John Henry Stevenson Jr

IF LIFE IS A SYMPHONY DR. JOHN HENRY STEVENSON, JR., BELOVED FATHER, GRANDFATHER, DISTINGUISHED MUSICIAN, COMPOSER, ARRANGER, EDUCATOR, PHILANTHROPIST, WORLD TRAVELER, AND PROUD VETERAN, TRANSITIONED ON DECEMBER 2I, 2025 AT THE RIPE AGE OF 93. BORN ON OCTOBER 8, 1932 IN HAMPTON, VIRGINIA GIFTED TO EVELYN ARMISTEAD STEVENSON AND JOHN STEVENSON SR., JOHN AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS JOHNNY, STEVE AND POP, DEVOTED HIS LIFE TO MUSIC, EDUCATION, SERVICE, AND EXPLORATION. A GIFTED BARITONE SAXOPHONIST, HE FOUND HIS MUSICAL HOME IN JAZZ, WHBRE HIS DEEP, RESONANT SOUND REFLECTED BOTH DISCIPLINE AND SOUL. JOHN ALSO SERVED HIS COUNTRY WITH HONOR AS A SERGEANT IN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, WHERE HE PERFORMED AS A BARITONE SAXOPHONIST. HIS MILITARY SERVICE STRENGTHENED HIS MUSICIANSHIP, DISCIPLINE, AND LEADERSHIP-QUALITIES THAT SHAPED EVERY CHAPTER OF HIS LIFE. FOLLOWING HIS MILITARY SERVICE, JOHN CONTINUED TO BUILD A REMARKABLE CAREER IN MUSIC. HE IS KNOWN FOR HIS WORK WITH THE JAZZ BAND "THE BARITONE SAXOPHONES". HIS LEADERSHIP AND MUSICAL ARRANGEMENTS HELPED SHAPE THE GROUP'S DISTINCTIVE SOUND. BEYOND PERFORMANCE HIS COMMITMENT TO MUSIC EXTENDED INTO EDUCATION. JOHN BARNED A DOCTORATE OF PHILOSOPHY WITH A MAJOR IN MUSIC AND ART FROM PACIFIC WESTERN UNIVERSITY AND HE ALSO ATTENDED THE JUILLIARD SCHOOL, REFLECTING HIS BELIEF IN MUSIC AS BOTH AN ART FORM AND A LIFELONG DISCIPLINE. JOHN WORKED AS AN INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC TEACHER AT SEVERAL SCHOOLS FOR THE NEW YORK PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, WHERE HE RETIRED FROM AFTER TEACHING FOR OVER 25 YEARS. HE INSPIRED GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS, EMPHASIZING EXCELLENCE, ATTENTIVE LISTENING, AND EXPRESSIVE FREEDOM. A PROUD ALUMNUS OF MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, JOHN WAS ALSO A DEVOTED MEMBER OF THE OMEGA PSI PHI FRATERNITY, INC., WHERE HE UPHELD THE ORGANIZATIONS PRINCIPLES OF SCHOLARSHIP, PERSEVERANCE, AND SERVICE THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE. HIS MUSICAL APPRECIATION WAS EXPANSIVE, SPANNING THE WORKS OF J.S. BACH, BEETHOVEN, AND MOZART, AS WELL AS JAZZ LEGENDS INCLUDING JOHN COLTRANE, MILES DAVIS, CHARLIE PARKER, AND LESTER YOUNG, AMONG MANY OTHERS. JOHN'S MUSICAL JOURNEY GOES BACK TO HIS TENURE PLAYING WITH THE BALTIMORE ROYAL THEATRE HOUSE BAND THAT ACCOMPANIED DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES, PATTIE LA BELLE, SAM COOK, AND CALVIN MASSEY TO NAME A FEW. THESE INFLUENCES SHAPED HIS ARTISTRY, TEACHING, AND LOVE OF MUSIC. BEYOND MUSIC, JOHN WAS AN AVID WORLD TRAVELER, DRAWN TO NEW COLTURES AND EXPERIENCES THAT ENRICHED HIS PERSPECTIVE AND STORYTELLING. ABOVE ALL, JOHN WAS A DEVOTED "POP", REMEMBERED FOR HIS WISDOM, GENEROSITY, AND SUBTLE HUMOR, AND FOR THE STEADY GUIDANCE HE OFFERED TO THOSE HE LOVED. HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS CHILDREN PANDORA, SYRENUS (LISA), SABASTIAN (SHINNELL), GRAND CHILDREN KEZIA, MARK, MALCOLM AND GREAT GRAND CHILDREN ZYAIRRE, ZAIMIAH, MALACHI AND EXTENDED FAMILY LOUISA, MANUEL (MANITA, ANDREW), CANDIS, ANDRE (LAMELL, ALIZA) . BRITTANIE (ZAELYNN), SHAKIYE AND FONDLY REMEMBERED BY FAMILY, COUNTLESS STUDENTS, COLLEAGUES, BANDMATES, AND FRIENDS WHOSE LIVES WERE TOUCHED BY HIS LIFE. IF LIFE IS A SYMPHONY, DR. JOHN HENRY STEVENSON JR. PLAYED HIS PART WITH DEPTH, HONOR, AND ENDURING GRACE-AND HIS MUSIC WILL CONTINUE TO RESONATE •

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John Henry Stevenson Jr

October 8, 1932 - December 21, 2025