Fresh Prospects: Devon Gates and Lilou Chance

The Red Room at Cafe 939 proudly presents Fresh Prospects, a free concert series spotlighting emerging artists. Curated by Berklee students with an ear for talent, this series offers an intimate glimpse into the music scene’s future, featuring local performers making waves and capturing attention.

Recently named one of 2024's Up and Comers of the Year by the New York City Jazz Record, Devon Gates(Opens in a new window) is a bassist, vocalist, and award-winning composer from Atlanta, Georgia, now based in Brooklyn, New York. After studying anthropology and jazz performance at Harvard University and Berklee College of Music, she has worked with esteemed artists, including Terri Lyne Carrington, Vijay Iyer, Jen Shyu, Fay Victor, Nicole Mitchell, Susie Ibarra, and Sara Serpa, and has performed at venues such as Dizzy’s Club at Lincoln Center, the Jazz Gallery, the Monterey Jazz Festival, London Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, DC Jazz Festival, Winter Jazzfest, the Kennedy Center, Roulette Intermedium, and SFJazz.

Between head-bopping performances and laughter-infused writing sessions, drummer-singer Lilou Chance(Opens in a new window) finds harmony in the buzz of musical creation. The up-and-coming French artist maintains that groove is the most important part of her musical approach. Endorsed by Gretsch drums and Paiste cymbals in 2021, Chance had a busy year as a touring drummer. While maintaining a high level as a student, she played 60 arena shows all around France between 2021 and 2022. After 15 years of musical experience in Paris, Chance expanded her scene to the US and attended Berklee College of Music. There, she found her sound—a tasty fusion of neo-soul, electronic pop, and jazz. Performing overseas, the multi-instrumentalist played her music at the Massachusetts State House for the governor. Her latest adventure was playing at the Boston Calling festival in front of a crowd of 15,000 people.