In most of the country, when people think of Red Grooms, they think of New York—his sprawling cityscapes, bustling figures, witty cartoon-like environments, and his “sculpto-pictoramas” that hum with Manhattan energy. But to truly understand him, you have to return (like he has) to Middle Tennessee, where it all began. Born Charles Rogers Grooms in 1937, he grew up in Nashville, absorbing its humor, stories, and cast of characters. That storytelling spirit, more than anything else, animates a great proportion of his works, especially the most iconic work created for his hometown: the Tennessee Foxtrot Carousel.
This fall, the David Lusk Gallery (Weho) will spotlight the carousel by presenting original artifacts from its creation—first-round drawings of its whimsical figures, mold forms, and even a new wall drawing. For those who know Grooms mostly as an installation artist, the carousel shows something more: a hometown artist who turned an entire city’s history into a rideable theater of memory.
Growing Up in Nashville
Nashville in the 1940s and 50s was a city in motion, and young Charles “Red” Grooms loved the city. “I saw Nashville as an urban place, ‘the Athens of the South,’ [….] I thought the country was anticultural, and Nashville a metropolis; I had lots of civic pride.” From an early age his creativity was supported here. At ten he enrolled in art classes at the Nashville Children’s Museum. Nashville offered him the stage he would later transform into carousel panels: a city alive with storytellers, musicians, politicians, and everyday folks. As Judith Stein points out, “Hollywood films, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circuses, and the Tennessee State Fair’s Cavalcade of Amusement were the major formative influences of his childhood.”
Unlike artists who fled their hometowns, Grooms always saw New York as an extension of Nashville. He told the New York Times in 1981, “As a kid, I always fantasized about Nashville being New York.” It is wonderous to imagine, in the mid-1950s, Red Grooms was on a $45 weekly retainer for a Thompson Lane frame shop.
He studied at the Arts Institute of Chicago, Nashville’s Peabody College and later at the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts in Provincetown, MA. While there, he connected with the scene at Yvonne Andersen’s Sun Gallery—her husband, poet Dominic Falcone, gave Grooms his colorful nickname. But even as he absorbed the ideas behind abstract techniques, figurative expressionism and the avant-garde, he carried with him a distinct Nashville sensibility: a love of storytelling, an appreciation for personality, and a touch of theatricality that would later define his paintings.
From the Happenings to the Carousel
In the late 1950s and early 60s, Grooms began to emerge as a unique figure in the art world. While Pop Art was making waves with cool detachment, Grooms’s works expressed warmth and humor. In New York he created a number of “Happenings” on Delancey Street on the Lower East Side. These were more intellectual and cerebral than the chemical-infused “Happenings” on the West Coast, yet Grooms managed to fuse the performance with humor. Allan Kaprow, a student of John Cage who coined the term “happening” noted that Grooms was “…a Charlie Chaplin forever dreaming about fire.” (The reference here is connected both to Grooms’s humor and his early fascination with fire.)
After a period focused on film, where his depictions of urban life and humanity could be more animated and humourous, he turned to painting, constructions and scupture. His early site-specific sculptures and “sculpto-pictoramas,” including the famous City of Chicago (1967), are filled with bustling street scenes, storefronts and architecture in amazing detail, and exaggerated figures—less about ironic commentary and more about celebrating the everyday in all its chaos and charm.
In this period, Grooms found a way to merge the immediacy of drawing with the richness of color. He developed a style marked by bold outlines, vivid hues, and a cartoonish sensibility. The shapes and forms articulated action and energy, but the painting held so much theater. Every brushstroke seemed to dance, every figure seemed to be in media-res, somehow almost Baroque. His subjects were always urban and increasingly in New York—yellow taxis darting through traffic, pedestrians in constant motion, cultural icons rendered with affectionate caricature—quickly earned him acclaim. Yet those who know his roots could always see traces of Nashville: the humor of his characters, the warmth of his colors, and the sense that art should speak to everyone, not just the elite.
