Slim Gravy is a man in transition. For years he’s been known as one half of Dallas’ most popular rap group, A.Dd+. Tall, lanky and not afraid to spit fire, Gravy has always brought a special attitude to his music, a swagger and determination that helps drive the group. But…

Last spring, Dallas rapper Buffalo Black was scrolling Instagram on his phone when a post caught his eye. It was from noted director Spike Lee. He needed independent artists for his next film, Da Sweet Blood of Jesus, which was being financed through Kickstarter. Lee asked for artists to email…

For someone living in the relative comforts of a city like Dallas, it’s easy to take music and the arts for granted. But for free jazz trumpeter Mazen Kerbaj, who visited Crown & Harp last night for the weekly Outward Bound Mixtape Sessions and is the featured guest tonight at…

Piero Rossini, the man behind one-man electronic act Peladini, is a true nomad. From Florida and Lima, Peru, Rossini has led an unlikely journey that has only seen him firmly plant foot here in the Dallas music scene in the past couple months. Even in a music scene that thrives…

Preferring to be addressed as S1, Dallas’ platinum-selling producer and songwriter is also known as Larry D. Griffin Jr. or Symbolyc One. He has collaborated with the likes of Beyoncé, Jay Z and Ghostface Killah. S1 is a member of The Cannabinoids, the band that backs up Erykah Badu and…

A quarter-century ago, Dallas Museum of Art debuted its weekly music series, Jazz in the Atrium. Local trumpet player Dennis Gonzalez was among the first to perform for the series on Sunday, January 17, 1990. He has not performed for the series since. Gonzalez had not even given the experience…

No one in Dallas does karaoke quite like Karaoke Carmen. For more than a decade, she’s held court at arguably the best, and certainly the most notorious, karaoke night in the city: Sundays at The Goat. Backed by a live band, Carmen’s a proudly autocratic leader. She has no qualms…

Today, millions of people know HeadKrack and his unmistakable voice from his syndicated radio show, the Rickey Smiley Morning Show. He and the show’s namesake have been hosting the program, which airs out of Atlanta, for the better part of a decade, and it’s a nationally recognized authority on hip…

Foley may be the most accomplished musician in Dallas that you’ve never heard of. He’s toured with George Clinton, Miles Davis, and performed with several bands on the 1993 Lollapalooza tour. He recorded albums for Motown and performed on countless talk shows and award shows. At 52, Foley, who grew…

With 15,500 square feet of floor space and 100,000 records, Josey Records is more affordable and less boutique than many other record stores. In fact, it’s already the most ambitious record store in Dallas. It has a DJ booth with a weekend DJ series, which has quickly made it a…

Worldly and wise with chops and a first class music education at the age of 20, Dallas drummer Mike Mitchell is a globetrotting prodigy. In the last four years he has won more awards from DownBeat Magazine than he can remember, as well as being cited as an up-and-coming artist…

In Dallas, Tru Def is a terrific antidote to these days of cold and gloomy weather. He has a sunny disposition, dressed dapper with perfectly sculpted hair on his face and head, and is as cordial as anyone you will ever meet. He has known he was put on this…

2014 has been a great year for High Rollaz, the hip hop duo consisting of Word Life and Accomplice. Aside from playing a host of shows around Dallas, they also played gigs all around the country, including at SXSW in Austin and A3C Festival in Atlanta. They’ve also shared bills…

15 years ago, Chad Davenport and Simon McDonald were working at the old Muddy Waters on Greenville Avenue and wanted to start a charity. It was near Christmas time, so a toy drive made sense. That first year’s event, which was held at Muddy Waters, was a success, and in…