To Dream Perchance To Loop…

“Loopfests are today’s definitive non-genre-based celebration of creative sonic expression – and I am very honored to be included somewhere between the loop-newbies and the pioneers of loop-history…”   Rejyna

This Looptober has been packed with festivals up and down the western edge of the USA. From Colorado and Nevada to Washington and Oregon, live looping artists have presented their personal brand of loop-based music.

This week and coming weekend, California hosts the 15^th Y2K International Live Looping Festival, and the following Wednesday and Thursday, Long Beach hosts the SoCal Loopfest.

Rejyna will perform her set as part of the Y2K International Live Looping Festival on Sunday, October 25 at 3:00 p.m. at the TANNERY WORLD DANCE & CULTURAL CENTER, 1060 River Street #111, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060.

Rejyna will kick off the 2^nd night of the SoCal Loopfest on Thursday October 29^th at 7:00 p.m. at DiPIAZZA’S, 5205 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Long Beach, CA 90804.

Rejyna’s Looptober Shows

Rejyna’s YouTube channel (http://youtube.com/rejyna) features several of her loop-based songs from her solo CD’s “Solo Sojourn Live” and “IDIO” which can be purchased at the shows and online at:

CDBaby: http://cdbaby.com/artist/rejyna
Bandcamp: http://rejyna.bandcamp.com/releases
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Rejyna_Idio?id=Bkm3flebgdlrhazqwtqjusmy34y
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/idio/id942318560
Amazon: http://amazon.com/dp/B00PPR0VJI/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_5nSPvb0PFE6MD

Rejyna can be followed on many social and music networks, including:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/rejynamusic
Twitter: http://twitter.com/rejyna
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/rejyna
ReverbNation: http://reverbnation.com/rejyna
Spotify: https://play.spotify.com/album/2VQjPIc0aCTqZwQl2YiByT
Rhapsody: http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/rejyna/album/idio
Digitech Artists: http://digitech.com/en-US/artists/rejyna

The Y2K International Live Looping Festival is celebrating their 15^th year with performances from an impressive list of live looping artists from all over the globe:
Rick Walker (USA)
Andrew Aldridge (Canada)
ANI (USA)
Aram Shelton (USA)
Bill Walker (USA)
Cabezas De Cera (Mexico)
Cian (Mexico)
Cindy Sawprano (USA)
Daniel Thomas (USA)
DARKROOM (England)
ECNEGRU (France)
Entertainment for the Braindead (Germany)
Fabio Anile (Italy)
GAEA (USA)
Gary Regina (USA)
Giacomo Fiore (Italy)
Goh Nakamura (USA)
Henry Plotnick (USA)
Hobbs (USA)
John Connell (USA)
Josh Elliott (USA)
Jules Arindam (USA)
Lance Glover (USA)
Lucid Brain Integrative Project (France)
MandoMan (Japan)
Michael Mullen’s Trio Of One (USA)
Noah Peterson (USA)
Oa (Matt Davignon + Hugh Behm-Steinberg)
Per Boysen (Sweden)
Phil Clevenger (USA)
Philipp Zuercher (Switzerland)
Randolf Arriola (Singapore)
Rejyna (USA)
SA (Singapore)
SHORES OF LATENCY (Emmanuel Reveneau + Laurie Amat)
Steve Moyes (Wales)
Ted Killian (USA)
The Stochastics (USA)
Complete information can be found at: Y2K International Live Looping Festival

The SoCal Loopfest will present performances from:
Noah Peterson – San Antonio, TX
Josh Elliott – Tomah, WI
ecnegrU – Nanes, France
Tigr Hors – Columbus, OH
Steve Moyes – Gillingham, Medway, England
Robert Matheson – St. George, UT
Steuart Liebig – Los Angeles, CA
Cabezas de Cera – Mexico City, Mexico
Shores of Latency – Providence, RI & Paris, France
Just Alliance – Las Vegas, NV
Rejyna – Los Angeles, CA
Son Fish – Turlock, CA
Joseph Soul – Irvine, CA
Zack Walters – Long Beach, CA
Alissa Vox Raw – Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Entertainment for the Braindead – Berlin, Germany
Aldo Caldo – Austin, TX
Cian – Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
The Electric Noodle – San Francisco, CA
riz orkestra – Los Angeles, CA
Complete information can be found at: SoCal Loopfest

In the following ‘how-to loop’ tutorial videos, Rejyna adds text to explain the various pedal switches she uses to create her original songs:
Common Voice

Looking For You

Jorie Green Thumb (Song For Mom)

For those interested in looping, Rejyna also published a comprehensive review of her looper-of-choice at http://www.amazon.com/review/R3OFOFY7M5IQGO

All Material is © Rejyna
℗ W.E./Citadel of Cynosure Productions
All Rights Reserved

Rejyna 2015 Looptober Shows!

