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Winter Arts Guide 2024

“Thomas Dambo’s Trolls: Save the Humans” (Photo: Courtesy Atlanta Botanical Garden)

This year, to save you from tears, we’ve made you something special: the Winter Arts Guide. As with every Flyer Arts Guide, we’ve compiled a list of all the exhibitions, plays, musicals, and more that ought to be on your radar. We also got a chance to speak with DeMarcus Suggs, Memphis’ director of creative and cultural economy; Greely Myatt, the man behind the Brooks’ latest installation; and Preston Jackson, the Metal Museum’s Master Metalsmith. Oh, and right now is ARTSmemphis’ ARTSweek. 

On Display

“Healing Through Color” 

Exhibition by Alexandra Baker. 

Buckman Arts Center at St. Mary’s School, through Dec. 16

“A River I Loved”

New works by Maysey Craddock. 

David Lusk Gallery, through Dec. 21

“ANA•LOG, Size Matters, Still” 

Work by Lester Merriweather, Alex Paulus, and Michelle Fair. 

Crosstown Arts, through Jan. 19

“Green Fountain”

Justin Bowles’ fanciful garden installation.

Tops at Madison Avenue Park, through Feb. 16

“Beyond the Surface: The Art of Handmade Paper”

Explore paper’s shape-shifting quality.

Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, through Apr. 6

“Loose Ends” 

Work by Brittney Boyd Bullock.

Sheet Cake Gallery, Dec. 14

“Back for Seconds”

Work by Roger Allan Cleaves, Melissa Dunn, Stephanie Howard, and Clare Torina.

Sheet Cake Gallery, Dec. 14

“Small Spaces”

Jennifer Watson’s bright and kaleidoscopic art. 

Dixon Gallery & Gardens, Jan. 26-Apr. 13

“Thomas Dambo’s Trolls: Save the Humans”

Thomas Dambo’s folklore-inspired troll sculptures.

Memphis Botanic Garden, Feb. 1-May 21

“An Occasional Craving”

Chris Antemann’s porcelain figures. 

Dixon Gallery & Gardens, Feb. 9-Apr. 6

“House of Grace”

Floyd Newsum will have the first major exhibition of his art in Memphis, despite his untimely death on August 14, 2024.

Dixon Gallery & Gardens, Feb. 9-Apr. 6

On Stage

Clara & the Nutcracker 

Tennessee Ballet Theater’s rendition of the beloved holiday tale. 

Cannon Center For The Performing Arts, Dec. 8, 2-4 p.m.

Nutcracker: Land of Enchanted Sweets (Photo: Courtesy Buckman Performing Arts)

The Nutcracker

Ballet Memphis’ stunning new production is both familiar and unexpected.

Orpheum Theatre, Dec. 13-15

The Nutcracker

Singleton’s Esprit de Corps Dance Company performs this holiday classic. 

Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center, Dec. 20-Dec. 22

Wurlitzer Wonderland

Orpheum House Organist Tony Thomas plays a special one-night concert featuring the historic Mighty Wurlitzer Organ.

Orpheum Theatre, Dec. 21, 7 p.m.

Magic of Memphis

Featuring the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus — and Dancing Santas.

Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, Dec. 21, 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Six Men Dressed Like Joseph Stalin

Follow two actors as they prepare for their most significant role yet: Joseph Stalin. 

The Circuit Playhouse, Jan. 10-Jan. 26

Say It Loud: The Overlook Quartet

An eclectic program of music by underrepresented composers.

Green Room at Crosstown Arts, Jan. 16, 7:30 p.m.

Inherit the Wind

Two great legal giants of the century battle over state law banning the teaching of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution.

Theatre Memphis, Jan. 17-Feb. 2

Parade

In 1913, Leo Frank is caught in a grueling trial after the murder of his factory worker.

Playhouse on the Square, Jan. 17-Feb. 16

American Maestro, with Bernstein’s West Side Story

The MSO will also perform Bernstein’s Slava! and works by other composers. With Carl St. Clair, conductor.

Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, Jan. 18, 7:30 p.m. | Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center, Jan. 19, 2:30 p.m.

Cirque Kalabanté

Afrique en Cirque shares the beauty, youth, and artistry of African culture.

Germantown Performing Arts Center, Jan. 24, 8 p.m.

Black Odyssey

This vibrant reimagining of the Odysseus saga is set in modern-day Harlem.

Hattiloo Theatre, Jan. 24-Feb. 16

Carmen

Bizet’s sizzling epic.

Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center, Jan. 24-25

Steve Martin & Martin Short: The Dukes of Funnytown!

Two of our funniest, most influential and acclaimed talents come to Memphis.

Orpheum Theatre, Jan. 25, 8 p.m.

Skeleton Crew

As the Great Recession looms over a Detroit auto stamping plant, workers confront tough choices. 

The Circuit Playhouse, Jan. 31-Feb. 16

Alison Cook Beatty Dance

World-class dancers enmesh classically-based modern technique with elements of contemporary movement.

Buckman Arts Center at St. Mary’s School, Jan. 31, 7 p.m.

Their Eyes Were Watching God

Collage Dance’s reimagining of Zora Neale Hurston’s iconic 1937 novel as a ballet.

Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, Feb. 1-2

The Minutes

A scathing new comedy about small-town politics and real-world power.

New Moon Theatre, Feb. 7-23

Dance Theatre of Harlem

A dynamic force in the ballet world, captivating audiences both nationally and internationally.

