Music
Interview
Geoff L. Johnson
MAY 2-MAY 8, 2012 | WWW.CONNECTSAVANNAH.COM
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Fans of Moss’ new CD Sentimental Strain call it“perfect porch music.”
It’s been a bang–up couple of weeks for Roger Moss.
Stories, songs and schools with one of Savannah’s favorite crooners story by Jessica Leigh Lebos | jll@connectsavannah.com photos by Geoff l. Johnson
The ebullient artistic director of the Savannah Children’s Choir recently returned from a week in Verona, Italy, where he helped his cantillating charges win a gold medal at the city’s annual choral competition. [See article on page 22.] While preparing for the trip, the silky–voiced chanteur was also putting the touches on a new CD: He’s just released Sentimental Strain, a collection of sultry standards, grinding blues and a touch of gospel with jazz pianist Eric Jones. If April brought a sense of accomplishment to the 50–something Tennessee native, the months ahead look pretty fantastic, too: Moss sits on the board of the Savannah Classical Academy, a new charter school awaiting approval by the Board of Education to be located on the east side of the city. In the meantime, he continues to teach voice lessons privately and as part of the Salvation Army Creative and Performing Arts Conservatory, a grant–funded program for inexpensive quality music and visual arts instruction. He remains dedicated to the ideology that musical education belongs to everybody. Connect Savannah found the bodacious baritone in fine form last week, fully recovered from any cross–Atlantic jet lag. You look terrific. How’d you manage to get so svelte? Roger Moss: I had a little wake up call recently, and I decided I needed to start taking care of myself. I figured out my body craves good food! Last night I made broccoli, Portobello mushrooms and onions and garlic with a little soy sauce and