Tennessee-A complicated relationship
While Grooms spent much of his career in New York, he has never stopped returning to Nashville in spirit and in subject. He has painted the city’s landmarks, musicians, and characters with the same affection that he brings to New York. For an artist who thrives on the energy of place, Tennessee seems to have remained a muse, but not without complications. In 1981, as we have seen, he recognized his childhood naivete in fantisazing “about Nashville being New York.” In 1982, he spoke about the reaction to one of his controversial sculptures, The Shootout, which depicted a cowboy and Indian gunfight. In response to the protests and counterprotests over the installation slated for Denver, Grooms is known to have commented “Denver is beginning to rival Grumpsville, Tennessee as one of the great sourpuss towns.”
Nevertheless, in the 1990s, and at the height of his fame, Grooms created a monumental work titled Tennessee Foxtrot Carousel for Nashville’s Riverfront Park.
Fulfilling his early ambition to create an amusement park ride, the sculptural carousel is full-on Tennessee. Every panel is alive with Tennessee figures—Andrew Jackson, Lulu Clay Naff, Uncle Dave Macon, and Kitty Wells—rendered with humor and flair. His portraits of country music icons also reflect his Nashville identity. As is customary in his style, Grooms’s painted likenesses reveal the quirks and vitality of his subjects, from the twinkle in an eye to the swagger in a stance. These works do more than portray musicians; they celebrate their culture. As Joyce Henri Robinson has noted, while “…the mixture of parody and homage in Grooms’s portaits…charges all his depictions of American popular culture, […] Grooms approaches the world around him as a spectacle filled with novel forms of heroism.”
What distinguishes Red Grooms’s works is his ability to see the world as both spectacle and story. This perspective gives his works their democratic spirit inviting everyone to join in. His depictions are crowded, not exclusive; they are meant to be entered (or ridden), not observed from a distance — they capture not just a likeness but a spirit.
Back to Tennessee in the 2020s
After a long career in New York, Grooms has returned to Middle Tennessee (not Grumpsville mind you, but Beersheba Springs) and he has acquired representation from David Lusk. Recently, he has had an exhibition, It’s All about Flowers, which is made up of still-lives depicting florae on the porch of his Tennessee property during the pandemic. The exhibition offered a chance to see Grooms not only as a national and historical figure but also as a local artist whose career has always been loosely tied to his native Tennessee.
It was interesting and ironic to see the relish with which this city fellow paints nature and, if closely studied, one might also recognize the underlying impact of the pandemic. One of these paintings, Flowers in a Birch Vase, adorns the cover of this magazine. This can also be seen iin his Red Roses. Like a throughline, all the colors, the brightness, contrast and energy of his entire oeuvre are apparent, but you might also recognize the self-reflection, the drive to fill idle hands and his curiosity at the novel heroism in the perseverance of the beauty of things amidst a tragedy — something that puzzled all of us who survived those years.
Returning to the Carousel
By presenting this show, displaying the mold forms and first-round drawings of Red Grooms’s Tennessee Foxtrot Carousel, (one of which can be seen on the inside cover of this magazine) David Lusk Gallery is creating an exhibition that holds immense importance as an artistic and cultural event. Like a Beethoven sketch for a symphony, or an early draft of a Fitzgerald novel, these early materials reveal the creative process of a genius. The thinking behind one of Tennessee’s most celebrated public artworks, offering audiences rare insight into how Grooms transformed initial sketches and raw sculptural forms into the dynamic, full-scale carousel. By presenting the molds and preliminary drawings in a gallery context, viewers can witness the intersection of imagination, craftsmanship, and regional storytelling, tracing the evolution of characters and scenes from concept to finished work. Such an exhibition not only deepens appreciation for Grooms’s artistry but also preserves and shares a vital chapter in Tennessee’s cultural heritage. While the carousel itself has remained in storage at the Tennessee State Museum, from time-to-time interest in bringing it out bubbles up. Maybe this exhibit will push the idea over the top? If we can afford to build a new football stadium and a Tesla tunnel to the airport, surely we can build something for this!
in the day...
William Edmondson: Faith, Form, and the Poetry of Stone Celebrated at WEFEST
On Saturday, October 25th, Nashville celebrated its annual William Edmonsdson Arts & Culture Festival at the artist’s Homesite Park & Gardens. The festival honors the enduring legacy of its namesake, a remarkable artist whose story continues to inspire artists and citizens of Music City.