Orpheum Theatre, Feb. 7-8

Valentine’s Day with Kortland Whalum

A night of music and romance with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. 

Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center, Feb. 14, 8 p.m.

Hamilton

Follow the rise of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. 

Orpheum Theatre, Feb. 18-Mar. 2 

Variations on a Theme: Love, Longing, and Lederhosen

A curated evening of music and one-act operas.

Opera Memphis, Feb. 15-16

Winter Mix

Ballet Memphis presents two new commissions and the reprise of an audience favorite, Trey McIntyre’s The Barramundi.

Playhouse on the Square, Feb. 21-23

Yo-Yo Ma

The renowned cellist appears with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.

Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m.

…

In 2020, the city of Memphis and Shelby County declared ARTSweek as an official holiday. A brainchild of ARTSmemphis, the week’s purpose is to drive awareness of local arts’ impact, demonstrate the creativity of Memphis’ artistic contributions, and grow community engagement with the arts. This year’s ARTSweek has already begun, starting on December 1st with its end date on Sunday, December 8th. 

Music

Moon Taxi  

The five-piece band hails from Nashville.

Minglewood Hall, Dec. 6

Kortland Whalum

Kortland Whalum is a singer-songwriter and actor whose talents span from music to the stage. 

Green Room at Crosstown Arts, Dec. 6

Handel’s Messiah 

Featuring the MSO’s Memphis Symphony Chamber Chorus.

Germantown United Methodist Church, Dec. 5

Jolly Jam Sessions 

Young musicians celebrate the start of the Christmas season with classic holiday jazz favorites.

Pink Palace, Dec. 6 

Memphis Black Arts Alliance Presents an Evening of Ellington

A star-studded cabaret of jazz.

Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center, Dec. 7

Jonathan McReynolds: Red & Green 

A new sound for the holiday season. 

Minglewood Hall, Dec. 8

Theater & Dance

Annie Jr. the Musical 

Everyone’s favorite little redhead on stage.

Germantown Community Theatre, Dec. 6-22

A Motown Christmas

Celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with this Christmas musical.

Hattiloo Theatre, through Dec. 22

A Christmas Carol

A classic holiday ghost story.

Theatre Memphis, Dec. 6-23

Nutcracker: Land of Enchanted Sweets 

Buckman Dance Conservatory’s interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece. 

Buckman Performing Arts Center, Dec. 6-8

Tía Pancha: A Christmas Story

The classic Christmas story of Scrooge with a Latin twist.

TheatreWorks at The Evergreen, Dec. 7-8

Who’s Holiday!

Cindy Lou Who takes center stage.

The Circuit Playhouse – The Memphian Room, through Dec. 22

Junie B. Jones: Toothless Wonder (Photo: Megan Christoferson)

Junie B. Jones: Toothless Wonder

Junie B. Jones is facing a challenging week. 

The Circuit Playhouse, through Dec. 22

Steve Martin and Edie Brickell’s Bright Star

A story of love and redemption. 

Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center, Dec. 6-8

A Charlie Brown Christmas: Live On Stage 

Everyone’s favorite holiday classic. 

Orpheum Theatre, Dec. 7

Cabaret Noel 9: A Kaleidoscopic Christmas 

An evening of holiday songs and hilarious slapstick humor. 

TheatreWorks @ The Square, Dec. 6-8

The Wizard of Oz

Dorothy Gale gets her Oz on.

Playhouse on the Square, through Dec. 22

Twelfth Night 

Shakespeare’s most charming comedy. 

Tennessee Shakespeare Company, Dec. 6-22

Visual Arts

Artist Meet & Greet  

A free evening of conversations and connections at The Memphis Art Salon.

Minglewood Hall, Dec. 4

“All Aboard: The Railroad in American Art, 1840 – 1955”

Examine the relationship between painters in the United States and the passenger and freight trains.

Dixon Gallery & Gardens, through Jan. 26

Scott Carter, Bowed, “Energy States” (Photo: Courtesy Dixon Gallery & Gardens)

“Energy States” 

Scott A. Carter’s sculptures.

Dixon Gallery & Gardens, through Jan. 19

Natural Histories: 400 Years of Scientific Illustration 

Hidden gems and unique masterworks from the American Museum of Natural History’s rare book collection.

Dixon Gallery and Gardens, though Jan. 26

“Intertwine” 

MadameFraankie’s new media works. 

Beverly + Sam Ross Gallery, through Dec. 13

Gallery Talk with Elle Perry 

Arts and culture journalist Elle Perry delivers a gallery talk about Andrea Morales’ show.

Brooks Museum of Art, Dec. 7, 2 p.m.

Holiday Bazaar 

Join Arrow Creative for a monthlong shopping event.

Arrow Creative, through December 22

“Roll Down Like Water”

Andrea Morales presents 65 photographs spanning a decade of work.

Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, through Jan. 31

“Pissarro to Picasso: Masterworks from the Kirkland Family Collection”

Enjoy 18 art treasures from the Kirkland family’s collection. 

Dixon Gallery & Gardens, through Jan. 26

MidSouth Toy Fest 2024

Your gateway to a treasure trove of collectibles. 

The Great Hall & Conference Center, Dec. 7

…

Reframe Culture

In October, the city of Memphis hired its first ever director of creative and cultural economy — DeMarcus Suggs — as part of the newly established Office of Arts and Culture. 

