Last chance to Savor the Sounds

Mark your calendars because the last Savor the Sounds concert is scheduled for April 1 at the Town Center Green. 

The last of the three-part seasonal series stars Shantel Norman and the Shantel Norman Band. The band plays mostly Motown and soul with a little bit of pop mixed in. 

Norman is a hometown favorite. In 2021, she earned the Manasota Honors “Musical Artist of the Year” award with her second band Jah Movement. She’s also worked as the group sales manager for Visit Sarasota for the last 10 years. 

While this will be Norman’s first performance on the town center’s new stage, it’s not her first time playing on Longboat Key or at Savor the Sounds. 

“I do a lot of weddings and parties on Longboat Key. I have some regular clients out there that I perform for,” Norman said. “Everybody’s just so nice. I always have a good time when I come out to Longboat Key to perform.” 

Expect the show to start slow then build. Norman doesn’t plan her setlists. She prefers to take cues from the audience’s energy, but the band likes to start off mellow with some Marvin Gaye or jazz. This allows the crowd to get drinks and get settled. 

“After we’ve been performing for a good 30-45 minutes, it’s time to really ramp it up,” Norman said. 

That’s when disco and funk take over to get people out of their seats and dancing. For April’s show, Norman will be accompanied by vocalist Joycelyn Corbert and The Barker Project, led by Johnnie Barker.