With Louis Heriveax (piano), Kelly McCarty (bass) and Kenton Bostick (drums).

SHOWTIMES: 7:30pm and 9:30pm. LAVAHI is a talented neo-soul and jazz-crossover vocalist who won the hearts of The Velvet Note audiences as the winner of the Open Mic Competition and her full-length performance. She has been actively developing her artistry via performing, songwriting, and recording since 2010. In the process, she has worked with an eclectic range of artists and produced noteworthy collaborative projects; and her original music videos have garnered positive attention. Her list of credits includes “Hold On,” the widely successful sing release from jazz vocalist Lori Williams and “Rest Assured,” a feature on Hospital Records’ drum and bass tribute compilation ‘Med School: Graduation.’ “Hold On” (featuring the legendary “Jamaica Funk” Tom Browne, topped the UK Soul Charts for weeks since its release, while “Rest Assured” made waves on the UK Electronic charts.

LAVAHI also produces, plays flute and piccolo, and arranges. She has added her unique sound to national and international projects in genres varying from rap to film scores to alternative. LAVAHI loves the studio and feels most natural when recording independently; but her second home is the collaborative live performance of the stage. She has been featured at venues such as The Atlanta Jazz Festival, Bethesda Blues and Jazz, Blues Alley, City Winery, Jazz in the Alley, Kat’s Café, Porter-Sanford III, St. James Live, The Velvet Note, and more, and she has even stepped into the world of musical theatre.

LAVAHI is building a platform to nourish the heart and mind, empathize our human experiences, and vibe together. As a daughter of jazz, the culture heavily informs her ideology and influences her sound. Acrobatic scatting, compelling chords, and the art of improvisation evoke that classic traditional aesthetic and set her contemporary sound apart from the norm of mainstream neo-soul, hip hop, and R&B. Whether through performance in music, in writing, or in academic spaces, LAVAHI allows her own vulnerability to cultivate the vibe and create a safe space, internally and externally, for those sharing the experience with her.