Peven Everett

Peven Everett is an Illinois-born singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist whose work spans house, R&B, jazz, hip hop and dancehall. He grows up in Harvey, Illinois, in a musical family and starts performing in childhood, playing bongos, piano, drums and other instruments from an early age. By the time he is 10, he plays drums, guitar, bass, flute, piano, trombone and trumpet.

Early life and training

Everett is raised on gospel, jazz, soul and African rhythms, which shape his approach to music. He has three siblings, and his family are all singers. In middle school, a teacher named John Weber helps develop his talent. At 17, Everett moves to New York and gets his first job at Carnegie Hall. He later receives a scholarship to Berklee College of Music but leaves to perform live instead.

Career

Everett works with Betty Carter for four years after she notices his ability, and he also performs on the road with Wynton Marsalis and Branford Marsalis in Buckshot LeFonque. He returns to Harvey in 1996 and continues making music. As a player, he appears on jazz recordings including Curtis Lundy’s Against All Odds, and he becomes a recognised figure in Chicago’s house and R&B scenes.

He collaborates with Roy Davis Jr. on the UK garage track “Gabrielle” and records “Watch Them Come” as Men from the Nile. His catalogue also includes the house tracks “I Can’t Believe I Loved Her” and “Soul Tempura,” both released in 2002, and the songs “Gabrielle” and “Watch Them Come” are noted for helping to shape the UK garage movement. He releases soul-based albums on his Studio Confession label, including Speed of Light and Kissing Game, and later issues another solo album on Oakland’s ABB label.

Style and output

Everett writes, produces, arranges and creates his own music. His sound combines African and Latin rhythms with hip hop, funk and jazz, and his work is often described as melodic and strongly rooted in soul. His debut album, Studio Confessions, presents personal themes from his life and experience in the music industry.

He also performs as part of Angora.

Influences

Everett cites Sidney Poitier, Miles Davis, Michael Jordan and John Lennon among his influences.