Edmondson was a self-taught sculptor from Nashville, Tennessee, whose extraordinary stone carvings transformed humble limestone into profound expressions of faith, community, and form. Born to formerly enslaved parents on the outskirts of Nashville, William Edmondson (1874-1951) had little formal education and worked for much of his life as a manual laborer—railroad worker, farmhand, janitor, and hospital orderly. His artistic career began unexpectedly in the early 1930s, when, after losing his job at the Women’s Hospital, he experienced what he described as a divine vision: God had instructed him to carve tombstones. Working with salvaged limestone blocks and a hammer and chisel, Edmondson began sculpting headstones for his neighbors, soon expanding to birds, animals, biblical figures, and women in graceful, abstracted poses.
Edmondson’s work reflects a fusion of spiritual devotion, African American folk tradition, and modernist formal clarity. His figures are characterized by solid geometry, rhythmic repetition, and a remarkable sensitivity to volume and surface. He often left tool marks visible, giving his sculptures a tactile immediacy that evokes both the roughness of the material and the warmth of the human hand. Though rooted in the functional and spiritual life of his community, Edmondson’s art also attracted national attention during his lifetime. In 1937, thanks to the advocacy of photographer Louise Dahl-Wolfe and curator Thomas Mabry, Edmondson became the first African American artist to have a solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. (Notably, there is an exhibition on Louise Dahl-Wolfe happening now in Cheekwood).
Among Edmondson’s many celebrated works, Miss Lucy (c. 1935) exemplifies his deep empathy and sculptural elegance. The limestone figure, often interpreted as a portrait of a local woman, stands upright with folded hands and a gentle, contemplative expression. Her form is simplified yet dignified, the blocky mass refined into a balanced, almost architectural silhouette. The subtle curve of her shoulders and the modest tilt of her head convey humility and grace, while the stone’s texture underscores
her quiet resilience. In Miss Lucy, Edmondson achieves an extraordinary harmony between the material’s weight and the subject’s spiritual lightness—transforming a chunk of discarded limestone into an enduring symbol of womanhood and faith.
Another masterwork, The Angel (c. 1937), reflects Edmondson’s spiritual inspiration and connection to funerary traditions. The winged figure, carved from a single block, stands sentinel-like with arms raised slightly and wings spreading in a rhythmic arc. Rather than rendering anatomical detail, Edmondson focused on the sculptural presence of the angel—its monumental simplicity suggesting both divine protection and the eternal peace of the afterlife. The surface, rough-hewn yet carefully composed, catches light in ways that animate the stone, giving the angel a quiet radiance. The work recalls the spiritual role angels played in African American religious life, serving as messengers, guardians, and symbols of transcendence.
The Legacy Preserved
William Edmondson’s art stands at the crossroads of the sacred and the everyday, the personal and the universal. He carved a legacy that speaks powerfully of faith, perseverance, and artistic vision. Today, his sculptures are held in major collections including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Cheekwood Estate and Gardens in Nashville, affirming Edmondson’s place as one of America’s most original and beloved sculptors.
It is in honor of this legacy that The William Edmondson Arts & Culture Festival (WE Fest) returns to the historic Edmondson Homesite Park & Gardens annually, for a full day of art, music, and community celebration. Free and open to the public, the festival transforms 1450 14th Avenue South into a creative hub that uplifts visual artists and honors the makers shaping Nashville’s cultural identity.
This year’s WE Fest expanded its mission to spotlight local talent, featuring an Art & Craft Fair with more than 40 established and emerging artists. Attendees explored original works ranging from sculpture and woodworking to painting and handmade design. Throughout the day, artist demonstrations offered a closer look at the creative process, highlighting craftsmanship and innovation across mediums.
An Emerging Artist tent was set aside for artists with limited selling experience. This provided them an entrance into the marketplace in a supportive context, allowing not only exposure (the festival gives a wonderful vibe) but also a fantastic ability to network and build relationships with other, more experienced artists.
The festival also included live music and performances inspired by themes of faith, community, and resilience, along with spoken word and dance presentations. Legacy talks and storytelling sessions connected audiences with local scholars, historians, and cultural/political leaders have been seen there, including Representative Justin Jones, and Mayor Freddie O’Connell (photos below of Jones and O’Connell my be from previous years).