DeMarcus Suggs (Photo: Amber N. Ford)

Suggs describes his position as one of a centralized collaborator and convener, supporting artists and cultural organizations while boosting their economic impact. It’s about making sure the city’s ecosystem — businesses, restaurants, hotels, sports, and cultural policy — complements, welcomes, and retains the arts on a citywide scale. 

“Memphis has a lot of really talented artists. We also have some really grit and grind entrepreneurs that have a vision. They have a dream, and they’re willing to build it,” Suggs points out.

With this in mind, Suggs is ready to listen. So far, he’s been in conversation with arts organizations and philanthropists, and now he’s ready to talk to individual artists in a town hall listening event on December 9th, with more to come. He wants to hear the strengths and weaknesses of Memphis. “I’m an optimist that loves to have the full picture, and so I don’t ignore the challenges,” Suggs says.

This first year, he says, will be themed “reframe culture.” “That’s really us being able to use [and collect] data,” Suggs says. “We’re going to be framing what success looks like for us as a city.”

Artist Listening Session, Madison Tavern, Monday, December 9, 5-7 p.m.

…

Starry, Starry

You don’t need to look too far in the sky to see the stars, not at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. That’s where Greely Myatt has installed his Starry, Starry starscape for the museum’s inaugural Winter Art Garden — an installation which opened at the end of November and stemmed from the artist’s recent obsession with stars. 

Greely Myatt’s Star Fall (Photo: Abigail Morici)

A massive star — aptly titled Big Star, with a nod to the Memphis-based band — sits against the Brooks Museum near its entrance; at night, neon lights the star’s five edges made of scrap signposts. To the side of it, on the pedestals where statues Spring and Summer once stood, another star is propped up, this one made of charred wood. “It’s a fragmented star,” Myatt describes. “When I was making the other stars [for previous shows], I kind of became interested in, instead of the completeness of it, letting the mind mentally finish it.”

The wood of this fragmented star — Star Fall — comes from a pine tree Myatt grew himself. Meanwhile, Sirius (Dog Star and Pup), which is suspended between two trees, is made of broom handles, and Star Sprays, which fill up spring up from the plaza’s tables like bouquets of sparklers, are made of traffic signs.

Reflecting on the use of stars in his work, Myatt says, “They’re abstract, but they’re real. It’s kind of like Dave Hickey once said, ‘A Pollock doesn’t mean anything, but it has meaning. [We can find meanings for it, if we care to.]’” 

Starry, Starry, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, through January 2025

…

Q&A: Preston Jackson

Earlier this year, the Metal Museum named Preston Jackson as its 38th Master Metalsmith. “A Hidden Culture,” the exhibition now on display in honor of Jackson’s achievement, features 16 freestanding sculptures and four paintings by the artist, who describes the show as revealing “history that has been buried, forgotten, or deemed unimportant by society.” The Flyer had a chance to speak with Jackson about the show. 

Preston Jackson (Photo: Courtesy of the Artist/metal Museum)

Memphis Flyer: What was your reaction to being named the Metal Museum’s Master Metalsmith?

Preston Jackson: When I got the call to get involved in this, especially being in Memphis, you know, where my ancestors are from that area, I jumped at that opportunity, and I took it on, even preparing new works for the show. So it was an uplift to do what you’re supposed to.

I didn’t realize it had inspired new works.

Some of the pieces, maybe two or three, are in the show, and the one at the [Memphis] Botanic Garden, there’s a very large relief piece there [Tales of the River Cities].

Your work goes into history and wants to uncover hidden histories, right?

Yeah, things that people feel uncomfortable talking about. … I find that looking back and re-understanding, rethinking about things that were only a hint in your past because you didn’t have the facilities to understand them or express them, it’s almost like admitting it’s good to be human.

Did you always know that you wanted to tell stories of other people, or was this kind of like something that you developed? 

A lot of these traits that I have today were discovered, as my parents tell the story of my growing up, many years ago, right at the beginning of my little life as a young kid. Growing up in Decatur, Illinois, a product of the great migration that happened, my life is so much a part of that history. My exhibit gave me a chance to express my feelings about that.

And when you’re looking at these stories, are you doing a lot of research? 

Yeah, you don’t want to be wild in your thinking, because of how important it is to tell the truth. Just look at our politics today. Truth is sought after, and it’s valuable. If we live a lie or believe in lies, we’re going to sort of destroy the entire civilization. 

“A Hidden Culture,” Metal Museum, through January 26 

Categories
Music Music Features

WYXR Vibrations

J Spaceman and John Coxon (Photo: Courtesy Fat Possum Records)

Raised By Sound Fest, the music festival and fundraiser staged by community radio station WYXR and Mempho Presents, is once again in the offing, scheduled to have the Crosstown Concourse bursting with sound this Saturday, December 7th, and, as with the event’s previous iterations, the mix of performers is intriguingly eclectic. 

Through its short history, Raised By Sound has earned a reputation for drawing top-tier artists for its main concert event, always held in the Crosstown Theater, and this year is no different. In 2022, when Jody Stephens’ reconstituted Big Star quintet planned only a few shows in honor of #1 Record, the Raised By Sound Fest was a pivotal performance for them. And last year, Cat Power made Memphis one of their first stops when they began touring their Dylan tribute album, The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert.

This year, WYXR has outdone itself once again for Raised By Sound’s main concert, presenting a live score to the William Eggleston film, Stranded in Canton, performed by J Spaceman and John Coxon of Spiritualized. “We just heard they had a really incredible show in London,” says the station’s executive director Robby Grant, “and in the U.S., Memphis is the only city they’re doing it in, outside of New York and L.A.” 

