2020-10-06

Eddie Moore

Eddie Moore (Kansas City, Missouri)

Jazz pianist and bandleader Eddie Moore was raised in Houston, Texas, and began his musical journey at Texas Southern University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts and immersed himself in the Houston music scene. As a lifelong musician traversing a number of bands and styles, he then relocated to Kansas City to study under Bobby Watson at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he received his MA in Jazz Studies. After forming jazz/fusion group Eddie Moore & The Outer Circle in 2012, he released his debut album, The Freedom of Expression, which was given 3.5 stars from Downbeat jazz magazine. Moore’s third album, Kings & Queens, incorporates elements of soul, R&B, rock, and hip-hop into his take on contemporary jazz. Released with Ropeadope Records, Moore’s forward-thinking sounds are part of the rich continuum of African American music that continues to be imbued with indigenous African elements. Moore is also recipient of the 2016 Charlotte Street Generative Performance Award; 2017’s Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art “Artist in Residence” in collaboration with Rashid Johnson; 2018’s work with The Outer Circle was nominated for an Indie Music Award; and his music has also been featured commercially for Sprint, Netflix’s Queer Eye and Morgan Cooper’s short film Room Tone. Moore has shared the stage and recorded with Bobby Watson, Pam, Watson, Logan Richardson, Maurice Brown, Boys II Men, Brian Blade and the Fellowship, John Baptiste, Erykah Badu, Mosdef, Bilal, Ledisi, Chantae Cann, Krystal Warren, Matt Otto, Brandon Draper, Andre Hayward, Tivon Pennicott, Various Blonde,  Dominique Sanders, 77 Jefferson, and the Marcus Lewis Big Band. 

Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/06/2020.

Holly Hobbs

Music; United States; Covid-19 Pandemic

Kansas City, Missouri

Musicians in America during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Society for Ethnomusicology