See Citadel guitarist/vocalist, Rejyna, perform songs from her newest solo CD ‘IDIO’ live at this years’ Looptober shows:

October 23-26 – Santa Cruz – Y2K15 International Live Looping Festival – Y2K International Live Looping Festival

October 28-29 – Long Beach – SoCal Loopfest – SoCal Loopfest 2015

Rejyna Looptober 2015 Tour Poster

Rejyna’s rig includes 5 sync’d DigiTech JamMan Solo XT’s loopers, a DigiTech Vocalist Live Pro, a Boss GT3, a Roland GR-20, a Yamaha DD55 and her Godin Spectrum midi synth guitar.  You can see her rig in action on her YouTube videos: Rejyna’s Looper Rig Videos

‘IDIO’ features rock, folk, metal, prog and world styles with adventurous guitars, emotional vocals, tasty drums and percussion, and lyrics of reflection – spiced with social topics and sprinkled with hope!

The music of IDIO was spontaneously recorded on a single DigiTech JamMan Solo.  Nothing was written in advance, and yet, after creative stitching in SoundForge and with the addition of Rejyna’s voice and lyrics, the result is cohesive and directional – even if no two songs sound like they’re from the same genre!

IDIO is available on CD and Download at CDBaby, Amazon, eMusic, iTunes, 7Digital, Tradebit, Google Play – and the list goes on…

Your support of indie music is the only thing that keeps it alive, buy IDIO at these sites:

IDIO on Google Play
IDIO on CDBaby
IDIO on iTunes
IDIO on eMusic
IDIO on Amazon

For the budget minded, Rejyna is also offering IDIO on Bandcamp for a limited time at $5 for all 16 songs:

Rejyna on BandCamp

You can also check out Rejyna’s songs and videos at these sites:

Rejyna on YouTube

Rejyna on SoundCloud

Rejyna at ReverbNation

Rejyna on Spotify

Rejyna on Rhapsody

Rejyna is also a proud part of the DigiTech Artist Family

Rejyna: DigiTech Artist

Contact Rejyna here: Email Rejyna and find Rejyna on

Facebook: Rejyna on Facebook

Twitter: Rejyna on Twitter

and many other sites.

Rejyna’s ‘IDIO’ Album Cover

Rejyna at Y2K13 International Live Loop Fest | Looptober Tour 2013

Rejyna’s Looptober Tour Live from the Y2K13 International Live Loop Fest, Treasures Roadhouse, Watsonville, CA

Video cameras by Jazmyn Whitman and George Wiltshire. Edited by Jazmyn Whitman for Jazmyn Marie Media Services.

Thanks to Rick Walker and the Walker Family, all the volunteers at the Festival and Bourn Archer and Crew at Treasures Roadhouse.

Special Thanks To Rejyna’s Looptober Tour Kickstarter Backers:
Jim Ussery ~ Jazmyn Whitman ~ p ~ Creighton Freeman ~ Eric Clemens ~ Casey Piller ~ Paula Shepherd ~ Joy Greenberg ~ Midi Maniac ~ Lara Shema ~ Adrienne Gray ~ Joe Rollin Porter ~ Stephen Briggs ~ Ted Killian ~ Rhondalynn Brown ~ Billy Zenn ~ Marji Whitman ~ Mark Hosselton ~ Linda Harris ~ Christina Buck ~ Eric Ahlteen ~ Jeff Dalrymple ~ Rita Jones ~ Robert Wiese ~ Amy Lee ~ Ralph Denick ~ Marc Newton ~ Sherry Price ~ Bruce Peecher Jr.

Thanks To Those In Attendance, the Amazing International Community of Live Looping Artists (AICLLA), Rick Walker and Chris Wedertz, Bill Walker and Nancy Levan, Noah Peterson, Stephen Briggs, Hans Lindauer, Tim Minarchi, Amy Lee (ANI), John Connell, Maha Jumale Taitano, Kari Betush.

Extra special Loops of Love to my mom-n-daugher roadcrew: Marji and Jazmyn Whitman

Please support the Y2K Loopfest at http://y2kloopfest.com and Treasures Roadhouse @ http://treasuresroadhouse.com

More Info:
http://rejyna.com
http://cdbaby.com/artist/rejyna

Tweets by rejyna

http://facebook.com/rejynamusic
http://youtube.com/rejyna

Gear Geekery:
Audio-Technica ATM73a mic to Digitech Vocalist Live Pro to Yamaha MG82cx board – routed to looper thru board FX send –

Yamaha APX500II (or Ovation Balladeer) guitar to Boss GT3 to Yamaha MG82cx board – routed to looper thru board FX send –

Yamaha DD-55 electronic drums to Yamaha MG82cx board – routed to looper thru board FX send –

A single DigiTech JamMan Solo looper is used in this performance. The JamMan solo looper output is routed back into the MG82cx and sent to an ATM M3 IEM, and to the house board, as a premixed feed.

