Rachel Flowers

Rachel Flowers
Rachel Flowers with the Taylor Eigsti Trio at the Blue Whale, Los Angeles, California, January 15, 2015
Background information
Born (1993-12-21) December 21, 1993
National City, California
Genres
Occupation(s) Musician, composer
Instruments Keyboards, flute, guitar, bass guitar, ukulele, saxophone, pitched percussion, software synthesizers, voice
Years active 2000-present
Associated acts Rachel Flowers Trio, Zappa Plays Zappa, Keith Emerson Orchestra, RPM Trio
Website rachelflowersmusic.com

Rachel Flowers (born December 21, 1993) is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer.

Early life and education

Rachel Flowers was born to Dan & Jeanie Flowers on December 21, 1993 in National City, California. Rachel arrived 15 weeks premature and her birth weight was one pound five ounces. She lost her eyesight at three months old due to retinopathy of prematurity. When she was two years old Rachel’s mother showed her how to play "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" on the piano. Rachel picked up the melody immediately and was soon playing by ear every song she heard. Rachel had perfect pitch. At 4 1/2 years old Rachel began her formal music training through the Southern California Conservatory of Music, where she studied piano, music theory, ear training, music history, Braille music code, and adaptive computer music applications. This was later supplemented by courses at The Academy of Music for the Blind.[1]

When she was 9 years old Rachel and her family moved to Ventura County. In middle school and high school Rachel played the flute with the concert band and marching band, along with the county honor band. She also learned to play the saxophone and mallet instruments. Other notable events during her high school years include scholarships for the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Camp and Stanford Jazz Residency, finalist for two years in the Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Awards, Jazz Instrumental category, 2nd place and then winner of the Ventura County Student Jazz competition,[2] and private instruction in advanced jazz improvisation through the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. Upon graduation from Hueneme High School in 2012 Rachel was presented both the Semper Fidelis award for outstanding musicianship and the John Philip Sousa award.

Musical career

Rachel works in the jazz, classical, soul, R&B, and progressive idioms and has shared the stage with Dweezil Zappa,[3][4] Arturo Sandoval,[2][5] Taylor Eigsti,[6][7] Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, Marc Bonilla, Jordan Rudess, Steve Porcaro,[8] Rick Wakeman, Burt Bacharach, Bob Reynolds,[9] Cuban legends Bobby Carcassés, Bellita Y Jazztumbatá, Orlando "Maraca" Valle, and The Santa Barbara Youth Symphony.

Rachel has participated in the Stanford Jazz Workshop and has made featured appearances at the Libbey Bowl in Ojai, California, the Clayton Piano Festival, the Blue Note Club in Honolulu, the 2016 Havana International Jazz Festival and was featured at a Keith Emerson Tribute Concert in Birmingham, England in July 2017.

Rachel has performed for Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Clark Terry, Herbie Hancock, Herb Alpert, and Wayne Shorter. She is a very active part of several jazz lineups in California and is currently composing original songs and works for orchestra, jazz combo, piano, and voice.

Documentary film

On January 18, 2014 film director Lorenzo DeStefano saw Rachel perform at a local jazz club.[10] From that initial meeting came nearly two years of filming, and completion of a feature-length documentary. Hearing Is Believing has been playing in film festivals around the country and was released on June 16, 2017.[11]

Awards

Rachel has brought home many ribbons, certificates, and awards as both a classical flutist and jazz pianist, including the John Philip Sousa Band Award, the Marine Corps Semper Fidelis Award for excellence in musicianship, and first place in the Ventura Music Festival’s 2011 Student Jazz Competition.

Discography

  • 2016 - Listen
  • 2017 - Hearing is Believing (Music from the Soundtrack)

References

  1. ↑ Flowers, Jeanie (19 October 2016). "About Rachel". Rachel Flowers Music. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Ventura Music Festival - Education". Ventura Music Festival. Ventura Music Festival Selects Student Jazz Competition Winner at Live Concert. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  3. ↑ Zappa, Dweezil (27 April 2015). "On The Road 1 Mo' Again". Dweezil Zappa. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
  4. ↑ Montana - Rachel Flowers w/Zappa Plays Zappa (Video). 27 April 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  5. ↑ Rachel Flowers at the Ventura Music Festival - Feb 12, 2011 (Video). 16 February 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  6. ↑ "Taylor Eigsti Calendar". Taylor Eigsti. 15 January 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  7. ↑ Rachel Flowers w/ Taylor Eigsti Trio (Video). 16 January 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  8. ↑ Barnes, Mike (29 May 2016). "All-Star Musicians Pay Respect to Keith Emerson at Tribute Concert in Los Angeles". billboard.
  9. ↑ "Santa Barbara, CA - Summer 2014". Mission Jazz. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  10. ↑ DeStefano, Lorenzo (14 August 2016). "Director's Statement". Hearing is Believing. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  11. ↑ ""HEARING IS BELIEVING", a film by Lorenzo DeStefano" (Press release). Los Angeles, California: Big Time PR. 24 March 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
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