Piedmont Blues is a live concert presentation led by celebrated jazz pianist / composer / bandleader Gerald Clayton that explores the essence and impact of the Piedmont blues. The project features The Assembly — a nine-piece band band led by Clayton and including vocalist Lizz Wright and tap dancer Maurice Chestnut. The presentation has been […]

Route 66 by Eddie Tigner If you’ve ever driven through downtown Hillsborough, NC you might’ve noticed that there are several signs reflecting the historical significance of past residents. One of those signs denotes the fact that Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington’s musical partner and the man credited with writing the early American Jazz classic, Take the […]

Help Save Our American Roots – Sign Up Today! Join us in the Listener’s Circle and get exclusive releases curated by the MM staff every other month. You can preview last April’s Listener’s Circle below to see what it’s like! By donating $30 monthly, you not only join this exclusive society of Roots music devotees, you […]

Big Bertha, Magdalena, Theresa, Melvina; names tossed around with such affection you’d think they were referring to wives, lovers or children. Nope. BBQs. Bernice, Louisiana (pop. 1,648) has as many grills as it has rooftops. They take their grilling seriously. A few weeks ago, Music Maker visited Bernice to shoot some music videos with Music […]

Guitar Lightnin’ Lee exudes an indescribable exuberance. A couple weeks ago he came to visit NC to play for our Freight Train Blues Series presented by Carrboro Parks & Recreation & Music Maker Relief Foundation. It is always a treat to get to hang out with Lee. While here, we got to sit down and talk […]