Photo Courtesy of Roots Series
Adonis Rose
Jazz isn't exactly the first genre of music folks think of when the Fort Worth Stockyards comes to mind, but that's not stopping one of the city's most anticipated new venues from bringing some of New Orleans' best performers to the historic district.
Music festival production company Funkytown Agency is partnering with the Downtown Cowtown at the Isis Theater to present the Roots of Music Concert Series — two nights of performances by jazz artists out of New Orleans, set to take place June 4 – 5. This will be one of the first events celebrating the opening of the Stockyards music venue, which has not yet announced an official grand opening date.
FunkyTown Agency is led by Adonis Rose, an internationally known jazz musician who also serves as artistic director of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. Adonis will host the series, performing alongside musicians like Bo Dollis Jr. and The Wild Magnolias, Erica Falls, and James Andrews. Fort Worth's Big Easy Brass Band will also make an appearance as the opening act.
“The city of Fort Worth boasts a diverse music scene that has grown exponentially over the last decade," Rose said in a statement. "The opening of the Isis Theater will provide a world-class performance space for local and international artists and creates opportunities to expose and celebrate Black music through the Roots of Music Concert Series, at the same time making a connection to New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz and my hometown.”
The grand opening of the Isis Theater has been pushed a few times due to circumstances like COVID-19 and February's snowstorms. Originally built in 1914, the 500-seat venue is wrapping up renovations and has a few events listed on its website, including some big names like Sundance Head and Curtis Grimes.
This article has been updated from a previous version.