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BIOGRAPHY & CAST
The Savants are a nine piece southern soul group from Gainesville, FL. They perform original soul music inspired by the Muscle Shoals Sound as well as the iconic and legendary music that came out of labels like Stax Records and Atlantic Records during the 1960s & 1970s.
Formed in 2011 in Gainesville, FL, the group has undergone several personal changes over the years but settled into its current lineup around 2020.
The band has made its presence felt around the southeast, notably playing Red Gorilla at SXSW in 2017, Suwannee Hulaween in 2016 and Changeville in its hometown in 2018 and 2016. Along the way they have been featured alongside groups such as; Gary Clark Jr., Durand Jones and the Indications, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Kendra Morris, Charles Bradley and His Extraordinares, George Porter Jr of the Meters, The Original Wailers, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Postmodern Jukebox and more.
Justin McKenzie
Hailing from the band's hometown of Gainesville, FL, Justin was a veteran of the city's ska scene before taking the stage with The Savants. Known for his afro, powerhouse voice and charisma, The Reverend of Rhythm has led the show since the group's debut performance in 2011.
Mandy Ferwerda
A Gainesville native, and University of Florida School of Music graduate, Mandy spent the last 10+ years as an early childhood-12th grade music teacher. Originally brought in to the band in 2013 as the principal trumpet player, Mandy added the role of female vocalist for the group in 2016. Continuing her love of music as a means of education and outreach, Mandy continues to teach privately, and currently serves on the board of We Rock Gainesville- the Gainesville chapter of Girls Rock Camp Alliance.
John Gray Shermyen
A native of Alachua, FL, John Gray is one of the founding members of The Savants. A veteran of Gainesville's punk and ska scene as a guitarist and vocalist, John Gray's bordering-on-academic love for soul music led him to the bass, where he has expertly held down the low end and contributed some of his DIY-punk edge to the show.
Zack Emerson
Before joining The Savants in 2015, this Gainesville native was wowing audiences with his supreme skills as the bandleader of a jazz trio aptly named "The Trio." His professionalism and expertise as an instrumentalist, musician and arranger helped the band tighten and refine its sound.
Benny Cannon
Benny Cannon's passion for music and his hometown of Gainesville are palpable, and he sets out to bring you feelings of love every time he steps behind the kit. Thunderous and Smooth, he brings the heat required to keep a band like The Savants steady grooving
Jacob Armstrong
A Gainesville native, Jacob has established himself as both a freelance trombonist and music teacher. After both marching baritone and being a drum major for The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps for 5 years, he now teaches drum corps and marching bands all around the country. He is a 2020 graduate of the University of Florida where he earned his Bachelors of Music Education. Today, he continues to work as a musician, teacher, and arranger in the southeast.
Jordan Jones
A long-time saxophonist and guitar player in Stuart, FL, Jordan relocated to Gainesville, FL, and joined The Savants in early 2017 after a serving as a stand-in for a year prior. He quickly established himself in the band room as a talented arranger and on the stage as a dynamo soloist.
Ray Vigil
Hailing from Melbourne, FL, Ray attended the University of Florida majoring in classical saxophone performance. Ray was a veteran of reggae and ska on the alto sax when he joined the The Savants in 2014, but his smooth and mellifluous tone took a turn for the dirty when he transitioned to playing bari sax for the band the following year.
Contact Us
To book The Savants for your venue, festival, wedding or private event, please send an email to:
booking@savantsofsoul.com
Please direct press inquiries to:
bobbycleveland@babyrobotmedia.com