By Cameron Lee
June 25, 2025
Charlotte trumpeter and rising bandleader Braxton Bateman grew up in the Queen City attending Northwest School of the Arts for both middle and high school, but his musical lineage and spirit trace back to Philadelphia. His grandfather, Edgar Bateman Jr., was a revered jazz drummer who performed and recorded with legends like Herbie Hancock, Eric Dolphy, Walt Dickerson, and Booker Ervin.
“We have a place in Philadelphia called the Clef Club, which is essentially like JazzArts Charlotte here,” Bateman said. “I meet people my age — and they’ll say, ‘I used to hear your granddad practice.’ I’ve met some incredible people who’ve shared stories about him. Some even played with Art Blakey. I’ve even met Chick Corea. So, the ties run deep.”
Now 27, Bateman is carving out his own space in Charlotte’s ever-growing jazz constellation. While trumpet remains his primary instrument, he’s also known to moonlight on the vocoder — an instrument popularized in the ‘70s by German electronic band Kraftwerk, and later by Herbie Hancock and Stevie Wonder in the U.S.
Bateman has traveled the world playing music with the B.B. King All-Stars and avant-garde jazz bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma, who has taught him the art of free jazz. Recently, Tacuma brought Bateman and fellow Charlotte musician Malcolm Charles — also a Northwest and JazzArts Charlotte alum — to one of the country’s most prestigious experimental music festivals, Big Ears, alongside artists like Esperanza Spalding, Sun Ra, and Taj Mahal.
A proud product of Charlotte’s jazz community, Bateman trained under the guidance of Mark Johnson at Northwest and Lovell Bradford and Michael Hackett through JazzArts Academy. He holds deep respect for the local music scene and legends like the late Bill Hanna — hailed as the “Godfather of Charlotte Jazz” — who hosted iconic jam sessions at the Double Door Inn for over two decades. Today, the Bill Hanna Legacy Jazz Session lives on with weekly gatherings at Petra’s.
“Petra’s, to me, is the pinnacle of the local jazz community,” Bateman said. “Then there’s JazzArts Charlotte — they support us, and of course we love Eighty Eights.”
The city’s jazz scene has grown exponentially in recent years, with venues like Middle C Jazz, JazzArts’ Jazz Room, Jazz at the Bechtler, and even jazz nights at Camp North End. But while venues are essential, it’s musicians like Bateman and keyboardist/drummer Charles, who are the lifeblood of the scene. They not only provide entertainment at many of the city’s major events and venues, but also support some of Charlotte’s top hip-hop and R&B acts.
Mo’ Betta Thursdays
The 1990 Spike Lee film Mo’ Better Blues follows fictional trumpeter Bleek Gilliam (Denzel Washington), a gifted yet conflicted musician navigating his career, relationships, and creative identity. Scored by Branford Marsalis and Terence Blanchard, the film is a jazz touchstone — and its title track was the first tune Bateman learned to play.
“Even though I was too young to watch the movie, it impacted me later,” he said. “Seeing these musicians with money, in beautiful venues, playing music at a high level — it was powerful.”
That inspiration now lives on through Mo’ Betta Thursdays, a weekly jazz series at The Exchange at 36th in NoDa, co-founded by Bateman and Angel Sargent — an entrepreneur with a background in the furniture business, formerly of Roam & Dwell, and now co-owner of the boutique A-part[meant] with his wife, Deanna, who comes from a fashion background. Bateman and Sargent met at a cigar bar where Bateman and his band were performing, and their friendship naturally evolved into a creative partnership.
The intimate, lounge-style experience at The Exchange at 36th in the heart of NoDa showcases top-tier talent, including Bateman and Charles along with Marcus Jones, Hazel McKinley of DJaM Collective, and a rotating cast of special guests.
It’s a local spot where you can see some great musicians,” said Sargent. “It’s a unified front — businesses and artists working as one.”
The Exchange at 36th offers elevated casual fare, creative cocktails, and a vibey lounge experience featuring top-notch local provisions. As Bateman puts it: “The spot’s already inviting. We hit Mo’ Betta Thursdays, then hang out in the neighborhood — so there’s this dope circulation of energy and money.”
Building a Music Ecosystem
While concert halls offer unmatched production, live music’s sustainability increasingly depends on local partnerships. With Pollstar reporting that the average ticket for a Top 100 touring artist hovers around $136, community-based events like Mo’ Betta create affordable and inclusive alternatives.
Local venues, restaurants, and small businesses that collaborate with artists are creating a viable ecosystem — one built on mutual investment and shared growth. And even if live music isn’t always lucrative on its own, it can become a magnet for foot traffic, brand identity, and culture-building.
“I think balance is key,” said Bateman. “We need education, we need to push ourselves, and we need better relationships — with promoters, with venues. We’ve got to be honest about what we can do.”
For Sargent, who moved to the Charlotte area in 2020 from New York, that means building deeper community ties and a brand (A-part[meant]) that reflects the city’s pulse. “When people visit a city, they want to know its culture,” he said. “I want to be a part of that. That’s why I connect with local artists and businesses, because they are the culture.”
Bateman, Sargent, Charles, and company aren’t reinventing the live music business — but they are investing in it. They’re creating new performance opportunities, nurturing talent, and proving that collaboration between artists and small businesses can produce something both meaningful and sustainable.
It’s not a new formula — but it’s one that can certainly make your Thursday nights Mo’ Betta.
You can follow Braxton Bateman, A-part[meant], and The Exchange at 36th on Instagram and sign up for the email list for updates on Mo’ Betta Thursdays.
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