The Gritz give back to community through music

by Sarah Crisman

Today, The Gritz are on the road with Erykah Badu, and on

Thursday they'll take the stage at The Lakewood Theater for a concert benefiting The Dallas Furniture Bank, a local non-profit organization that provides basic household furnishings to families and individuals who are transitioning out of homelessness or that are otherwise in need of basic furniture. Tickets for the event are $35 and all proceeds go to Dallas Furniture Bank. The talented vocalist, Claudia Melton, and I had a nice chat about the impact of Dallas soul on our community and the cool things that can happen when music is thrown into the mix.

Are you doing a lot of Gritz shows these days?

Honestly, yes. We're doing a lot of private events, corporate parties, and nightclub happy hours. We recently opened for Boyz II Men.

How did that go?

It went great. It was that day it rained and rained and rained.

Yes, I remember that one day. How long have you been with The Gritz?

Since the beginning, about three years. We've known each other for 10 plus years. I wasn't singing a lot, I was more on the freelance side. Never really had a band of my own. Then RC called and asked if I was gigging one night, that he knew someone who needed a band for a happy hour. I was available, so I started doing the shows at this restaurant off Beltline every Friday. Next thing we knew, people were coming out just to see us play. That was the beginning of us on the music scene in Dallas. We started working at a lot of happy hours and nightclubs, we suddenly had a lot of places to play. In fact, we were most recently nominated for Best Funk/R&B Band in the Dallas Observer Music Awards.

Yes. Yes, I remember that! That was a very exciting night. Now, you went to UNT and studied in the jazz vocal program. You said you've known the guys in the band for several years now; did you meet any of them in the program?

Oh yeah, that's where I met Braylon Lacy, he's a North Texas graduate from the Jazz Department. I met him and RC that first year I was there in 1998.

I'm quite fascinated to see how jazz, gospel, and soul music so deeply influence the Dallas music scene. Do you think this is specific to DFW because we have UNT and Potter's House bleeding into our music -- I mean, do you find this in other cities you play in?

Gospel music is something that started in church, in your black community. When the music was heard outside of church on the street, they took a piece of that and put it into soul music. That's what The Gritz are, we're a gumbo of all different styles. The gospel music has moved into the soul music. Singers that used to sing in church then wanted to take their music out into the world. Gospel is soulful just like church, it's just the lyrics are different. Then with the jazz, we all played in ensembles together back in school. Then you've got Snarky Puppy and their elements of soul, jazz, rock, acid jazz -- they're very different. I think we've made a huge impact on the music scene here. There isn't any band in Texas doing what The Gritz are doing.

You're incredibly influential. When I think about the Dallas scene, it's the soul music coming from your circle specifically that I really think is just the hottest sound we have to offer. Fort Worth and Denton have their jazz, and the indie rock has its scene, but you really operate on a completely different wavelength.

I think RC had more in mind than he shared with us when we formed The Gritz. Here I thought he was just calling for a happy hour. Really what it evolved into was that no one was doing what we were doing on the level of performance at that time – and there still isn't. There is a need for it. There is a need for good music. Always. I know with what RC and I are doing for the community (I also work for the International House of Blues Foundation), we talk about how blues music influences every kind of music we enjoy today. Being a part of that first historical band in Dallas, I feel like a lot of the children coming up now can pick up an instrument after seeing our show and being inspired. I think that's important. We host an open mike jam session every Wednesday night at the Prophet Bar, and we try to encourage other young musicians to come out. We do a lot of hip-hop, a lot of jazz, a lot of soul -- we all come from church. I will say that for us.

That makes sense, it's an expression of spirituality, that's what takes it up to that other level.

And a lot of music lacks that. We had to listen to the radio all weekend searching for an encouraging and inspiring song for young people, and we didn't hear anything. Nothing.

Radio's in sad shape.

Everything's Lady Gaga, talking about how you drank too much last night, you're mad at this guy ... that's not inspiring.

Right. If it sounds like it happens in Addison every day, it's not inspiring.

Right! I work every weekend on the Dallas music scene to find my voice on someone's stage. There aren't other artists here who do what I do. They're out touring with different artists, and I'm an extension of what those other artists are doing – until my record goes multi-platinum, I can be as important locally as they can be nationally.

You're Hestia, you're guarding the hearth. Please keep us posted with what you're up to, as an advocate for local music and a fan, I'm very excited to see what you have for us next.