Rachel Flowers

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

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
InstrumentsKeyboards, flute, guitar, bass guitar, ukulele, saxophone, pitched percussion, software synthesizers, voice
Years active2000–present
Associated actsRachel Flowers Trio, Zappa Plays Zappa, Keith Emerson Orchestra, RPM Trio
Websiterachelflowersmusic.com

Early life and education

Rachel Flowers was born to Dan & Jeanie Flowers on December 21, 1993 in National City, California. She arrived 15 weeks premature and her birth weight was 1 pound 5 ounces (0.60 kg). She lost her eyesight at three months old due to retinopathy of prematurity. When she was two years old, her mother showed her how to play "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" on the piano. Flowers picked up the melody immediately and was soon playing by ear every song she heard. Flowers had perfect pitch. At the age of four, Flowers 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 Flowers and her family moved to Ventura County. In middle school and high school Flowers 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 Flowers was presented both the Semper Fidelis award for outstanding musicianship and the John Philip Sousa award.

Musical career

Flowers 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.

Flowers 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.

Flowers 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 Flowers 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

Flowers 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)
  • 2018 – Going Somewhere

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