Oakland Rising Band : Musical Performance
Date and Time
Jul 17, 2025 6:00 pm
Location
14th & V
2021 14th St NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20009
Jul 17, 2025 6:00 pm
14th & V
Launched last year at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in San Francisco, Oakland Rising is a collective of emerging artists dedicated to sharing the stage, honoring the city’s legendary cultural legacy and bringing light to this world through their music -- which straddles r&b. soul and folk. For their first East Coast shows, the group features three vocalists/multi-instrumentalists: August Lee Stevens, B. Deveaux, and 15-year-old NAIMA. Individually they have supported artists including Valerie June, Smokey Robinson and Tiny Desk winner Philharmonik.
In addition to its show at Busboys and Poets, this month the group will be playing at the Kennedy Center, and supporting Rhiannon Giddens at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga, CA.
The group was developed in partnership with music education program Follow the Music, started by a group of Bay Area music and cultural leaders who believe in the transformational power of music.
The trio that is traveling for this east coast swing includes:
August Lee Stevens: Called a "Star on the Rise" by KQED, August Lee Stevens is a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist who has headlined SFJAZZ, and shared the stage with 2024 Tiny Desk winner Philharmonik, Motown legend Smokey Robinson and others. Her debut EP Better Places came out in 2024 to critical acclaim, and she is releasing her next single "Tell Me" on July 18 of this year.
B DeVeaux: B DeVeaux just released "Because You", the first track off of their debut album "Chrysalis", out everywhere August 1st. B has headlined the Breakroom at San Jose Jazz, and will be headlining SFJAZZ in early 2026. They also currently perform in Co_Llab Choir, which tours regularly with hip hop artist LaRussell, and they are in the musical Co-Founders, currently running at American Conservatory Theater.
NAIMA: The youngest of the group, 15 yr old NAIMA has had an impressive early career, performing at Bottlerock and supporting Valerie June in 2024, and also performing on a song for Roberta Flack's children's book The Green Piano. A multi instrumentalist and talented songwriter whose music crosses all genres, NAIMA performs songs in English, Spanish and Portuguese, and also performs in the all-female Bluegrass band Salty Sally.
