By Monique Stone
Dallas Jazz legend Jeff Aycock and his Quartet closed out the 2022 Soul Arts Collective Music Fest Fundraiser in Killeen with an unforgettable performance. The Music Fest was held at Endeavors Performing Arts & Special Events Venue at 868 S. Fort Hood Street. Owners, Monique Stone and children Claude McIver and Ursula Cimone showcased on December 10 th and 11 th two local rap artist and four stellar bands from across Texas in their second music fest event.
Saturday began at 6:30pm with Lul Roccet, an up-and-coming Central Texas rap artist known for his profound lyrical rhymes. At 7pm it was rockin’ Reggae with Killeen’s Cultural Effect Band that had everyone rockin’ in their seat or on the dance floor. Then at 9pm, T.J. Bells and Another Band of Gypsys out of Waco took to the stage and turned it out with their signature back-street blues.
Sunday the audience was blessed at 3pm with a performance by Levallois Hamilton, a well known Christian rapper in Killeen who had much to say about uplifting the youth, his community and the woes of the world we live in. Then Killeen’s own phenomenal Sax Man Rashad Maybells and Band showed up and showed out at 3:30pm. He and his band electrified the audience with their Jazz Funk and R&B song selections that often featured epic vocalist, songstress Michelle Marie.
Then Dallas’s own Jeff Aycock & Quartet stepped into the spotlight at 6pm and took us on a smooth jazz journey, masterfully playing jazz lovers favorites plus some of his own original songs. Jeff Aycock has been mesmerizing audience all over Texas and the U.S. for over fifty years and he still has much to give. The three other talented members of The Jeff Aycock Quartet are Larry Davis on keyboard, Eddie Mac on drums and Kenya Keys on vocals.
It was a charity event weekend to remember for the 2023 Soul Arts Collective Youth Summer Program and we hope you remember not to miss the next Music Fest at Killeen’s Endeavors Venue in December of 2023. For more music, stage-play and spoken word events info or to purchase tickets to any of our upcoming shows call us at 310.341.8036 or visit our website at www.endeavorsvenue.com.