Allegheny RiverStone Center for the Arts announces the debut of powerhouse vocalist, songwriter and soulful communicator, ANITA LEVELS – whose jazzy sound has been described as one of power, intention, passion and soul – in an evening of R&B, Jazz, Soul & Funk with a quartet of premier musicians – on Saturday, April 1 at 7:30 PM in Foxburg’s Lincoln Hall – with dancing at the back of the hall and beer and wine for sale.
ARCA is grateful for the very generous donation of ARCA Board member Barbara Bott and Robert Jennings, sponsoring Anita Levels’ concert in Lincoln Hall.
Anita Levels brings her star-power to Lincoln Hall after starring in R.E.S.P.E.C.T. An Aretha Franklin Tribute in Pittsburgh’s Kelly Strayhorn Theatre on February 11 and a Valentine’s Day performance for the Cultural Trust. Anita is at the center of the dynamic performance scene in Pittsburgh.
In a Pittsburgh Post Gazette interview, regarding her portrayal of Aretha Franklin in the Strayhorn Theatre’s February 11 performance, Anita Levels said. “I’m a PK [preacher’s kid], like Aretha Franklin, so you kinda just kinda relate to that. A lot of our American iconic music comes from that legacy of church gospel, so I just feel right at home singing her music.
“I often say that gospel music is like my first language. And I feel that when I hear Aretha. When you grow up on American music, you grow up on Aretha, you grow up on Sam Cooke, you grow up on a lot of these sounds.”
Musician and composer Dwayne Fulton, curator of the Aretha Franklin Tribute concert, said of finding the singer to do it, “I thought, there’s a lot of great singers, but, who can really pull off and embody that type of prowess and legacy with Aretha Franklin? And the only person locally that I came up with was ANITA LEVELS. There’s a lot of great singers in Pittsburgh but there’s a difference between singing and putting on a show.”
Anita Levels, a Texas native, grew up in a military family originally from New Orleans and lived in many places as a kid, including Germany, where she began singing at the age of 4. “I was really blessed by that experience with different people, different cultures and music,” she says. In 1991, the family settled in Pittsburgh, where Levels grew into a singer while also earning a master’s degree in training and development at Carlow University.
Since then, Anita Level’s powerhouse, soulful, but lark-like vocals have graced national and international audiences, performing in London and touring the Netherlands with world renowned ethnomusicologist, Dr. Portia Maultsby, and appearing with the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival and in innumerable other private, public and virtual events in the greater Pittsburgh area.
This will be a night to remember with dancing at the back of Lincoln Hall to Anita Levels and her band of extraordinary musicians from the Cleveland area: Chuck Anderson, bass; Lou Harris, saxophone; Alex Hines, drums; and Larry Owens, keyboard.
Tickets are Adults $25, Students $5 – and may be purchased online here. Beer and Wine for Sale.
To pay by cash or check at the door, CALL TO RESERVE at 724-659-3153
Post-COVID, open theatre style seating has returned to 100% capacity. There is neither a mask nor vaccine passport requirement. Please refrain from attending if you are ill – or if you have been exposed to someone with COVID.
ANITA LEVELS believes that sound has the innate ability to vibrate truth and healing. A brilliant songwriter, Anita has a plethora of original music on all streaming music platforms, including “I Give You Praise: from her 2011 CD “Restore the Soul”:
Mike Canton, Host and Producer of The Soul Show, WZUM 101.1FM Pittsburgh said, “The first time I heard Anita Levels was on a recording by the collaborative group “The Brydge.” I was struck by her clarity, energy and joy. It became a local-music staple of my radio program. The first time I saw her solo act live, Anita brought ALL of that, plus a new meaning of ‘crowd control’… we found ourselves fully engaged and participative, in her presentation. She’s a pro.”
Here is “IF YOU KNOW”, an original written by the gloriously talented Anita Levels from 2016.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
ANITA LEVELS
“Life is worth living, and living is worth singing about.”
Anita Levels is a vocal artist, voice influencer, songwriter and producer who began singing at the age of 3 years old in Frankfurt, West Germany. Being a preacher’s kid and a member of a musical family from New Orleans, Louisiana, singing, and performing are in her blood.
Anita’s powerhouse, soulful, but lark-like vocals have graced national and international audiences. She has performed in London and toured the Netherlands with world renowned ethnomusicologist, Dr. Portia Maultsby, was featured in the NFL’s Super Bowl 50 commemorative commercial, has appeared in the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, and has performed in innumerable private, public and virtual events.
Along with gigging as a jazz/R&B/soul singer, she was a finalist in the reality show “Gospel Dream” and toured internationally as the founder/director of the Carlow College gospel choir Blessed. Ms. Levels has a plethora of original music on all streaming music platforms and enjoys sharing the history and influence of Black American music on world and American culture.
Anita was the UniSound 2021 Black Teaching Artist in Residence and in 2022 was a part of the SCALE Fellowship, an 8-month fellowship that assists Black women in advancing in music. In 2022-23, she is serving as Artist in Residence for Pittsburgh’s Children’s Youth Chorus. As a teaching artist and advocate for American music, Anita enjoys sharing the history, oral traditions, and influence of African American music on the world and American culture.
Anita Levels, MS, has a Masters Degree in Training and Development from Carlow University (Pittsburgh) and believes that sound has the innate ability to vibrate truth and healing. Anita’s more recent venture is, Corn and Potatoes Are Good For You, a podcast exploring the soul’s journey through all things spiritual and sensual.
“I will always be the mother of two magical daughters, put bleach in my water, season my vittles, powder my sheets, sing, laugh, and cultivate spaces for communication, music, and thought. Life is worth living, and living is worth singing about.”
Tickets are Adults $25 and Students $5. Buy online here – or Call to Reserve at 724-659-3153. Pay by cash or check at the door.
