Nourishing souls with song at Café Momentum’s “Sunday Supper” series

Jackson Scribner, wearing a fedora and glasses, faces the camera

Jackson Scribner. Photo: State Fair Records

The nonprofit restaurant Café Momentum, tucked away in downtown Dallas, is unique among area eateries.

Its mission, along with providing customers with savory, satisfying meals, is “to transform young lives by equipping our community’s most at-risk youth with life skills, education and employment opportunities to help them achieve their full potential,” according to the restaurant’s website.

One of the many ways Café Momentum supports and spreads the word about its work is through its “Sunday Supper Concert Series,” hosted by Texas Rangers radio announcer Eric Nadel. The acoustic series, which kicked off in 2017, takes place once a month and features a rotating series of (generally) Texas-bred or -based artists.

“Sunday suppers at my grandparents’ house were an important part of shaping my love for food,” Café Momentum founder Chad Houser told The Flashlist in 2017. “I have always wanted to integrate that culture into Café Momentum. Having a big family-style feast, and experiencing an intimate live performance is a wonderful opportunity to expose our interns to a sense of community and the arts.”

The intimate series continues at 6 p.m. Sunday with performances from singer-songwriters Jackson Scribner and Bosque Brown. Scribner released his self-titled debut album, which features contributions from Jeff Ryan and John Dufilho, last year on State Fair Records.

Bosque Brown, anchored by the otherworldly skills of Jeremy Buller and Fort Worth-based Mara Lee Miller, released its latest EP, Little Sea, in 2018, and returned to regular live performances last fall after a hiatus of nearly a decade.

The ”Sunday Supper” three-course plated meal is, per Café Momentum, assembled as a one-night-only menu based on the artists’ favorite foods. Complimentary beer and wine will also be provided. You can get tickets for Sunday’s concert here.

April’s “Sunday Supper Concert Series” event has also been set: Drew Kennedy, Josh Grider and Sarah Johnson will perform on April 10, again beginning at 6 p.m. Tickets for that performance are available here.

“I’m blown away by what Café Momentum has been able to achieve with at-risk youths in a very short time,” Nadel told The Flashlist in 2017. “Having a chance to support their cause and showcase my favorite emerging musical talents is an incredible opportunity for me. What could be better than the combination of exquisite food and brilliant musicians in a family atmosphere?”