As Grant notes, these marquee events all came together by way of the station’s openness and centrality as a meeting place for creatives of all kinds. “We keep our antenna up,” he says. “We have a huge window. We’re very welcoming. We’re very transparent. There’s a lot of benefit to that and making these connections.” The Spiritualized event is a case in point, as WYXR DJ David Swider, owner of Oxford’s The End of All Music record store, told Grant that the group’s live score was slated to be released on the Fat Possum label; the next day, Winston Eggleston (son of the photographer/filmmaker) mentioned that the group had reached out to him about permission to use the film. Things simply clicked by virtue of the station’s network. 

Tommy Wright III (Photo: Courtesy WYXR)

Yet that capstone event, now sold out, is only one of many musical experiences that Raised By Sound will offer. Throughout the day, many other performances will echo in the columns of the Central Atrium, and that will only heat up once the final credits roll for Stranded in Canton, as the ticketed after-party kicks off in the East Atrium at the top of the red staircase, with a DJ set by Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney of the Black Keys and performances by hip-hop legends Tommy Wright III and Lil Noid. 

The free music begins at 1 p.m., when artists from the University of Memphis’ Blue T.O.M. Records will perform, including Meaghan Christina, Ozioma, and Canale. “It means a lot to us to be able to give [Blue T.O.M. artists] that level of exposure,” says WYXR’s program manager Jared Boyd, “and we’re also promoting an educational component, partnering with Grammy U, Stax Music Academy, and Crosstown High School. It creates a level ground for them to be on the same bill as the Black Keys and Spiritualized. It’s bringing it all under one house.”

That revue will be followed by Fosterfalls, a solo performer also based in Memphis. “They’re a really interesting solo artist,” says Grant. “They’re kind of acoustic, very ethereal, with a lot of loopy-type stuff, and they’re a great example of a local artist who’s getting out there and working really hard and just doing it.” Also in the hard-working vein is the blues-rock HeartBreak Hill Trio, fronted by Matt Hill, a longtime presence on the Memphis scene, known for his axe work with wife Nikki Hill. Once the trio has livened things up, Brooklynite Max Clarke, aka Cut Worms, will take the stage. His 2019 album Nobody Lives Here Anymore was produced by Matt Ross-Spang. And finally, the afternoon will close out with a solo show by Hurray for the Riff Raff’s Alynda Segarra, who has close ties to New Orleans despite being from the Bronx. 

Indeed, all of the artists happen to have ties to Memphis. Celebrated Memphis-born photographer Tommy Kha, for example, has worked closely with Hurray for the Riff Raff. Yet the festival organizers are not strict about that as a criterion for inclusion. As Boyd notes, “We wanted to be able to present homegrown artists as well as artists who have some sort of significant Memphis or regional influence. Some are from elsewhere, but were called to Memphis because of music.”

“You don’t have to be a Memphis-connected artist to be booked for Raised By Sound Fest,” adds Grant, “but we found that every artist we booked has some connection. Like, no matter who we book, because Memphis is such a music city, there’s some connection.” That even goes for the performers from Spiritualized, who first debuted their live score for Eggleston’s film a decade ago at the Barbican Gallery in London, as part of Doug Aitken’s Station to Station festival. Now, a recording of that has been released by the local heroes at Fat Possum.

The after-party, too, will have strong Memphis roots. The Black Keys, based in Nashville, are not only steeped in the North Mississippi blues via that same record label, but have worked closely with Memphis’ Greg Cartwright. And, of course, Tommy Wright III and Lil Noid were on the ground floor of the local hip-hop revolution that gave rise to superstars like Three 6 Mafia. Wright is arguably the better known of the two, his music having been embraced by the skateboard scene. As Boyd notes, “There’s even a skateboard hardware company in L.A. called Shake Junt, and their entire brand image is an homage to Memphis rap culture!” But Lil Noid’s profile is also rising, and, tying it all together, he’s even featured on a new Black Keys track, “Candy and Her Friends.”

All told, the Raised By Sound Festival will provide a compelling glimpse and staggering diversity of music in Memphis, but other dimensions of the city will be represented as well. Community groups like Music Export Memphis, Memphis Music Initiative, and CHOICES will have tables, and visual artists like Sara Moseley, Darlene Newman, and Toonky Berry will have works either on display or being created as the music plays on. It’s all part of a concentrated celebration of what Memphis brings to the world. As Boyd says, “We have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to talent. And if you grew up in it, you may not always realize that most places are not like this.” 

Categories
News News Blog News Feature

Tennessee’s Gender Affirming Care Ban for Children Goes to U.S. Supreme Court for Arguments

(Credit: Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash)

Tennessee’s Attorney General is set to defend the state’s gender affirming care ban for minors in the U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday against challengers who say the 2023 law endangers children.

While attorneys for the plaintiffs claim the law violates the Constitution’s equal protection clause, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said lawmakers took “measured action” in 2023 when they prohibited gender affirming care for children to protect them from “irreversible, unproven medical procedures.”

“Lawmakers recognized that there is little to no credible evidence to justify the serious risks these procedures present to youth and joined a growing number of European countries in restricting their use on minors with gender-identity issues,” Skrmetti said in advance of oral arguments at the high court in Washington, D.C.

One of Tennessee’s main claims is that the Constitution doesn’t stop states from regulating medical practices involving “hot-button social issues.” Primarily, though, the state says the law doesn’t discriminate based on sex.

