MWALIM TRIO to Headline Inaugural SouthCoast Jazz Festival in Fall River

The sounds of Blues, Soul, and Jazz will fill the streets of Downtown Fall River when The MWALIM TRIO headlines the inaugural SouthCoast Jazz Festival on Saturday, June 27, as part of the Bristol Black Collective's Juneteenth Celebration. The trio will take the festival stage at 6:00 p.m. on Purchase Street, bringing an evening of powerful storytelling, timeless grooves, and original music rooted in the rich traditions of Black American culture.

As the centerpiece of one of the SouthCoast's newest cultural events, The MWALIM TRIO's appearance reflects both the artistic vision of the festival and the enduring importance of Blues and Soul music within the story of Black freedom, resilience, and creativity. Organized by the Bristol Black Collective, the SouthCoast Jazz Festival is designed to celebrate the region's diverse artistic community while honoring Juneteenth, the national commemoration of the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.

Leading the trio is Mwalim DaPhunkee Professor, one of Southeastern Massachusetts' most respected artists, educators, and cultural leaders. For decades, Mwalim has built a reputation as a performer whose work bridges music, theater, storytelling, scholarship, and community engagement. Whether on stage, in the classroom, or through his leadership in regional arts organizations, he has consistently championed the role of culture as a tool for education, empowerment, and connection.

As a professor at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Mwalim has mentored generations of students in writing, media production, storytelling, performance, and Black Studies. His influence extends far beyond academia. Through his work as Artistic Director of Oversoul Theatre Collective, founder of numerous community arts initiatives, recording artist, playwright, filmmaker, and producer, he has become one of the SouthCoast's most recognizable advocates for the arts and one of its most prolific creative voices.

Yet it is on stage where many audiences first encounter the power of his work. The MWALIM TRIO specializes in Blues and Soul music that honors tradition while remaining firmly rooted in the present. Drawing inspiration from the classic sounds of artists such as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, and B.B. King, the trio combines deep musical grooves with a contemporary sensibility and original compositions that speak directly to modern audiences.

Mwalim's commanding vocal style moves effortlessly from the gritty power of a traditional Blues shouter to the smooth sophistication of classic Soul. His songs unfold as narratives filled with humor, wisdom, heartbreak, resilience, and celebration. Audiences are not simply listening to music; they are invited into stories that reflect shared experiences and cultural memory.

Supported by a rhythm section that understands the emotional language of Blues and Soul, The MWALIM TRIO creates performances that feel both intimate and expansive. Their shows capture the spirit of the juke joint, the church social, the corner club, and the community gathering, all while presenting original material that continues the evolution of these enduring musical traditions.

That commitment to preserving and advancing Black musical heritage makes the group an ideal choice to headline the SouthCoast Jazz Festival's inaugural year.

Juneteenth celebrations throughout the country increasingly emphasize the role of arts and culture in telling the story of Black America. Music has always been central to that story. From spirituals and work songs to Blues, Jazz, Soul, and Hip-Hop, Black music has served as a vehicle for history, resistance, joy, healing, and collective identity. The SouthCoast Jazz Festival embraces that legacy by bringing artists and audiences together in a shared public celebration of creativity and community.

For Fall River, the festival represents an exciting addition to the city's growing cultural landscape. For the Bristol Black Collective, it represents an opportunity to create a lasting tradition centered on artistic excellence and cultural understanding. And for music lovers throughout the region, it offers the chance to experience one of the SouthCoast's premier live acts in a setting designed to celebrate the power of music to bring people together.

When The MWALIM TRIO takes the stage at 6:00 p.m. on June 27, audiences can expect more than a concert. They can expect an evening of Blues and Soul that honors the past, speaks to the present, and reminds us why these musical traditions continue to resonate across generations.