BRAVOPIANO!
LAVON STEVENS Lavon Stevens is an acclaimed pianist, singer, song writer and producer. Local audiences know him as a multi-keyboard talent whose music ranges from warm and sensuous to infectiously energetic. His extensive repertoire, heavily influenced by his southern roots, encompasses soulful jazz, blues, contemporary, and gospel. A native of Thunderbolt, Georgia, Lavon grew up on gospel music. He began his musical studies at the age of seven with the violin. He was an inaugural member of The Savannah Youth Orchestra circa 1970. By 13, he was singing and playing piano across the southeast with local bands. He studied piano and voice at Dekalb College (now Perimeter College) in Atlanta (1979 – 1983). He then performed with various groups nationally for years before returning to the Lowcountry. Lavon’s recordings reflect his versatility as an artist, his musicality and imagination. Traveling Music is a collection of jazz standards recorded live with vocalist Louise Spencer. I See Love is a compilation of original material. A gospel CD titled The Last Mile was recorded with the gospel group The Voices of El Shaddei. He is affiliated with BMI as a publisher/songwriter. Mr. Stevens is a passionate advocate for the native island community, serving as a Board Member on the Town’s Gullah-Geechee Cultural Preservation Task Force. The GullahGeechee people are descendants of Africans who were first enslaved in the late 1600’s on the rice, indigo and Sea Island cotton plantations of the lower Atlantic coast. The ancestors of the Gullah Geechee people brought with them a rich heritage of African cultural traditions in art, food and music. Once here, their music evolved out of the tough conditions that characterized their lives. The influence and evolution of musical forms that arose out of Gullah music can be heard in many musical genres including spirituals and gospel music, ragtime, rhythm and blues, soul, jazz and even hip hop. There is no better person than Lavon Stevens to take us on this important and uniquely American musical journey.
This performance was made possible by a generous contribution from the Strauch Family.
Lavon Stevens & Compnay: Gullah Geechee Musical Influences Friday, June 11 at 7:30 pm • Lowcountry Presbyterian Church
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2021 BRAVOPIANO FESTIVAL
