Thursday, February 20, 2025

ReelMusic

Thursday, February 20, 2025

7:30 PM - 9:00 PM

Event Schedule

7:00 PM: Doors

7:30-9:00 PM: Concert

Event Overview

Celebrate music’s power to connect us, unite us, and lift us up at ReelMusic 2025, which showcases the talents of jazz, rock (and more!) musicians and performers who live with disabilities. ReelMusic 2025 will feature ReelMusicians from the past, new-to-the-Festival ReelMusicians, and our ReelMusic house band.

ReelMusic Affiliated Sponsors

Event FAQs

House Band

Special Guests

Kelly Dean

House Band

Sax

Kelly Dean has played ReelMusic since 2016. A beloved award-winning music teacher/mentor at The Emery/Weiner School, Kelly plays with his high-octane jazz and R&B group, TKOh! and frequently pops up in major venues and stages throughout Houston.

Emmanuel Gilligan

House Band

Guitar

Eman Gilligan is a guitarist and prolific singer-songwriter who, along with his family band The Sundogs, plays throughout Houston. Shot in a robbery attempt nearly 10 years ago, he has not let a spinal cord injury stop him from continuing to share his powerful story and songs.

Andrew Lienhard

House Band

Keys

Andrew Lienhard is a pianist and software developer living in Houston, Texas. After graduating from HSPVA, he started touring with famed Blue Note saxophonist Ronnie Laws. He has since performed with Kirk Whalum, Joe Henderson, Hubert Laws, Doc Powell, Mindi Abair & many others.

David Craig

House Band

Bass

David Craig is a top call bassist often called on to accompany touring artists. A graduate of Kinder HSPVA, he was inducted into the DocFest Jazz Hall of Fame in 2017 and pays it forward by teaching many PVA students who have since pursued their own careers around the country.

Whitman with brown hair and short beard sitting at drums in a beige jacket

Dr. Mark Dannenbaum

House Band

Drums

Associate professor in UT Health Houston’s department of neurosurgery and in practice since 2012, drummer/percussionist Mark Dannenbaum also serves on the board of DocFest, an annual concert that supports jazz scholarships for graduating Kinder HSPVA students.

Cesar and Miriam Tello

ReelMusicians

Keys/Bass/Percussion/Vocals

Miriam and César Tello have built a life of music and service since marrying in 2009. Miriam serves as the music director and César as pianist for contemporary services at REVIVE Church. Miriam is also office manager of the Houston Professional Musicians’ Association.

Kyle Cousins

ReelMusician

Singer/Songwriter

Singer-songwriter-guitarist-keyboardist Kyle Cousins early on defied others’ expectations by graduating from UH and performing at Carnegie Hall. He currently performs with Queen and Def Leppard tribute bands and works at Houston’s Spectrum Fusion.

Jamie Harberg

ReelMusician

Vocals

Jamie Harberg brings her love of singing and performing back to the ReelMusic stage. Living in New Haven, CT, she works at Walgreens, brightening lives. Jamie enjoys exercising, traveling, and cherishing time with her family, friends, and her role as a proud aunt.

Young woman in a black t shirt with a tattoo on her arm and red and black hair

Maya Hunt

ReelMusician

Vocals

Maya Hunt discovered her love for singing at age 12. A HUB High School and HUBCAPS alum, she has appeared in stage productions of Into the Woods, Wizard of Oz, and Sponge Bob. She studies voice with Cay Taylor and works at her family’s Houston-based company, The Marker Group.

young man in a black suit white shirt and a black tie with brown hair and a short beard

Jacob Urbina

ReelMusician

Guitar

Jacob Urbina, a UTHealth med student graduating in May, was a clarinetist/guitarist prior to a finger amputation in high school. Defying “can’ts,” he made 1st-Chair bass clarinetist in the Texas All-State Band, mastered fingerstyle guitar, and designs 3D prosthetics for kids.

Myford Collins

ReelMusician

Singer/Songwriter

Myford Collins, a singer-poet-academic advisor, found his voice in 4th grade at Kashmere Elementary. Now a TIRR Peer and advocate, he is working on his first CD of original songs and says, “If you’re looking at the disability, you’re going to miss the person.”

Young white man with black curly hair, in a black t-shirt playing a bass guitar

Evan Crawley

ReelMusician

Bass

Evan Crawley, bassist and co-founder of The HUBCAPS, discovered his passion at 12, reluctantly learning bass in a school music class. By 13, he was taking lessons and mastering improvisation. Since founding The HUBCAPS in high school, Evan has performed at venues like Jones Hall

White man with red hair and tinted glasses in a black collared shirt

Sharp Conoly

ReelMusician

Vocals

Inspired by Phil Collins and artists like James Taylor, Sting, and Robert Plant, Sharp found a passion for singing in 2016 at The HUB Houston. As lead vocalist of the HUBCAPS since 2018, he has performed at venues like Jones Hall and the Art Car Parade.

Group of people in black outfits posing for the camera

EmPOWER Dance Team

ReelMusicians

Dance Troupe

EmPOWER Dance Team is an inclusive group of dancers that love to perform and are known to bring the house down wherever they go!

Emcee

ReelMusicans

Ernie in sport coat and collared shirt smiling

Ernie Manouse

Emcee

Executive Producer and Host, 11 Time Emmy Award Winner, Houston Public Media

Ernie joined Houston Public Media, as an anchor and producer in 1996. Over the years, in addition to his 11 Emmy Awards, Manouse has garnered five KATIE Awards, a Houston Press Club Lone Star Award, “Viewer’s Choice” recognition from multiple local and regional publications

Event Tickets

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A night of jazz, rock and more featuring accomplished musicians with disabilities.

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Event Overview

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House Band

Special Guests

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Event Overview

ReelMusic Affiliated Sponsors

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House Band

Special Guests

Emcee

ReelMusicans

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