Rhiannon is a vocal artist with a vision of music as a vehicle for innovation, healing, transformation, and social change. I have been blessed with the opportunity to study intensively with Rhiannon beginning in 2006. In 2008 I became part of the first All the Way In, a year-long training in the powerful body-based vocal improvisation and sound healing process that Rhiannon has developed in her 30+ years of teaching. In 2012 I was honored to be chosen as a Co-Pilot (assistant teacher/mentee) for All the Way In, and I continue to study with Rhiannon and use her pedagogy in all my teaching. I know that everything in my life, from my teaching and performing to my daily living has been affected and expanded from my association with this marvelous, powerful teacher.
From her stellar collaborations with the all-women’s jazz ensemble Alive! to the a cappella ensemble SoVoSo’ to Bobby McFerrin and Voicestra, Rhiannon has paved a unique path as an independent artist. In recent years she has continued to refine her improvisation work by performing in the a cappella trio WeBe3 with Joey Blake and David Worm, both 25-year members of Voicestra. Rhiannon also is working with renowned instrumentalists Abraham Laboriel, Alex Acuna, Otmaro Ruiz and Jetro Da Silva with whom she has an all-improvised recording Spontaneous. Both groups tour internationally, giving completely improvised performances. When she’s not touring the world, Rhiannon lives on her small farm on the Big Island of Hawai’i, cultivating the arts through farming.
I highly recommend Rhiannon’s new book about her life and teaching methods, Vocal River, as well as the double CD Flight, an interactive guide to vocal improvisation!