“Little to no credible evidence to justify the serious risks these procedures present to youth,” said Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti of gender affirming care for minors. (Photo: John Partipilo)

But the father leading the legal challenge against Tennessee’s law said the ban on gender affirming medical care is “an active threat” to his daughter’s future.

“It infringes not only on her freedom to be herself but on our family’s love,” the father said Monday morning in an online press conference. He said his daughter started taking puberty-blocking medications and then hormone therapy at age 13, only after nine months of conversations and consultation with experts and physicians, and is “happy and healthy” as she prepares for college.

Another father, an Ohio lobbyist who identified himself in the press conference as a Republican, said his son was near suicide in 2012 before starting the years-long process of changing sexes.

“One thing I learned was being transgender is a real thing, and if it’s a real thing, in my view, it transcends any political ideology,” the man said.

Represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Tennessee, Lambda Legal and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, three families of transgender children say Tennessee’s law violates their constitutional right to equal protection under the law. Dr. Susan Lacy of Memphis is among the plaintiffs as well.

Chase Strangio, an attorney for the ACLU, said Tennessee banned hormone therapy and puberty-delaying medication for children only when prescribed to allow adolescents to live and identify with a sex “inconsistent” with their sex at birth, making it a violation of their rights.

“We are simply asking the Supreme Court to recognize that when a law treats people differently based on their sex, the same equal protection principles apply regardless of whether the group impacted by the law happens to be transgender,” Strangio said.

It’s about whether politicians can restrict access to healthcare treatments in order to impose their narrow, harmful, stereotypical view of gender.

– Sasha Buchert, Lambda Legal

Sasha Buchert of Lambda Legal said the case’s outcome will determine whether families will continue to have the freedom to make medical decisions with their doctors. Otherwise, “unqualified politicians will step into the shoes of families and medical professionals to make those decisions in ways that undermine the care, safety, and dignity of transgender youth,” Buchert said.

Buchert said the argument goes beyond access to gender affirming care, which has been restricted in 24 states, to whether the courts will uphold decades of legal precedent affirming that the state must “show its work when it chooses to discriminate on the basis of sex.”

“It’s about whether politicians can restrict access to healthcare treatments in order to impose their narrow, harmful, stereotypical view of gender,” Buchert said.

Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) and House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) filed the gender affirming care ban bill in 2023 after a right-wing media outlet reported that Vanderbilt University Medical Center was providing the treatment to children. The hospital said it wasn’t performing surgeries on minors.

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn headlines anti-transgender rally in Nashville

Johnson and several other lawmakers introduced the bill in a rally at the Capitol attended by hate groups. It passed the legislature largely along party lines, although three Democrats voted for it in the House.

In a brief filed with the Supreme Court, Skrmetti backed up his argument by saying European countries that pioneered gender affirming care treatment started pulling back because of concerns about safety and effectiveness. The brief said Tennessee lawmakers considered European restrictions and listened to accounts “of regret and harm” from people who switched back to their original sex.

Skrmetti’s brief says the federal government, which entered the legal battle on the side of the plaintiffs, is trying to displace Tennessee’s law “by reading its preferred policies into the Constitution.” The attorney general’s brief says Senate Bill 1 contains no sex classification and differentiates between minors seeking gender transition drugs and those seeking treatment for other medical purposes.

Plaintiffs in the case say the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, which struck down the lower court’s decision to block the law, failed to look at the case with “heightened review,” a legal standard for evaluating constitutionality based on characteristics such as gender.

But Skrmetti’s brief says the court should decline such “doctrinal revolution” because sex isn’t a “but-for cause of SB1’s age- and used-based restrictions.”

Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com. Follow Tennessee Lookout on Facebook and X.

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Stage Epic Comeback Against Pacers

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) drives against Quenton Jackson (29) of the Indiana Pacers during the first half at FedExForum on Dec 1, 2024. (Wes Hale Photo)

In an early Sunday afternoon matchup at FedExForum, the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Indiana Pacers 136-121, extending their winning streak to six games and sweeping their four-game homestand.

After a disastrous first quarter in which they trailed by as many as 19 points, the Grizzlies snapped back with a vengeance. They cut the Pacers’ lead to six heading into the second half, while putting on a defensive masterclass.

Third quarters were like kryptonite to Memphis at the start of the season, but it is safe to say that is no longer the case. It certainly wasn’t yesterday against Indiana.

The third quarter was when the Grizzlies demolished the remainder of the Pacers lead and built a sizable one of their own, outscoring Indiana 40-23. From there, it was smooth sailing through the fourth quarter and onto the team’s first win of the season when trailing at halftime.

This was a team victory, with seven players finishing in double digits and no one playing for more than 30 minutes. The Grizzlies’ depth has been a huge part of their success, and their bench is second-best in the league in scoring.

Jaren Jackson Jr. led the game with 25 points, and added 8 rebounds, two steals, and three blocks.

Ja Morant scored 19 points and had 8 assists.

Desmond Bane added 16 points, six rebounds, and six assists.

Jaylen Wells finished the night with 13 points and six rebounds.

Off the bench, Marcus Smart led with 16 points and six assists.

Santi Aldama added 15 points, four rebounds, and six assists.

Jake LaRavia contributed 11 points, three rebounds, and five assists.

More by the numbers:

As of today, Memphis is second in the league in points per game (121.7), third in the league in rebounds per game (47.9), and leading the league in assists (30.7) and blocks (7.2) per game. They are playing at the third-fastest pace in the league.

