3 minute read
Meet Eve
Meet Eve Marie Shahoian:
Bringing Jazz to Danville
By Megan Scott, Resident since 2010
www.BlackhawkLivingCA.com
Eve has devoted her career to music and performs her signature jazz melodies across the country, but after deciding to call Blackhawk home, the only thing that was missing was some local live jazz. She was determined to fix that and launched The Jazz Room at the Village Theatre in Danville. As the Founding/ Artistic Director and producer, Eve curates a line up of local and international artists. “The Jazz Room’s inception was January 2017 and 18 shows later, we are still going strong. I find it very rewarding being able to procure, support and share talent with our community,” says Eve.
Every month The Jazz Room at Village Theatre & Art Gallery provides a platform for young aspiring Bay Area talent as well as bringing in internationally acclaimed and Bay Area jazz favorites.
Eve says she is growing the jazz series quickly. “This month I’m introducing “Nights On Broadway”, a series of shows at the Village Theatre featuring Broadway and Cabaret style music. This January 18th, The Jazz Room welcomes Broadway stars Billy Stritch and Jim Caruso as they bring their internationally acclaimed show Cast Party. It’s my hope that The Jazz Room will continue to provide something that appeals to everyone from straight up jazz and big band to swing and cabaret! I take great care in selecting very high caliber talent and try to provide variety through the series of shows. I am very grateful to The Town of Danville for providing such a wonderful home for The Jazz Room. The partnership with the town has truly enriched my life!”
Born and raised in Oakland, Eve says she comes from a very musical family, “My grandmother, Thelma, was a wonderful pianist and opera singer. My mother, Kitti, sang as child and teen. My great grandfather was a Principal Violinist with the Oakland Symphony. I grew up surrounded by music and spending weekends sitting at the piano with my grandmother singing.” Eve spent her childhood performing and was in show business performing on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and with Liberace in Las Vegas. She worked as a soloist with local symphonies and traveled extensively before taking a break to attend college. Eve received a Bachelor’s degree from San Francisco University in Clinical Psychology. She also completed her Master’s degree in Vocal Pedagogy from Holy Names University with an emphasis on adolescent vocal development.
As an adult, music has continued to be a huge part of Eve’s life. “I have taught music for 20 years and when I’m not teaching, I am writing music and performing. I’ve released two records and my most recent, Believe, was up for consideration for the Grammy Awards. It was an honor to be invited as contender for the nominations celebration hosted by the Grammy’s San Francisco Chapter. In 2010 Billboard honored me for my original song, Waiting For You, which was played nationally on the radio and on Delta Airlines, where I was a featured artist.” Eve has attended the Grammy Awards Ceremony several times and performs throughout the Bay Area and New York City. “I’m very grateful for the amazing New York based musicians I collaborate with when I’m in town. My music director and pianist, Bette Sussman, was Whitney Houston and Bette Midler’s musical director. She has introduced me to amazing instrumentalists to collaborate with. I have to pinch myself sometimes as I am so grateful for these collaborations,” says Eve.
Eve and her husband, Behrouz Memarzadeh, moved to Blackhawk with their two children in 2013. Her daughter, 17-year-old Aria, is a senior, and son Arman is 14 years old and a freshman in high school. Eve says they knew right away that Blackhawk would be the perfect community for them.
If there is one thing Eve wishes she could have more of, it would be time, but she says she tries to make the most of every minute. “My motto is a balanced life is happy life! I try to make time for exercise, reflection, friends, family, and the importance of setting and achieving personal goals. I believe it’s important to teach by example, so I try to show my children the value of working hard, personal growth, challenging yourself and chasing your dreams. We must grow! It can be painful and frightening, but it’s essential for happiness. The one thing I wish for is more time! Time to travel with my children and see the world and more time to entertain my friends and family. Time passes too quickly and now that our children are both in high school, I feel a greater sense of urgency to make sure we continue to create both meaningful and everlasting memories.”