SETLIST:
By Design (Many Struggles)
In Wonder
Dreamworld
Happy Hands

All material written, arranged and performed by Rejyna. All Material is c. Rejyna and W.E./Citadel of Cynosure Productions (BMI) All Rights Reserved, Posted by Authors and Content Owners.

Booking Contact: citadel_1@msn.com

Rejyna Pho-King Valentines Show!

Citadel’s Rejyna Pho-King Awesome Valentines Show!  

Rock-Folk-Metal-Prog via Solo Voice, Guitar and eDrums:

“Using my voice, acoustic guitar, e-drums and some fun effects with live looping, I’ll serve up some soft and loud, folkish-rockish-prog-esque songs (with sprinkles of metal garnish) while you enjoy the excellent food and beverages at Pho-King. 

Wanna be my valentine? Can I persuade you with some live loops of love? Just give me a chance to win you over.  Or, better yet, bring your valentine date, or celebrate your ‘solo freedom’ while I solo it up on stage.

Great smoothies, sandwiches and soups with vegan, tofu, and meat options.”

No Cover ~ All Ages ~ Good music, nice people, plenty of free parking, safe location!

http://www.reverbnation.com/rejyna
http://facebook.com/rejynamusic
http://rejyna.com/

“Many Struggles” by Rejyna at Treasures Roadhouse for the Y2K13 International Live Looping Festival.

Citadel’s Rejyna Returns To Treasures Roadhouse!

Saturday, December 21st
Doors Open at 6:30, Show Starts at 7pm
TREASURES ROADHOUSE, 2908 Freedom Blvd., Watsonville, CA

REJYNA:
Returning to Treasures following a well-received set at the Y2K13 Live Looping Fest in October, Rejyna will perform solo using innovative technology for a full band sound – NO pre-recorded samples or backing tracks. 

Singing, playing acoustic and midi (synth) guitar and electronic drums; she uses loopers, effects and harmonizers to evoke lush, layered compositions built in layers in front of the live audience. Her exploration of rock, prog, folk, metal and world genres often merge these styles into thematic ‘sonic cinema’ song forms. 

Rejyna sprinkles elaborate vocal harmonies into her lyrics about following our dreams, hyper-awareness, self-reflection and hope as a choice.

Rejyna – http://www.reverbnation.com/rejyna

IAN BELL
Ian Bell was born in 1968 in Hillingdon, West London. A self taught musician, he received his first guitar at ten, and he said it took him until twenty to get it back in tune. Inspired by the singer/songwriter tradition including Tom Waits and early Bob Dylan, he left the U.K for the U.S. in 2002. Recognized for his raw honesty and powerful acoustic performances, Bell is of the philosophy “if it sounds right, it is right.” 

His debut EP, Chameleon Skin, features a selection of five compositions written over a period of about a year. The title track, Chameleon Skin touches on the double edged sword of connection and conformity. Our uniquely human ability to reinvent ourselves to experience a sense of belonging even at the cost of our own individuality. 

Ian Bell – http://www.reverbnation.com/ianbellacoustic

Saturday, December 21st
Doors Open at 6:30, Show Starts at 7pm

Tickets: $12 in advance, $15 at the door
http://treasuresroadhouse.com
All Ages, Free Parking

Full Details: http://www.reverbnation.com/show/11981345

Citadel Guitarist: Rejyna on the Looptober Tour Trail – Part 1

Captured Live on her 2013 Looptober Tour, Citadel guitarist, Rejyna: ‘Mellow on the outside and metal in the middle’

Rejyna at the NW Loop Fest – These shots are from J and M Cafe (http://www.jandmcafe.com) in Seattle’s Pioneer Square.  Rejyna also performed her prog folk-ish loop tunes at The Analog Cafe in Portland (http://www.analogpdx.com), Meenar’s in Danville (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Meenar/114043475294324), the RDuck Radio Show in Santa Cruz (http://rduck.com) and the Y2K Loopfest in Santa Cruz – Y2K13 (http://y2kloopfest.com).

Songs that Rejyna performed included: Many Struggles, In Wonder, Dreamworld, Standing Alone, Stygian Barque, Another Dream Away, Freedom Dream and Happy Hands from her solo CD “Solo Sojourn Live” (http://cdbaby.com/artist/rejyna) and various loop-revised renditions of songs from the Citadel CD’s (http://cdbaby.com/artist/citadel).

