Rhiannon vocalist

Rhiannon is a vibrant, gifted singer, composer and master teacher who has been bringing her potent blend of world music, jazz, improvisation and storytelling to audiences for over three decades. Her journey has taken her from a South Dakota farm to New York, where she studied theater and earned her MFA from Cornell University. For the next ten years, she worked as a singer, actor and director in New York, Chicago and San Francisco. In 1976 Rhiannon co-founded the groundbreaking all-female jazz quintet Alive! This pioneering group toured internationally and released three albums during their ten years together. She is also a founding member of the innovative a cappella ensembles Voicestra and SoVoSo'.

In addition to her ongoing solo performing and recording career, and her current ensemble project, Bowl Full of Sound, Rhiannon enjoys a longtime musical collaboration with vocal improvisation master Bobby McFerrin. From 1986-1992 she was a member of his 12 voice orchestra, Voicestra. In 1993-94, Bobby formed the improvisational quartet, Hard Choral, featuring Rhiannon. In 1997 she recorded Circle Songs with Bobby, and was featured soloist on his U.S. and European tours in 1997-2002. For many years Rhiannon has been on the cutting edge of vocal improvisation and performance art. She has appeared at Monterey Jazz Festival, Montreaux Jazz Festival, Vancouver International Folk Festival, San Francisco Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, The Restless Gravity Festival (Wales), The Festival of Romance (New Zealand) and many others.

Teaching has also been a strong and continual theme in Rhiannon's professional life. In clinics and workshops around the world she teaches her own unique vocal improvisation process, developed over a period of thirty years. In addition to her own workshops, she has taught collaboratively with Ysaye Barnwell, Joey Blake, Keith Terry, Frank Martin, Ruth Zaporah and Marion Rosen. First and foremost, Rhiannon is a singer- a captivating entertainer and a true collaborative artist, with a vision of music as a vehicle for healing, transformation, and social change.

Flight - Guide to Vocal Improvisation

Taste of Music
Everything Is Breath
Long Tones
Major Ascending / Minor Descending
Soul Song
Call and Response
Alphabet
Personal Language
Transformations
Pattern Duets
Jazz Vamp
Taste of Music
The Bottom
Shape Shifting
Vuelo
The Circle

Join acclaimed improvisational vocalist Rhiannon and her all-star circle of friends as she teaches you how to leave the sheet music behind and start "cutting loose" in the jazz, gospel, Latin, and African traditions. This exciting step-by-step program will take you right to the heart of a cappella singing and vocal improvisation. Have fun while building confidence and skills at your own pace. For singers of all levels. This complete self-study course includes warm-up, free singing, listening skills, vocal instrumentation, and ensemble singing. From basic voicework to improvisation with a six person a cappella ensemble, Flight will take you on a journey of self-discovery! You will learn to tap the richness of your own voice and inner musical landscapes while you sing solo or with friends. Rhiannon will guide you through interactive vocal exercises that show you how. We've included call and response exercises with space for you to sing, a cappella songs to learn as well as background grooves with vocal percussion, bass, and harmony back-up for you to solo over.

5451 2 CDs $24.95

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