He was one of the mainstays of Kansas City's storied jazz community, known for his playing of the Hammond B-3 organ. One of his mentees, vocalist Eboni Fondren, says the way he played his organ was "otherworldly."
"He made sounds come out of that organ that were just... I think it had its own spirit. It was its own person, that organ."
Fondren joined Up To Date to take a look back on what DeVan meant to jazz in Kansas City, and the musical influence he had on her.
- Eboni Fondren, vocalist with Eboni & The Ivories, former vocalist for Everette DeVan