A dedicated Kids Zone invited young artists to participate in hands-on projects and mural-making. A variety of food trucks and local vendors rounded out the experience, offering the best of Nashville’s flavors.
More than a celebration or commemoration of Edmondson’s life and work (itself of timeless value), WE Fest is a movement to rebalance Nashville’s cultural spotlight—seeking to bring artists of all genres (and cultures) the recognition and visibility they deserve. By amplifying their voices and creativity, the festival strengthens community connections and ensures that Music City continues to be a city of makers. We can’t wait for next year!
Meanwhile, up in Clarksville...
WinterGlow Illuminates: A Promising New Era for the Gateway Chamber Orchestra
On November 23, the Gateway Chamber Orchestra presented its annual Winter Baroque Concert, this year titled WinterGlow: A Baroque Celebration, featuring the Gateway Chorale and the Clarksville Children’s Chorus at Madison Street United Methodist Church. For Nashville audiences, the evening held particular interest: it marked the first appearance of the orchestra’s new Music Director, Jacob Schnitzer. He succeeds Gregory Wolynec, whose 17-year tenure left an indelible mark, culminating—at least for me—in a transcendent performance of Oswaldo Golijov’s La Pasión según San Marcos. We wish Wolynec the very best in his new role with the Southern Miss Symphony Orchestra, and all signs point to Schnitzer being an excellent steward of the ensemble’s future.
The program opened with a luminous performance of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 3. It was an ideal way to settle into the evening. The French Overture’s stately dotted rhythms framed a vibrant, intellectual fugue that transported me, despite Clarksville’s unseasonably warm 60-degree weather, to a wintry night in Leipzig’s St. Thomas Church. Baroque music—much like its modern cousin, heavy metal—has always struck me as inherently wintery. Though the fugue might have benefited from a touch more crispness, and the trumpets experienced a brief bout of what seemed like jitters, the performance remained poised and heartfelt. The beloved second movement, the Air, was rendered with particular elegance. I was struck by the number of children in attendance, listening with admirable focus to a full Orchestral Suite and the Vivaldi that would follow. As Schnitzer accepted his applause with a warm, easy smile, one sensed he had truly found his place on the Gateway podium.
For Vivaldi’s Gloria in D, Tim Sharp, Director of the Gateway Chorale, took the podium, joined by soloists Eliza Masewicz (soprano) and Emma Jane Sharp (mezzo-soprano). From the first ringing proclamation of “Gloria in excelsis Deo,” it was clear the Chorale was exquisitely prepared. Their balance with the orchestra was superb, and the church’s acoustics proved particularly kind to the warmth and lyricism of the Italian Baroque. The duet “Laudamus te,” with its intertwined lines and glowing blend, shimmered. Masewicz’s solo with Diana Dunn on obbligato oboe was lovely, but the moment that lingered with me was “Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris,” where the mezzo line bridges heaven and earth. Sharp’s resonant chest voice created a rich, full-bodied sound that felt almost salvific.
After the break, Schnitzer returned for a charming rendition of the Toy Symphony, complete with toy trumpet, ratchet, and bird calls—an ideal way to re-engage the younger audience members before their own appearance on stage. The toy soloists, unfortunately uncredited in the program (as was the second half’s trumpet trio), delivered a performance that was playful and genuinely endearing.
The final set featured three carols sung by the wonderfully prepared Clarksville Children’s Choir under the direction of Michael Chandler. “Estrella Brillante,” a Mexican carol arranged by Nancy Grundahl, was especially lovely, but the highlight was Kantor’s Night of Silence in medley with Silent Night, sung in radiant antiphonal counterpoint by both choirs. It was at this moment that I realized just how thoughtfully Schnitzer had crafted the entire program—an encouraging sign of his promise as a community-focused music director. It remains to be seen if Maestro Schnitzer will tackle epic pieces like the Golijov or Schoeberg’s Opus 9, but in the meantime, the community aspect of the Clarksville scene is safe in his hands!