With the win over the Pacers, the Grizzlies are now sitting in third place in the Western Conference.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies are headed to Dallas to take on the Mavericks Tuesday night, in their final NBA Cup group play game. Tip-off is at 7:30 PM CST.

Categories
Film Features Film/TV

Music Video Monday: “Sunshine” by Jacob Church

It’s the Monday after Thanksgiving. All the leftovers have been eaten, and all the naps have been taken. It’s time to go back to work. If you’re anything like Music Video Monday, you’re not dealing with it very well.

Jacob Church is here to deliver a wake-up call. The Memphis rocker is channeling Cheap Trick to get you up and running. “Sunshine” is a thick slab of feel-good pop. In the video, directed by bassist-turned-auteur Landon Moore, Jacob picks up the band and drags their asses to rehearsal, where they quickly get their mojo back. We’re doing the same for you.

If you would like to see your music video featured on Music Video Monday, email cmccoy@memphisflyer.com.

Categories
Uncategorized

Dynamic Duo Delivers: Morant, Jackson Power Grizzlies to NBA Cup Win

Ja Morant after Grizzlies 120-109 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, November 29, 2024. (Photo credit: @memgrizz on X)

With a 120-109 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans at FedExForum on Friday, the Memphis Grizzlies extended their winning streak to five games, the team’s longest since March 2023. 

It was their first-ever win in the Emirates NBA Cup after a previous record of 0-6. 

Memphis moved to six games above .500, boasting a 13-7 record and a 6-1 mark in their last seven contests.

The Grizzlies remain formidable at FedExForum, where they’ve won four straight and own a 9-3 record this season.

In his first NBA Cup group play appearance, Ja Morant led the Grizzlies with 27 points (10-18 FG, 7-7 FT), seven assists and three steals. Morant consistently proves why he’s the most electrifying player in the NBA, treating fans to a nightly spectacle of athleticism and skill.

Next up was Jaren Jackson Jr., with 23 points (9-18 FG, 5-5 FT), a season-tying eight boards, and two blocked shots. 

With an impressive line of 22.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 steals in 28.3 minutes per game while shooting 51.6 percent from the floor, the 25-year-old is well on his way to a career-best campaign.

In their last two games together, a clear pattern has emerged: Morant sparks the Grizzlies in the first half; Jackson Jr. seals the deal in the second half.

And there’s this: 

“It’s great that Ja [Morant] sets a tone when we talk about our pace,” said Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins, when asked about the Morant and Jackson Jr. dynamic. “When he’s a driver of that, we get guys running without the ball. We get kick-aheads, we get early lobs. We get drive, kick-swings or swing-swings off of his early attacks.”

Jenkins continued, “Credit to the Pelicans. [They] had a pretty good game plan against Jaren [Jackson Jr.]. He couldn’t really get to some spots on the floor. They showed double teams. He had one good kick out and then another crowded one. It took him maybe a minute to get in the flow. I’m glad in the second half he turned it up.”

Off the bench, Santi Aldama added 20 points (8-9 FG, 3-3 3P, 1-2 FT), six rebounds and four assists. 

The Grizzlies reserves have been critical to the team’s success early in the season. Memphis’ bench is second in the association in scoring this season. Over the past two games, they have outscored opponents 118-79.

On the Horizon 

In the last game of their four-game home stand on Sunday, December 1, the Memphis Grizzlies will host the Indiana Pacers at 2:30 p.m.

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Marcus Smart Propels Grizzlies to Fourth Straight Victory

Marcus Smart against the Detroit Pistons. (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images.)

The Memphis Grizzlies are very thankful for Marcus Smart’s breakout night, which led them to a 131-111 victory over the Detroit Pistons, Wednesday..

It was also the bench unit’s time to shine, as they offered up a season-high 72 points.

The Pistons took a one-point lead into the second quarter but were quickly surpassed by the Grizzlies on the backs of Smart and Scotty Pippen Jr., who shot a combined eight-of-10 from the field in the quarter.

Smart has struggled to stay healthy this season and has already missed 10 games. Between injuries and inconsistencies, Smart’s role with the team has been relegated from the starting lineup to the bench.

Smart’s season-high 25 points against the Pistons could start an upswing in his performance. His seven made three-pointers are the most by any Grizzlies player this season.

Memphis built an 18-point lead that carried into the second half after being down as many as 11 points in the first quarter.

Four of five Grizzlies’ starters finished the night in double-digits:

Scotty Pippen Jr. put up 19 points on nine of 12 shooting and added seven rebounds, four assists, and three steals.

Jaylen Wells and Brandon Clarke added 13 points each, and Jaren Jackson Jr. contributed 12 points.

From the bench:

Smart led all scorers with 25 points, and added four rebounds, five assists, and three steals.

Jake LaRavia put up a season-high 19 points on eight-ofnine overall shooting and hit three of four from beyond the arc.

Jay Huff added 13 points, two rebounds, and three assists.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies will continue their homestand Friday afternoon against the New Orleans Pelicans in an NBA Cup game, and Ja Morant is slated to return to the lineup. Tip-off is at 4 PM CST.

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New Blended Sentencing Law Could Send Hundreds of Youth to Adult System

The exterior of the Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court in Downtown Memphis. Photo by Andrea Morales for MLK50
The exterior of the Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court in downtown Memphis. Photo by Andrea Morales for MLK50

This story was originally published by MLK50: Justice Through Journalism. Subscribe to their newsletter here.

