Broadcast high in the Rockies each week from 2PM - 4PM MT on KFFR 88.3-FM and KFFR.org, Mateo’s Magic Bus takes listeners on a journey around the world, exploring the roots of jazz and blues alongside music from today and the past decades that has been influenced by these incredible art forms.
In this episode, Mateo's Magic Bus is parked in the Little Rock area for some weeks and what a wonderful experience we had! During our stint in LR, Lady Ameo, Billie and I packed up the The Bus one weekend and headed a few hours east to Memphis.
First off, I will admit, not having been to Memphis and only getting snapshots throughout my life of the musical import and history of Memphis, I was stunned by how steep and important the city is in the history of American music. Especially connected to the thesis of Mateo's Magic Bus, with jazz and blues as the foundation, and rock, soul and funk emanating from these building blocks.
In the first part of the YouTube MMB Live video (see below), we start with a clip from a great show we took in at the Legendary White Water Tavern in Little Rock. An amazing, diverse crowd was on a hand to witness the funk, jazz, and soul spun by the Funkanites. Founded in 2010 by core members Amasa Hines—Judson Spillyards, Ryan Hitt, and Norman Williamson - Funkanites comprises world-class musicians who are no strangers to the major festival scene. Major festivals performed within the experience of these musicians include Austin City Limits, Newport Folk Festival, Bonnaroo, and SXSW to name a few.
In the second half, we take in an incredible show at South Main Sounds, an incredible singer-songwriter record store, performance space & haven tucked away in downtown Memphis (thanks to our host and SMS master of ceremonies, Mark Parsell), we sat in on Amelia White and Carter Sampson holding court, both complete musicians: great singers, stylists, songwriters and guitar masters.
Nashville-based Amelia White is ‘One of the most honest and forthright singer-songwriters East Nashville has to offer,’ says Alternate Root’s Lee Zimmerman ‘and that’s no small feat in a realm that’s literally teeming with talent. Carter Sampson is a multi award-winning singer/songwriter born and raised in Oklahoma. She tours nationally and internationally, playing both solo and with her trio and band. We've added some key photos taken around Memphis those few days as a backdrop to Amelia's and Carter's great performance.
In just a few days we took tours of the Stax Museum (Soultown, USA), Sun Studio (birthplace of rock & much more), as well as Beale Street ("Home of the Blues"), and the Blues Hall of Fame/Foundation. It's impossible to summarize in a few words how much of what we listen to today and that I spin weekly on The Bus emanated from these corridors, but safe to say the world of music would not be the same without Memphis.
For a deep dive on Memphis check Mateo's Magic Bus (Episode #205) on KFFR 88.3 FM which I did a few weeks after our trip - SoundCloud link below:
All in all, the trip left us energized about the great history and great musicians out there today carrying the torch forward in jazz, blues, rock, soul and funk! Looking forward to great things ahead in 2024!
Rock on,
DJ Mateo
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