The MCR Interview:
The Culmination of the Sacral Series: An Interview with Becca Hoback
In Solus, Nashville-based choreographer and performer Becca Hoback brings the culmination of her multi-year Sacral Series to the stage with bracing honesty, emotional intensity, and arresting physicality. Known for her fluid, introspective movement language, Hoback channels the deeply personal process of deconstructing belief systems into a multidisciplinary performance that merges dance, film, and live music. Barely a week before the work’s premiere at OZ Arts Nashville on December 5 & 6, in conversation with the Music City Review, Hoback reflects on the inspirations, challenges, and collaborative processes that have shaped this raw and resonant artistic journey.
MCR: Solus is described on your website as exploring the “aftermath of deconstructing a foundational belief system.” What inspired you to turn such a deeply personal and often traumatic journey into a public performance piece?
When I create, it’s from a highly emotional place – and when a particular topic or experience is calling to be explored, I feel I have to follow that impulse. Exploring and creating in-private is an important part of the journey, but ultimately sharing and connecting with others is the thing that catalyzes transformation on a personal and social level. It’s a vital part of the process, and hopefully by being vulnerable myself I can offer the option for others to do the same in their own way.
MCR: This work caps off your multi-year “Sacral Series.” How does Solus serve as a final, or crowning, chapter compared to the earlier pieces like Initial Dissent and Mellow Drama in the series?
Solus is the true reckoning of the journey. It’s the most abstract and focused on the physical process of change. Initial Dissent offers haunting snapshots of a woman coming into her power, Mellow Drama offers a fairytale-gone-wrong-like story telling with odes to old Hollywood and burlesque, but Solus is much more stripped back, focused, and raw. This performance also includes the short “epilogue” to the series, which was the part of “Sacral” I created first. It’s called “Summation,” and it truly feels like it wraps up the method of the process – continuing and continuing and continuing with insistence, a raw animal effort, and cultivating an internal resilience.
MCR: The performance seems to be powerfully autobiographical, processing “struggles, trauma, and vulnerability.” How do you manage the emotional toll of rehearsing and performing such raw and reflective material?
It’s very cathartic to perform such an emotional journey! I think creating and preparing for the performance offers some challenges that often manifest as physical struggles. The emotional and physical are pretty closely linked for me, and I think once I’ve baked the emotional experiences in my choices for the staging and choreography, I’m able to focus on the craft and precision of movement and physical state to let that hold my focus while rehearsing. As long as I can connect to the essence of the inspiration for each movement or section, it sort of protects me from having to actively think through it again and again. And then the transformation happens through the body, and I come out on the other side with new insights! And the process continues.
MCR: Solus is a triptych merging dance, film, and live music. Can you discuss the specific roles of film and music in telling this story, and how they interact with your live choreography?
The film component opens the performance, and offers a peek into another, non-present reality. Created in a far away place (Ordu, Turkey) years ago (August 2023) and reflecting on much older experiences, this film is both quite epic and simple at the same time. Katlyn Raitz, the cellist and composer for the first sections of Solus, actually scored AND edited the film. So she played a very integral role in shaping the work sonically and visually. It only made sense for Kaitlyn to be brought into the physical reality of Solus as well: composing and performing two additional live sections of the piece. Her intimate knowledge of the themes of the film served the further development of the piece – the grand film score becomes a minimal and contemplative onstage (that is to say, “minimal” in only the way a deftly-coordinated master of her craft can execute). We are two onstage, which then wanes to one when the choreography reaches a stage of internal processing that must be done alone.
MCR: You collaborated with composer and cellist Kaitlyn Raitz on the original score. What was the collaborative process like, and how did her music guide or influence the emotional and physical language of the choreography and/or vice versa?
It was a very intuitive process that has spanned the whole year, often conducted from afar. We met and touched base about the project by the recommendation of a mutual friend, and from that initial conversation we learned just enough about each others’ journeys to begin the process. We started with the film score and edit, and then shared ideas and themes for the following sections virtually after another few other in-person discussions. I shared video snippets of choreography and general themes and inspiration, and she offered her written interpretation of the journey and audio files of rough ideas and musical themes. I offered my reflections, she returned with the next version of the score, and then I shaped the choreography based on that track. It’s only when we were able to come together in the studio that the power of what we had made really became clear. Two touring artists coming together and sharing space was electrifying! I can’t wait to see how we continue to intuitively move with and around each other as our show preparations continue and deepen.
