Performances by &More, Killiam Shakespeare and Cosmo Baker + All Star Jam Hosted by James Poyser of The Roots Featuring George "Spanky" McCurdy, MonoNeon, Jaleel Shaw and Special Guests
Tickets now on sale
With more than 4,000 attendees to date, Future x Sounds™, a new multi-city music and arts series that invites artists, attendees and society to question the world around them, is gearing up for the launch of Future x Sounds Philadelphia on October 4 at World Café Live.
Curated by three-time GRAMMY Award-winning James Poyser (of The Roots), Future x Sounds Phi invites the audience to a musical journey celebrating the past, present and future, with an evening featuring musical performances by Cosmo Baker, &More (Chill Moody, Donn T), Killiam Shakespeare (Steve Mckie, Corey Bernhard), as well as an all-star jam featuring Poyser, George "Spanky" McCurdy, MonoNeon, Jaleel Shaw and other surprise guests.
Tickets for Future x Sounds Phi can be purchased at: worldcafelive.com/event/1873221-future-x-sounds-james-poyser-philadelphia/
"What caught my attention about this project is the fact that it's showcasing music; it's in the title: jazz, gospel, soul...all boundaries are gone. This is an opportunity to just be able to go and play with some great guys, some really cool musicians... and be challenged. I live for those kinds of moments" co- host and curator James Poyser, said. "The Philly music scene throughout history is so rich and diverse; it feels great to be able to showcase that as well as some of the newer artists."
Future x Sounds™ features some of the most active and respected musicians within the artist community in each city.
"We want to promote high-quality music without the imposition of the business and celebrate each city just for what makes it special, so we are giving the creative control to the people who know music, the culture and their scenes best: the artists," says Future x Sounds Founder and Executive Producer Angela Gil. "Their curation is based on mutual inspiration, respect and the will to support each other's individual projects. As one of the most respected musicians and producers today, James Poyser was the ideal choice to showcase Philadelphia with our inaugural series in this city."
Future x Sounds Philadelphia will celebrate the local creative community and highlight the role that music plays in driving social change through an evening featuring unique live performances, unique collaborations and guest appearances.
In addition to James Poyser, featured artists include:
- Killiam Shakespeare, a critically acclaimed music collective based in Philadelphia. The band is led by Steve McKie and Corey Bernhard - both seasoned musicians and producers who have collaborated with Bilal, DJ Jazzy Jeff, or John Legend. Versatility is synonymous with Killiam Shakespeare, who seamlessly blend jazz, funk, hip-hop, R&B and soul.
- &More, a Philadelphia-bred band comprising visionary solo artists Chill Moody (with his straightforward and prolific MC Style) and singer Donn T (with her rich vocals and pictured songwriting). While the project is heavily steeped in storyteller lyrical style, the duo ride atop the edgy tracks of producer Ben "IAmBNJMIIN" Thomas (Post Malone, Jazmine Sullivan, Brian McKnight, Ty $ ), guitarist/producer Jake Morelli (Bruno Mars , Grace Potter, The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff , Esperanza Spalding) and others.
- George "Spanky" McCurdy is a world-renowned drummer and producer and a native of North Philadelphia. He has performed and collaborated with the likes of Sean "Diddy" Combs, Lady Gaga, Lauryn Hill, Jill Scott, Kanye West, Brandy, Queen Latifah, Nas, Q-Tip, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, among others.
- Jaleel Shaw is an alto & soprano saxophonist, regarded as one of the most influential and innovative saxophonists of his generation. Shaw has performed and recorded with an exhaustive list of jazz royalty including Roy Hargrove, Roy Hanes, Christian McBride, Chick Corea, Arturo Sandoval, Dave Holland.. etc to name a few
- MonoNeon (Dywane Thomas, Jr.) is an American bassist and experimental musician. He is known for his presence on YouTube playing bass guitar and known for being one of the last people to work with Prince. Thomas also played with Grammy Award-winning R&B artist, Ne-Yo, on his fourth studio album. He is a native of Memphis, Tennessee.
- Cosmo Baker is a DJ, musician, entrepreneur, influencer, brand consultant, educator, activist, community leader and Philadelphian. Known globally as one of the top-tier DJs on the planet, Cosmo has toured the planet and played in almost 50 different countries. A master of "open format", Cosmo's known worldwide for his genre-spanning selection, technical prowess, and explosive stage presence and energy that he brings to shows.
Future x Sounds™ announced the official kick-off of this inaugural multi-city tour with a concert in New York in partnership with Summerstage, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Harlem Cultural Festival (aka Black Woodstock) on August 17 at Marcus Garvey Park.
Curated by Neal Ludevig, a founder of the Harlem Arts Festival, with musical direction by Igmar Thomas (Wyclef Jean, Mos Def, Esperanza Spalding, Lauryn Hill), the event featured Talib Kweli (the fiercely independent MC known for his incisive, hard-hitting socially conscious raps and for Black Star), Grammy-awarded trumpeter and singer Keyon Harrold (Common, Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z, Beyonce, and Rihanna), three-time GRAMMY Award winning keyboardist Cory Henry, GRAMMY-nominated vocalist Alice Smith and Georgia Anne Muldrow.
The series also recently launched Future x Sounds LA on August 31, 2019 at Ford Theatres.
Five-time GRAMMY Award-winning music artist and activist Lalah Hathaway performed and curated an evening of musical performances celebrating Los Angeles' distinct sounds and rebellious art with Anna Wise, Justus West, Gwen Bunn, DJ Battlecat and other surprise guests that made an appearance, providing the audience with a night to remember.
For more updates on Future x Sounds™, please visit futurexsounds.com.
About Future x Sounds™
Future x Sounds™ is the result of a collaborative effort between a like-minded community of producers, promoters, curators and iconic artists across the country. The multi-city music and arts series, provides established award-winning, and socially conscious artists with a unique creative opportunity to share their vision, shift the spotlight onto their talented peers and celebrate their communities.
These special, powerful live experiences invite artists, attendees, and society to question themselves and the world around them. Future x Sounds™ is an authentic window into a like-minded artistic global community that stands for the sounds of music and for the sounds of global change.
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About James Poyser:
Born January 30, in Sheffield, England is a multi-Grammy winning songwriter, musician and multi-platinum producer. Poyser has written and produced songs for various legendary and award-winning artists including Erykah Badu, Mariah Carey, John Legend, Lauryn Hill, Common, Anthony Hamilton, D'Angelo, The Roots, and Keyshia Cole. During his career, Poyser has toured, and played live with such distinctive artists as Jay-Z, The Roots, Erykah Badu, and Aretha Franklin. An active session musician, he has contributed to the works of Adele, Norah Jones, Eric Clapton, Joss Stone, Ziggy Marley, Macy Gray and Femi Kuti. Poyser received a Grammy for Best R&B Song in 2003 for co-writing Erykah Badu and Common's hit "Love Of My Life." James was also the executive producer on Badu's highly celebrated albums, Mama's Gun and Worldwide Underground.
