Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) school board President Roger Moss can be heard from regularly at school board meetings or press conferences concerning educational matters. On Friday, Jan. 26 at the Tybee Post Theater, however, he can be heard from in a completely different light. Moss is a headliner for the “Songs of Soul Jazz and R&B” concert with Angel Gabriel, a one-night event that will also feature Kim Steiner on grand piano.

“It should be really fun because I come from an American songbook background and Angel is more from the contemporary side. He has this incredible pop voice. He has that sound,” said Moss during a recent phone call with “Connect Savannah.” “It’s a very upbeat concert. We will be doing a lot of blues and a lot of jazz and a lot of contemporary. The audience should come prepared to clap and have fun.”

The audience, on Friday, can hear Moss singing jazz and blues classics. Songs such as “Blues in the Night,” “Rain or Come Shine,” “Low Down Blues,” “How Long Has This Been Goin’ On,” “Tennessee Whiskey,” “50 Ways to Leave your Lover,” “Whiskey River,” “Kiss” by Prince, “The Thrill is Gone,” “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Come Fly with Me/Fly Me to the Moon,” and many more will be featured.

His “rich baritone adds depth and authenticity to the musical experience,” says one promotional item on the Tybee Post Theater website.

“My background is in music and I stay active in that. A lot of people don’t understand how important music is to education,” said Moss, who is one year into his four-year term as school board president (Jan. 2023 – Jan. 2027).

“Music is math. And when kids study music, or study how to read music, it’s math and it’s also literacy. When music is taught correctly, you have kids at young ages reading and with our push for literacy as our North Star, learning music is very valuable in that pursuit.”

Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Moss is a co-founder of the Savannah Children’s Choir and served on the founding board of Savannah Classical Academy. He has performed with the Savannah Symphony, Hilton Head Symphony, Beaufort Symphony and Memphis Opera. He serves on the boards of the Chatham County Board of Health, Habersham YMCA, Savannah Repertory Theatre and the Savannah Philharmonic.

Moss says Friday’s concert won’t disappoint.

“I would love to pack the place,” he said. “I cannot say enough about Angel. He is just an incredible singer. You don’t wanna’ miss it.”

The concert begins at 8pm. More information, including tickets and VIP tables, can be found on the Tybee Post Theater website and Facebook page.

This article appears in January 2024.