MCR: You are known for your “fluid, expressive choreography with mesmerizing intensity.” How have you consciously evolved your movement vocabulary in Solus to physically represent the concepts of loss, nihilism, and the search for the sacred?
At the beginning of the piece, restricting how much of the body can be seen, isolating the movement to only certain body parts, and guiding the witness’s view of the body with strategic lighting are both choreographic and theatrical elements that express these themes. Simple gestures punctuate and give context to the movement, while different physical qualities such as quivering, searching, and quaking offer a felt-sensitivity. The process of developing these movements often required a deep concentration on and attention towards which parts of my body don’t want to move – out of self-protection or social stigma. The epilogue insistently demands that I keep my center (the part of the body that often serves and the held or neutral base in classical dance techniques) flowing and initiating the movement of the body.
MCR: The description mentions Solus “slowly peeling back layers of vulnerability.” What is the emotional trajectory you hope to take the audience on, and what point of reflection do you hope to leave them with at the end of the performance?
I always struggle with questions like this, because I don’t want to assume or impose a certain journey on the audience’s experience! But I hope to share part of my journey and slowly usher people closer and closer to that story, inviting them to rock bottom with me and offering one pathway forwards from that place. With the concluding piece, I hope that the tenacity and resilience that I aim to embody each time I perform will offer restless solace to those who are on their own personal healing journey.
MCR: As a solo artist, what is the most challenging aspect of being the sole performer responsible for embodying and sustaining the full narrative and emotional power of a work of this magnitude?
It’s a lot! I try to design-in elements of the production that will support me as a performer, but in the end I think it’s important to remain in-process with the process. How does each performance preparation period need to adjust to accommodate my practical circumstances, physical energy level, and emotional state – and how does that change each season, week, day, or hour? How does each moment onstage need my felt energy or strategic focus? If I notice I’m “out of it” for a moment, how can I re-enter, and immediately forgive myself for any hiccup along the way? How does each supposed “mistake” become an element of the piece – what does my instinctual reaction offer to the story, trusting that I’m in the felt-state of the performance? It’s a hard-to-explain, hard-to-grasp series of processes and questions that innovate constantly!
MCR: This is a premiere at OZ Arts Nashville. How does the specific space and dynamic environment of OZ Arts influence the staging or feeling of this intimate solo performance?
OZ Arts Nashville feels like a very encouraging environment to share this work, and it feels meaningful and full-circle to share Solus here. I really appreciate how the massive space contrasts the intimacy of what I’m sharing with the audience. The warehouse space becomes a theater, becomes a dark abyss that a singular body gets lost in. The large dark void feels isolating, and highlights the individual as something small, vulnerable, and struggling alone. As the piece develops, I try to fill as much of the space as I can with my energy and movement. I think this leads into Shabaz Ujima and Thea Jones’s work with shackled feet DANCE!, Synergy, with an expansive energy.
MCR: If an audience member has gone through a process of “deconstruction” themselves, especially in a place where a foundational belief system is such a powerful part of mainstream media, what message of hope or validation do you hope they take away from watching your physical journey unfold on stage?
Every part of the process is important and valid. Simply keep going. Survive the vulnerability of not knowing anything for certain. Though there will be moments of recoil and shrinking away – again and again we can open into new expansive ways of being.
MCR: As Solus closes the final chapter on Hoback’s Sacral Series, it also opens a space for audiences to witness the resilience, vulnerability, and transformative power at the core of her practice. Through film, live music, and her own intensely embodied storytelling, Hoback invites viewers into a process that is both deeply personal and widely relatable. Audiences will have the opportunity to experience this striking premiere when Becca Hoback takes the stage at OZ Arts Nashville on December 5 & 6, paired with shackled feet DANCE!’s Synergy, both offering an evening that promises to be as intimate as it is expansive.
Coming Soon: It’s a Wonderful Life
If you’ve always loved the film but wished it was in color, then things are going even better than you’d hoped: It’s a Wonderful Life is coming to the stage this December! Live (and in color), the Nashville Repertory Theatre will perform the story of George Bailey, whose life of unexpected provincial respectability has never satisfied him, and whose hopes for adventure are always dashed by responsibility. This heartwarming tale about purpose, community, and the extraordinary impact of an ordinary life reminds us of the great significance of small acts of kindness.
