PURCHASE TICKETS

Gullah Geechee Cultural Series: What Are They Doing Now?
Gullah Me, Gullah You
Gullah Geechee Cultural Series

Tuesday, October 28, 2025
SoundWaves
(6:00 pm doors open, 6:30 pm dinner, 7:30 pm concert)

Lavon Stevens, artistic director

Guest Speakers:
Louise Miller Cohen, The Gullah Museum of Hilton Head Island
Ahmad Ward, Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park
Eric Turpin, Native Island Business & Community Affairs Association
Alan Jordan, Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra

Musical Guest:
Cynthia Utterbach, jazz vocalist

The Lavon Stevens Band:
Lavon Stevens, piano
Clarence Williams, bass
Jimmy Charles, drums

Cuisine Partner – Chef Bernard Bennett, Okan Bluffton

Leaders from HHI’s Gullah Geechee Cultural Series partner organizations will provide an overview of current activities preserving and promoting the Gullah Geechee culture. The Gullah Museum of Hilton Head Island’s Louise Miller Cohen, Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park’s Ahmad Ward, Native Island Business & Community Affairs Association’s Eric Turpin, and Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra’s Alan Jordan will share anecdotes and updates about myriad initiatives these organizations are presenting individually, and as in the case of our series, collaboratively.

Musical guest, Cynthia Utterbach, a.k.a. The Jazz Storyteller, joins GGCS house band, The Lavon Stevens Trio. Their music will illustrate the Gullah Geechee’s seminal influence on the art form widely embraced as America’s music, particularly through music of Nina Simone and Billie Holliday.

Cynthia Utterbach, jazz artist-actress-writer and educator from Los Angeles was based in Hamburg Germany enjoying over 20 years of performances throughout Europe for festivals, jazz clubs, cruise ships, churches, schools, radio and television. While in Germany she also performed in and wrote music for the internationally acclaimed film “Rosenstrasse”, winner of a Golden Globe Award in 2002. Following 6 years with the Hamburg musical, The Buddy Holly Story, and 3 years performing the Billie Holiday production “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill” Cynthia began performing for the International Communities solo tributes for concert halls and theaters – Lady Legends, The Big Band Era, Three Ladies of the Blues, Voices of Praise, Nina!, Joni & Jarreau. While working in Thailand she also had the great pleasure of presenting her Gershwin tribute show in audience at The Palace for the Queen of Thailand and her guests. Following Cynthia’s residence at both The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok and Mandarin Oriental Singapore she relocated to Savannah, Georgia where she has delighted audiences with her jazz stories and renditions at clubs and festivals. Cynthia has recorded several CD’s including: Close Your Eyes, A Tribute to Louis Armstrong, Comes Love, Cynthia’s Back and Visuality.

Chef Bernard Bennett of Okan Bluffton has prepared an authentic menu including meal options of shrimp n grits: blue grits, shrimp, bell peppers, onion (GF); Hoppin John, braised chicken thigh, black eyed peas, rice, and scallion (GF); okra and tomato stew: okra, roasted tomato, garlic, corn bread, rice (V)(GF); sweet potato tarts: sweet potato, meringue.

Gullah Geechee Cultural Series: Gullah Me, Gullah You

Gullah Me, Gullah You Gullah Cultural Series is our community’s exciting music event series celebrating all things Gullah. Mostly of music, but also storytelling, history, food, and culture; each performance, modeled in the spirit of a television talk-show setting but reversed as a musical show-talk event, heralds local Gullah citizens for their contributions to our community and celebrates Gullah Geechee guest artists from the entire Gullah Geechee Corridor. Held at SoundWaves, in Gullah churches, and Hilton Head schools, Gullah Me, Gullah You introduces us to many touching and beautiful stories as well as challenges of native Islander life here on Hilton Head Island and throughout the Gullah Geechee corridor. In support of Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park, Native Island Business and Community Affairs Association and the Gullah Museum of Hilton Head Island, this series is sure to entertain and enlighten all! Bonus: Gullah cuisine dinner option available before the show. Presented by The Gullah Museum of Hilton Head Island, Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, and Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park, and Native Island Business and Community Affairs Association.

Special Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor: