Vocal River Book + Exercise Cards The Skill and Spirit of Improvisation

Book (33 exercise cards included)

This story of Rhiannon's passionate commitment to music, especially vocal improvisation, takes us through the twists and turns of her life - from a young girl discovering singing on her family's Missouri River farm, to internationally acclaimed artist, and full circle as she combines farming and art on Hawaii Island.

In Vocal River, Rhiannon reveals the skill and spirit of improvisation both onstage and in daily life for singers, musicians, artists and anyone interested in combining the creative aspects that touch all our lives. The book is also a meticulous guide to Rhiannon's methods of teaching improvisation, featuring thirty-three detailed exercises that bring us into the circle of music where, step by step, we learn about blend, collaboration, soloing, listening, skill, faith and generosity.

Vocal River is the culmination of Rhiannon's long and celebrated career as an international performer and teacher.

Photography by Jan E Watson.
Book design by Steve Parke and Susan Mangan.

A fabled underground figure in vocal jazz, Rhiannon turns improvisation into performance art...With a soft, supple voice and a range that climbs to the sky, she shows what heights jazz singing can reach when it combines disciplined musicianship with utter fearlessness. ~ James Gavin, Time Out New York

Rhiannon is a vocal artist with a vision of music as a vehicle for innovation, healing, transformation, and social change. A vibrant, gifted singer, performance artist, composer, and master teacher, Rhiannon has been bringing her unique and potent blend of jazz, world music, improvisation and storytelling to audiences for four decades.

From her stellar collaborations with the all-women jazz ensemble Alive! to a cappella ensemble SoVoSo to Bobby McFerrin and Voicestra to her groundbreaking solo and ensemble performances, Rhiannon has paved a unique path as an independent artist. In recent years she has continued to refine her improvisation work by performing in two ensembles: a cappella trio WeBe3 with Joey Blake and David Worm, and Spontaneous, featuring renowned instrumentalists Abraham Laboriel, Alex Acuña, Otmaro Ruiz and Jetro daSilva. Both groups tour internationally, giving completely improvised performances. In 2012 Rhiannon Music released Spontaneous, a live improvised recording. Rhiannon continues to enjoy touring and teaching with Bobby McFerrin in the US and Europe.

Rhiannon's most recent collaboration is with dancer and singer Shizuno Nasu of Volcano Village, Hawaii and Tokyo, Japan. Their performances are rich with the cultural mix of the ancient dances of the Shinto temples and the raucous blend of jazz, soundscape and world music. Bridging cultures, they meet in the universal world of improvisation. They often perform in Hawaii and annually tour Japan with musicians and artists sharing an environmental message, The Ocean Regards Us All As One.

The powerful body-based vocal improvisation and sound healing process that Rhiannon teaches internationally in workshops and retreats is a result of living in these times as an artist on the cutting edge of music and theater. Since 2008, Rhiannon has taught a year-long intensive, All The Way In, which involves sessions given in locations around the world such as Hawaii, the Netherlands, and Rome.

When Rhiannon is not touring, she lives the rest of the year on her small Leo Nani Farm on Hawaii Island, growing food and cultivating the arts through farming.