“We are so excited to produce this brand-new adaptation of It’s a Wonderful Life at Nashville Repertory Theatre,” said Amos Glass, Interim Director of Nashville Rep. “This story is about coming together and celebrating the power of community, and that’s exactly what we need this holiday season.”
The Nashville Repertory Theatre will perform It’s a Wonderful Life December 5–21 at TPAC’s Polk Theater. See their website for tickets and more information.
Early Music City’s Oratorio Festival: Hallelujah!
As part of the two-day Music City Oratorio Festival, Early Music City hosted two very different, but equally engaging events: a panel discussion and a singalong. For the discussion, I was grateful to step back into my role as early music specialist, moderating a lively “Lunch and Learn” panel on Handel’s Messiah. Streamed live at noon on Saturday November 15, the participants included guest conductor Dr. Marcus J. Ruff, associate director of choral activities at Arkansas State-Jonesboro and Mr. William G. Crimm, director of music at Nashville’s St. Vincent de Paul Church and adjunct professor of voice at Tennessee State.
Both these professors have long and varied experience with this famed piece, but before the discussion got started, I was able to dispel some myths about arguably the most well-known choral piece in history. Briefly,
- Though often called “The Messiah,” it’s actually just Messiah
- Though typically performed at Christmas, this three-part work (Birth, Resurrection, Redemption) was intended and, in fact, premiered during Lent
- Though typically performed in sacred spaces, it premiered in a secular space requiring admission fees
- Though Handel was German, English is indeed Messiah‘s original language
- Though it is now typical to perform Hallelujah Chorus last, it actually ends Part II, as 39 of 48 pieces
- Though called an oratorio, Handel, who wrote several oratorios, initially called it an “Entertainment,” but when calling it an oratorio caught on with the English public, Handel went with the flow, using that term for subsequent editions and performances
What’s the difference between an oratorio and an entertainment, you might ask? An oratorio is an unstaged opera with plot, dialogue, narrative. Messiah is a collection of prose and poetry from the Bible and other sources, with no dialogue. Technically? You be the judge.
Among topics we discussed were the place of this work in the worlds of church, academia, and the black community. Both experienced directors addressed Messiah‘s profound spirituality, its technical challenges, and it was clear both had considered the thorny issue of Handel having held shares in two slave ships. He used funding from these shares and from Messiah to fund his true love, his operas (see the film Farinelli for a fictional, but meaningful portrayal of Handel and his music).
For Professor Ruff, a former visiting choir director at TSU, the context of the past era in which the composer lived allows for current understanding and forgiveness, while for Professor Crimm, after whom the talented W. Crimm Singers are named, the spiritual message shines through the composer’s human flaws. The discussion clearly displayed the passion each of us has for this emblematic piece as I shared my ongoing goal to sing a few more notes in the alto runs each year.
The next day, at the lovely Christ Church Cathedral, Professor Ruff conducted the Early Music City [EMC] orchestra accompanying soloists from the Crimm Singers for the recitatives and arias, as well as the audience for the choral singalongs. In a clever audience warmup, EMC played a country music-infused intro for “Joy to the World,” another famous Handel chorus.
All the soloists had beautiful voices that worked well with the period, but soprano Siren Hightower who soared easily upwards and mezzo Nicole Simone who richly grounded us in “He Shall Feed His Flock” were standouts. The next step for both is developing the kind of original improvised ornamentation Handel expected.
There were noticeable ensemble glitches at cadences for some recitatives, yet the music inspired everyone to do their best. It was an excellent idea to augment the rather tentative audience singers with the skilled Crimm Singers directed by Early Music City co-founder and festival organizer, Professor Patrick R. Dailey, nationally known countertenor. However, the standing, moving, seating and re-seating of the choir as beautiful arias were ending was a distraction. In the future, perhaps dispersing the singers throughout the audience would be a better plan.
But overall, a good time was had by all and, yes, I got more notes in the alto runs. Quite a few more.
