Clad in clean white boots and paint-splattered jean shorts, Jhevere started his set with his song titled “Rage To Roses.” Immediately, his clear voice rang out above any instrumentals and bar din. Through the night, he blended electronic, indie, and soul together for a magical hour.
He packed his lyrics full of soul in lines like, “…But I’ll wait here forever for you / Just don’t be too long” and put them to an instrumental backdrop more along the lines of pop. This included a keyboard, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, drums, and more.
Meanwhile, a small crowd filled the intimate setting — a small garage attached to Bar Matchless at the top of McCarren Park, Brooklyn. With the help of his guitarist and drummer, Jhevere started out strong and got everyone moving to the catchy beats. The drums felt a bit overwhelming on occasion, but the trio quickly found a balance as their lead vocalist took them through the set.
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Jhevere Reynolds made Jamaica, Queens home over a decade ago. Now residing in Brooklyn, I caught traces of the borough in his overall style. He had a likeable stage presence, making sure to address and involve the crowd — even coaching us on a chorus to sing with him for his next song.
By his fourth song, dedicated to all the “people of NYC working hard,” I couldn’t stop thinking about Pharrell. I didn’t know what did it more for me — his clear, catchy vocals or consistently poppy beats. Either way, Pharrell was on my mind, particularly his collab with Daft Punk, “Get Lucky.” Sure enough, Jhevere topped off the night with a cover of that very song and did a hell of a job.
Just starting to gain traction, Jhevere certainly has a promising music career ahead. I’d love to see him let his vocals shine a bit more in his work, as well as better unearth his soulful lyrics.
Check out Jhevere’s song “Rage to Roses” below or learn more about him here.
