Keyboardist Garcia Tarver has performed blues, soul, and R&B music with a variety of artists for over 50 years. He performed keyboard/bass with the late great Kelvin Drake for several years including several performances at the Dusk till Dawn Blues Festival. Garcia also performed at the Blues Festival with the Oakland Divas. Along with other groups Garcia has performed in opening acts for national entertainers such as The Dells, O’Jays, Bobby Womack, The Whispers, Zapp Band, Bobby Blue Bland, and many others. Born in Oklahoma City, Garcia was encouraged by his mother to begin piano lessons at an early age. While still in grammar school he began playing for the Siloam Baptist Church. Garcia’s piano teachers were Ms. Paulette Counter, Ms. Annie Elsie Moore, and Mr. A.L. Ellis, Jr. His music education continued in school with a snare drum from Mr. Earl Pittman; clarinet from Corlandus Lang; music theory & amp; history Mr. Leroy Hicks, and finally, as a member of the Douglass Trojan Marching Band with Mr. W.E. Perry. Done with music, Garcia was a senior psychology major at Lincoln University of Missouri when he met and recorded with saxophonist/producer Oliver Sain at Archway Studio in St. Louis, beginning a lifelong fascination with synthesizers, multi-track recording, writing, and performance.

Garcia returned to Oklahoma City to obtain a Master of Business Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma. He also served as a piano/organ for the Wildwood Christian Church, Siloam Missionary Baptist Church, and Greater Cleaves Memorial CME Church.

Garcia has played with local bands Glass Pyramid, Vizions, CDS Jazz Band, Kelvin Drake Trio, Shortt Dogg, 411/Motown Soul Revue, Jahruba & the JahMystics, and others. He has written several songs that have been in rotation on local and regional radio, and has performed for a plethora of balls, parties, television programs, and social events including concerts with many national touring acts. His musical influences are James Brown, George Duke, Paul Hardcastle, and Bernie Worrell.