In January, a new “blended sentencing” law will go into effect in Tennessee that could usher hundreds of children into the adult criminal justice system with fewer checks than the existing adult transfer process. It will also keep those kids in the juvenile justice system longer. 

The law is “extremely harmful for youth in Memphis,” said Ala’a Alattiyat, coordinator for the Youth Justice Action Council. “It will not keep our community safer, and it will continue to perpetuate the cyclical nature of the justice system by making it harder for youth to exit that cycle.”

Children as young as 14 could be subject to blended sentencing. These children will be required to serve juvenile sentences until they turn 19. They will also face up to four years of adult prison or probation.

Initially, this adult sentence is stayed, meaning it will only take effect if certain criteria are met. Only one of these criteria concerns whether a child has committed another delinquent act.

As a result, kids could end up in adult prison without committing another crime, said Zoe Jamail, policy coordinator at Disability Rights Tennessee. Instead, the text of the law allows children to increase their risk of going to prison by breaking curfew or failing to graduate from high school. 

Ultimately, children “who would otherwise never have been facing an adult sentence” will be swept into the adult system, said Jasmine Ying Miller, a senior attorney at Youth Law Center.

Read more about how the law will work here. 

Blended sentencing is part of a broader effort by some lawmakers to make Tennessee’s juvenile justice system more punitive, even though rates of youth crime in the state have been declining for at least a decade. 

In April, the state legislature passed the “Juvenile Organized Retail Theft Act,” which allows children to be tried as adults for shoplifting or stealing a gun. In May, it passed the “Parental Accountability Act,” which allows judges to fine parents for offenses committed by their children.

Rep. John Gillespie. Photo by Andrea Morales for MLK50

The blended sentencing legislation, which also passed in May, was introduced and sponsored by several Memphis-area lawmakers. In the State Senate, the bill was sponsored by state Sen. Brent Taylor (R-Memphis). In the House, the bill was sponsored by Rep. Mark White (R-Memphis), Rep. John Gillespie (R-Memphis), and Rep. G.A. Hardaway (D-Memphis). 

“State policies related to youth justice consistently and disproportionately target Memphis, which is a predominantly Black city,” said Alattiyat. As a result, “this type of law always ends up disproportionately targeting Black youth.”

Blended sentencing’s sponsors often imply — incorrectly — that youth are responsible for most of Memphis’s crime. 

“We are living in a state of fear in Memphis, in the surrounding area,” Rep. Gillespie told colleagues during a House discussion of blended sentencing, “and it is almost entirely because of juveniles committing violent crimes that are going unpunished.”

These claims are misleading. Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court has said that adults are responsible for most crimes in the county. Children do seem to be disproportionately involved in car theft; about a third of those charged with vehicle-related crimes are youth offenders, according to the Memphis Police Department. Available data suggest that youth are less involved in violent crime. 

According to statistics maintained by the Memphis-Shelby County Juvenile Court, juvenile crime did increase in 2022. But by 2023, juvenile crime had fallen to the same level as 2021. Overall, juvenile crime in Memphis has been on a steady decline since at least 2011. 

Nevertheless, legislators insist that drastic action must be taken on youth crime in Memphis.

Rep. Mark White during a House committee hearing in March of this year. Photo by Andrea Morales for MLK50

“Juvenile laws traditionally have been there to protect the juvenile,” said White, who introduced the bill in the House. In his view, protection is no longer the right approach. “We’re living in a different time with some of the crimes committed by these 14, 15, 16, 17-year-olds.”

Currently, Tennessee’s juvenile justice system operates on two tracks: either children remain in the juvenile system — where they must be released by 19, no matter the offense they’ve committed — or they can be transferred to the adult system. 

White believes that the first track, in which children remain in the juvenile system until age 19, enables juvenile crime. Under the current system, children “can shoot and kill a person at 17 and go free at 19,” he said. 

Children accused of murder and attempted murder are usually transferred to adult court unless they have been abused or coerced, lawyers say.

Some juvenile judges also take issue with this part of the law; they’d like the option to keep older kids who have committed serious offenses in the juvenile system beyond 19.

“We all want a tool where we can extend jurisdiction to capture youth past the age of 19,” said Judge Aftan Strong, chief magistrate of Memphis-Shelby County’s Juvenile Court. “Extended jurisdiction” would give courts more time to rehabilitate young offenders, she said. 

Blended sentencing bears little resemblance to this policy. And while juvenile judges are legally required to rehabilitate youth offenders, the architects of blended sentencing have made it clear that rehabilitation is beside the point. 

White introduced an initial version of blended sentencing to the legislature in April 2023. The next month, White published an op-ed where he wrote, “We are well past the time of ‘we need to rehabilitate our youth.’” Instead, he wrote, the juvenile justice system should focus on “discipline, correction and punishment.” 

A view of the state legislature floor during a House session in March 2023. Photo by Andrea Morales for MLK50

In that same op-ed, White compared Memphis’ “undisciplined youth” to the 1870s yellow fever epidemic that killed or displaced 30,000 Memphians.

Ultimately, blended sentencing will likely incarcerate more children while failing to address youth crime, critics say. Empirical research on young people “does not support this viewpoint that you can punish your way into reducing crime.” said Cardell Orrin, Tennessee executive director at Stand for Children. 

White is not concerned by this critique. “We have to have a system where [young offenders] understand the seriousness of what they did and that they will be detained in the system,” White told MLK50. 

“A lot of the issues are coming from 2 percent-4 percent of our [youth] population,” he continued. “If we would just detain those people and make believers out of them, it may keep other people from reoffending.” 

