SHEFFIELD-The Ritz Theatre will host three concerts for the W.C. Handy Music Festival, with each event celebrating the musical traditions of gospel and jazz. There will be two performances of the Ritz Gospel Showcase on Saturday, July 23, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Then on Saturday, July 30, at 7 p.m. jazz group The Justus Brothers, featuring vocalist Katrina Anderson, will perform. Tickets for each concert are $25 each and are available at tennesseevalleyarts.org and at the door.
The Ritz Gospel Showcase will feature performances by three gospel acts: Rev. Jerry Reeves, Shane D. Rainer, and The Orr Sisters. These performers were selected after The Ritz put out a call for video auditions.
“We’re very excited to showcase these talented gospel performers and to celebrate this rich and timeless art form,” said Christi Britten, the director of the Tennessee Valley Art Association, which runs the Ritz Theatre.
The Justus Brothers, performing on July 30, are a contemporary jazz band boasting some of
Memphis’s most accomplished musicians. Their fresh arrangement of the Gnarls Barkley hit “Crazy,” has scored them their second Top 50 song from their eponymous debut album. The song features vocals by Katrina Anderson, who will perform with the band at The Ritz.
The core members of The Justus Brothers — Jason Clark, Niko Lyras, Steve Potts, Pat Register, and Dave Smith — have performed together all over the world for decades. Each is a noted session musician and live performer in his own right.
For more information about these events or about the Tennessee Valley Art Association, which runs the Tennessee Valley Museum of Art and the Ritz Theatre, visit tennesseevalleyarts.org or call 256-383-0533.
