Jeff S’yVelt Boyd and Tarkington Johnson, both of Mansfield, are drawn to jazz. The Malabar graduates have played music throughout their lives, whether that be in high school or in different bands around town. Together they perform as S’yVelt.
The two decided to form a jazz funk band in 2012, after jamming together for the first time in years. Their original “band” consisted of Boyd, Johnson and another friend who would occasionally meet to play music. Then they decided to name it after Jeff Boyd’s middle name: S’yVelt. Their first gig was in City News in downtown Mansfield.
After playing different gigs around Mansfield, their band grew in size. Today, the band consists of seven to eight members on any given night: Tyrone Smith (percussion), Brian Bumpus (guitars), Jacob Campbell (piano/keys), Steven Fernandez (bass), Tom Blair (alto/tenor saxophone, flute), Damian Boyd (trombone), Tarkington Johnson (drums), Jeff Boyd (trumpet and vocals).
They categorize their music as jazz, funk, rock, pop, and New Orleans delta jazz, dixie, R&B, blues.
“All of those are covered, but it’s really the art of performance, drawing in its listener. Once we get them there, that’s when we drop the jazz funk. And within that, we take them on a musical journey and take them all the way back home,” said trumpet player Jeff Boyd.
Just this summer, the band played at the Rock ‘n Ribs Music Festival on North Central State College’s campus. They also traveled to West Virginia to play in a music festival. Earlier in the summer they traveled to Minerva, Ohio to open for Elec Simon- a professional percussionist and cast member of STOMP.
Simon’s performances usually taper down from tap dancing and drumming on random objects, to education on bullying and different rhythms. His approach is similar to S’yVelt’s. Johnson and Boyd take music seriously, and they feel passionate about spreading knowledge on music history through different rhythms.
“S’yVelt is very unique to where we have full percussion and drums that understand drumming,” noted Boyd. “There are distinct rhythms that Tarkington and Tyrone Smith understand. The specific rhythms trace back to West Africa, Cuba, Brazil. They understand it. S’yVelt understands it,” he explained.
The chemistry the band shares is in part why Johnson and Boyd love playing music together. They said they “get” each other, and have learned that listening is the most important aspect of playing music in a band.
“All seasoned, good musicians listen. I love being in the moment of performance. And that’s what I enjoy – performing … the full creation of art,” shared Boyd.
“I love everything. I love the music that we choose. I love the music we create in the moment or in Jeffrey’s dining room, which we’ve done,” said Johnson, the band’s drummer. “I love those moments where we and our extended family all connect and we all elevate and then you can feel the magic in the air.”
S’yvelt performs live on Friday, Aug. 29 as part of Downtown Mansfield’s Final Friday Concert Series. Below is a live 2013 performance of their music at City News in Downtown Mansfield.
“All seasoned, good musicians listen. I love being in the moment of performance. And that’s what I enjoy – performing … the full creation of art,” shared Boyd.
