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Roots and Empowerment: Morrisania Band Project Builds on Bronx R&B Legacy
- Damian Ali
- 4 hours ago
- 4 min read
Image of the band courtesy of Elissa Carmona / Morrisania Band Project. Background image created for editorial use.
Before hip-hop rose from the ruins of The Bronx, places like Morrisania were already buzzing with jazz, R&B, and music that seemed to pour right out onto the sidewalks. That spirit remains a driving force for the Morrisania Band Project, a Black, Latina, and Veteran-owned collective led by Air Force veteran Elissa Carmona.
The group is currently preparing to host their Soul Revival + Jam fundraiser on Friday, May 8, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Bronxlandia (910 Hunts Point Avenue), with proceeds supporting their Sing with SOUL program for local seniors.
Morrisania isn't just a name. It's a legacy. Before the 1970s, the neighborhood was a hub for doo-wop, bebop jazz, Latin sounds, and R&B, shaped in places like the Hunts Point Palace, a 2,000-seat venue where James Brown shared bills with local doo-wop groups. Morrisania was also home to The Chantels, the all-female doo-wop group whose 1958 song "Maybe" was an R&B hit in the late 50s.
Today, the Morrisania Band Project has performed at events like Opening Day at Yankee Stadium on 161st Street, just blocks away from where the historic Club 845 once stood near the corner of Prospect Avenue, hosting legends like Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker.
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Courtesy of Elissa Carmona / Morrisania Band Project.
Elissa Carmona has deep Bronx roots, founding the Morrisania Band Project in 2016. The collective features a core of experienced musicians, including founding guitarist Greg Daffin (Army vet) and Wasi Moodie on drums.
The vocal frontline includes Carmona alongside her daughter, award-winning singer Roné Greaves. With frequent collaborators like bassist Knowledge Born (Navy vet), guitarist Ameaga Rogers, and keyboardists Kevin Belle and Cecil Hodge, the group brings the borough's R&B legacy to life with a fresh, high-energy sound.
In a past interview for the Melrose Stories project, Carmona described the perspective that drives her work: "I'm for the people. I'm for the underdog. I've been the underdog most of my life. I'm a teen mom. I was a high school dropout, and so there's a lot that I can relate to. And… social justice part of things—it's been about all of us using our individual privilege or standing together."
The band got its start thanks to local support and partnerships. Early on, they received funding from the Bronx Council on the Arts and grants tied to Yankee Stadium. The DreamYard Project provided rehearsal and creative space. Because of that foundation, the group can keep its shows open to everyone, including free community events.
Image courtesy of Elissa Carmona / Morrisania Band Project.
Since launching the band, Carmona and her team have also been involved in a range of community-focused efforts. The group has supported sickle cell awareness events in partnership with the Queens Sickle Cell Advocacy Network and worked alongside Save Our Streets Bronx on initiatives tied to community safety and gun violence prevention.
Carmona's work in the neighborhood also includes earlier efforts to help revitalize Rev. Lena Irons Unity Park, where she organized cleanups and live music events in the years leading up to the band's formation.
One of the band's biggest projects is Sing with SOUL, which grew out of their work together. Launched in 2020 with help from the Bronx Council on the Arts, the program brings interactive music sessions to senior centers, nursing homes, and day programs across New York City. Instead of just playing for people, the band plays with them, encouraging everyone to sing, dance, and join in. The idea is to help people feel less isolated and more connected, all through music they know and love.
In an interview with BronxNet host Sonyi Lopez, Carmona described the goal behind the program and the band's broader mission: "What I want to bring to people through music is empowerment, 'a feeling that you can,' that music should take you back to where you were when you first heard it."
That same idea comes through when Carmona talks about the Bronx. "We don't always get the best press outside of the Bronx. People think they know us. I'm from here, we have artists, we have entrepreneurs, we have writers, we have professionals, nurses, doctors, we also have singers and musicians."
The band's next big event is the Soul Revival + Jam at Bronxlandia, 910 Hunts Point Ave, on Friday, May 8, from 7 to 10 p.m. The fundraiser will help support Sing with SOUL and will feature live music, an open jam, and plenty of chances for the community to get involved. The group also has more shows lined up this month, including stops at the Bronx Night Market, Culture Lab LIC, and a community event at Joyce Kilmer Park.
Kerry Washington recently said on Good Hang with Amy Poehler that the Bronx is often seen as the "forgotten borough," adding, "people don't expect much of you when you're from the Bronx. And so there's a certain kind of hustle and determination to make it if there's something you want to do. There's a different kind of strength and resilience, I think, from people who are from the Bronx."
You can hear that resilience in the Morrisania Band Project, which, as stewards of the borough's musical lineage, offers Bronxites a way to connect to that legacy. In a neighborhood that's been part of New York City's soundtrack for decades, their goal is simple: keep the music alive and make sure everyone feels empowered.
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