In 2000, I had the idea to start an open-mic jam session after attending an all-star weekly event called Black Lily in Philadelphia. Black Lily was a hip-hop and soul Tuesday-night jam session co-curated by The Legendary Roots Crew. I was invited by a young singer who frequented the event named Jill Scott.
At the time, my band Fertile Ground was gaining momentum in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and I remember thinking, We should do something like the Black Lily here in Baltimore. Our label Blackout Studios would be the perfect engine to produce it and Fertile Ground could help make it popular. Drawing on the inspiration of several national live music events and a desire to shine a light on Baltimore’s unique flavor, after long conversations with my business partner Olu Butterfly in the summer of 2001 about venues, logistics, and even the name, Organic Soul Tuesdays was born.
Our mission was simple but intentional: to provide a creative laboratory where the arts community could both experiment and polish performances on a real stage. We hosted an open-mic backed by a live band made up of some of the best musicians in the city.
Baltimore has a long tradition of historic jam sessions — Wall Street, Spike & Charlie’s, Buddies, the New Haven Lounge, and countless others. I grew up playing alongside world-class musicians such as Maysa, Kim Waters, Carl Filipiak, Dennis Chambers, Dontae Winslow, Jarod Barnes, Cyrus Chestnut, and Gary and Greg Grainger. Organic Soul Tuesdays was our attempt to channel that elite musicianship into new opportunities for emerging artists.
We partnered with some of the city’s most successful promoters, including Derrick Chase, Dimitri McDaniel, and Walter Maxfield. For more than a decade, we produced 48 to 50 events each year, reaching thousands of art lovers. The area’s best poets, musicians, and vocalists of every genre quickly learned that Organic Soul was a serious platform.
Artists such as Raheem DeVaughn, JSOUL, Love the Poet, Desi Alexander, Maimouna Youssef (MuMu Fresh), The 5th L, Che’Ray, Larry Lancaster, and many others used Organic Soul Tuesdays as a launching pad for their careers. Through Blackout Studios, we built partnerships with the African American Heritage Festival, Jazzy Summer Nights, Artscape, and other major Maryland festivals, often inviting artists to perform at Organic Soul for opportunities to be booked on those larger stages.
Organic Soul wasn’t just an event — it was a movement. This was the weekly hub where records were released, books were published, songs were written and relationships developed.
Now, as Organic Soul approaches nearly 25 years of commitment to Baltimore’s arts scene, we are celebrating with our latest installment: Organic Soul – The Reunion. The original crew will be in the building. Olu Butterfly will host, JSOUL will DJ, and the band: Craig Alston, Joel Mills, Cory Baker, and Spyda will perform, along with a special musical set by MuMu Fresh and myself, James Collins.
In addition, this event will also feature the Organic Soul Lounge powered by The Baltimore Scene. This space will be a true open-mic along with some amazing food and vendors. Charm City Slam will also be in the building hosting a legendary Best of Baltimore slam from 7-8. You don’t want to miss any of this!
All Photos Submitted by: Blackout Studios
Organic Soul – The Reunion takes place January 30, 2026, at The Garage, 6 E. Lafayette Street.