Four percent of Memphis’ population between the ages of 10 and 17 is roughly 2,700 children, based on available U.S. census data. 

“We may have to go too far to one side trying to correct it in order to get back to sanity,” said White.

Rebecca Cadenhead is the youth and juvenile justice reporter for MLK50: Justice Through Journalism. She is also a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. Email her  rebecca.cadenhead@mlk50.com.

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News

Memphis Flyer Podcast November 27, 2024: Happy Thanksgiving!

This week on the Memphis Flyer podcast, Chris McCoy and Abigail Morici talk Thanksgiving food, and our annual Black Friday Local Gift Guide. Happy Thanksgiving!

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Music Record Reviews

More Love: FreeWorld’s Jazz-Funk Affirmation

FreeWorld (Photo: Steve Roberts)

Thanksgiving just hasn’t been the same since 2020. On that very day, November 26th of that year, the epic life of saxophonist and flutist Herman Green came to an end. Covering it at the time, the Memphis Flyer quoted Richard Cushing, who co-founded the band FreeWorld with Green, reporting that his friend and bandmate had passed away “at home, surrounded by family, listening to Coltrane.”

That one comment spoke volumes about the deep commitment to jazz Cushing shared with Green, capturing Cushing’s concern for what his bandmate was hearing in his final hours. And it was indicative of how a deep love of jazz marked FreeWorld’s earliest days. Of course, anything involving Green, who once played with the likes of B.B. King, Lionel Hampton, and John Coltrane, among many others, was bound to tap into a direct throughline to jazz at its deepest. And yet, FreeWorld has never been considered a jazz band, per se.

Not that the players themselves care much for labels. Over more than three decades, the band has perfected a cheerful amalgam of influences, noting the influence of artists from Steely Dan to the Meters to the Grateful Dead on their website. Or, as one writer put it, “the best of Memphis, New Orleans, and San Francisco.” That combination, with a strong common denominator of funk and soul, has been tested in the crucible of FreeWorld’s countless nights on Beale Street.

And you have to hand it to a band that can keep nine musicians working regularly: with its horn section and solid command of the funk vocabulary, it’s as close to the old Beale Street as we have these days, and, like Beale in its heyday, the crowd-pleasing big band also happens to host some great jazz players.

In that sense, the legacy of Herman Green shines on through FreeWorld, but it’s especially worth noting with the band’s new album, More Love, as it contains one of the purest musical tributes to Green I’ve heard, by way of one of his own compositions: “Red Moon.” Though not the obvious crowd-pleaser, to these ears it’s the crown jewel of the album.

Easing in quietly with saxophone evoking Green himself, it seems like noirish crime jazz, before kicking off into a Chicago-like groove that provides a superb bed for some virtuosic solos, including a Clint Wagner cameo on guitar and a dazzling jaunt on the Fender Rhodes piano courtesy erstwhile Memphian and FreeWorld alum Ross Rice. Finally, as the whole swanky arrangement comes to a close, we hear the voice of Herman Green himself, advising us on how to get to heaven.

Yet Green’s tune is not the only instrumental vehicle for these stellar soloists. “Rush Hour” and “Who Knew?” by sax player Peter Climie and “Color Trip” by keyboardist Cedric Taylor (both of whom shine, along with trumpeter Alex Schuetrumpf, throughout the album) are other standouts. And, speaking of noir, “11:11 on Beale” is a masterclass in atmospherics, featuring some very beat poetry by co-writer Benjamin Theolonius “IQ” Sanders. Ultimately, his monologue winds up with a promotional spiel of sorts: after introducing the band, he notes that they can be heard “every Sunday on Beale Street,” and, appropriately, that brings the instrumental odyssey back to the band’s bread and butter.

Those bread-and-butter tunes are here too, of course, with stomping grooves and singalong choruses aplenty. Indeed, the title song, sung by the inimitable Jerome Chism (who’s usually across Beale fronting the B.B. King’s Blues Club All-Star Band), takes “singalong” to a whole new level, as Chism’s soaring lead is backed by the Tennessee Mass Choir, directed by Jason Clark. That’s entirely appropriate if you consider “More Love” to be a kind of secular gospel, a non-denominational call for greater understanding from all our hearts.

Much of the other songs have the same positive message. There are no songs of lust, deception, or murder here — only testimonials to what one hopes are noncontroversial values of tolerance, empathy, and forbearance. Hippies can dream, can’t they? As Cushing sings on one track, “Why all this fussing and fighting? Stop all this killing and dying … The world we know is transforming, trees on fire, the water is warming … It’s time for justice to arise!”

Don’t be surprised if you hear the track during broadcast breaks for Democracy Now! in the near future. And, for such a song to come from Memphis, Tennessee, at this dark hour is a very welcome thing. The same could be said for FreeWorld’s single from 2021, titled “D-Up (Here’s to Diversity),” included here as a bonus track. As a band promoting both Herman Green’s memory and good ol’ wholesome, progressive values, I say more power to FreeWorld, and may they ever go viral.

FreeWorld will have a series of record release shows this Thanksgiving weekend, starting with Lafayette’s Music Room on Thursday, Nov. 28, 7 p.m.; followed by the Rum Boogie Cafe on Friday, Nov. 29, and Saturday, Nov. 30, 8 p.m.; and wrapping up with Blues City Cafe on Sunday, Dec. 1, 8 p.m. The band will also host a listening party at the Memphis Listening Lab on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 6 p.m.