More photos and videos will be released to Rejyna’s Kickstarter backers first, and then to the public on Rejyna’s SoundCloud (http://soundcloud.com/rejyna) and YouTube (http://youtube.com/rejyna) websites.  Rejyna plans to do a Looptober Tour next year as well, hoping to add shows in Texas, Nevada and Los Angeles – as talks for festival expansion will commence this week with Noah Peterson and others interested in hosting Loopfests in their city.

Additional Loopfest performers included: SEATTLE: Noah Peterson, Karma Bomb, Isaac Thompson, Tukso Okey, Clifford Kimbrel-Dunn, Eric Muhs, Moongriffin, Christopher Ingold, The Genie, Stephen Briggs, LucidBrain IntegrativeProject, Bill Walker, ANI, Rejyna Douglass-Whitman, Eastside Industrial, Consumer, Polemic Contriver.  PORTLAND: Noah Peterson, Polemic Contriver, Bill Walker, Moongriffin, , LucidBrain IntegrativeProject, ANI, Clifford Kimbrel-Dunn, Eastside Industrial, Christopher Ingold, The Genie, Eric Muhs, Gideon Freudmann, cellotronik, Rejyna Douglass-Whitman, Hans Lindauer, Stephen Briggs, Isaac Thompson, Eric Buchner, Consumer, Ben Beauvais, Forever Growing,  DANVILLE: Rejyna, Stephen Briggs, Noah Peterson.  RDuck Show: Albert, RIz, Jack Hertz, Stephen Briggs, Rejyna.  Y2K13 Loopfest: Wednesday – Semih Yanyali, ANI, Stephen Briggs, Lucid Brain Integrative Project, MANDOMAN, PREHISTO’ZIK, Rick Walker. Thursday –  Henry Kaiser, Andre LaFosse, John Connell, Lucid Brain Integrative Project.  Friday – Laurie Amat, Noah Peterson, John Connell, Semih Yanyali, Barry Cleveland.  Saturday – Zig Zag Robinson, Bob Amstadt, Cynthia Webster, Michael Carlson and TripleOhNine, jRj Rauche, Lindsey Walker, Matt Davignon, Disonova, STANOSAUR, Rejyna Douglass-Whitman, Marya Stark, Luis Angulo, Henry Kaiser, Daniel Thomas, Andre LaFosse, Bill Walker.  Sunday – Sourpatch, Greg Powers, Albert Mathias (Alberton Live), Greg Bryant, Pete Novembre, Toaster, Steve Uccello, Jerry Barnes, Grant Stoner, Casey Chisolm, Lucid Brain Integrative Project, Stephen Briggs, MANDOMAN, ANI, Shovelman, PREHISTO’ZIK, Rick Walker

Festival Directors are Rick Walker (Santa Cruz) and Noah Peterson (NW Loopfest)

Photos by Amy Lee of “Sequence Mediaworks” – www.seqmedia.com

http://rejyna.com

http://citadelband.com

Citadel’s Rejyna and The Looptober Tour

Warning: Live Loops Ahead (One of Rejyna’s Looptober Tour pun posters – http://facebook.com/rejynamusic)

Did you know that Looptober is the month that follows Stomptember?

If you didn’t know that already, Rejyna is hoping to get you up to speed with her Looptober Mini-Tour and promo campaign.  Her poster series combines witty wordplay with images that are intended to imbed the word ‘loop’  with pun-infused imagery like street signs, loop straws, Hot Wheels loop tracks and a well-known cereal brand.  (Look in the ‘Photos’ section at http://facebook.com/rejynamusic)

How does the member of a progressive metal/folk rock band migrate to the world of solo live looping?  “Accidentally…“ Following gentle urging from family and eclectic venue owners, Rejyna has re-discovered her solo-performing persona through the i/o of a looper, effects and a vocal harmonizer.

Ironically, Rejyna was surprised to discover there was a new home for her multi-genre style of music.  “When I first started using the looper and harmonizer in my solo acoustic set, I had no idea there was a whole movement centered around live looping.  I was simply trying to make playing solo more fun by adding vocal harmonies and lead guitar parts overtop of the basic chords in my repertoire.  Although I had seen or heard about other artists using loopers, I was only exposed to the ambient, improv, noise and freeform loopists.” 

Contrary to what Rejyna and others may think, the live looping movement is not focused on a particular style of music.  In the ‘about’ section from Rick Walker’s (a veteran live looping artist and promoter) Y2K Loopfest website, it says: “To this day, in that community, there is no style or genre of music associated with the movement. The only thing that links thousands of emerging live looping artists is a strong and supportive sense of community and a love for the concept of looping live in public.”   As one can tell by the ‘archives’ links on Rick’s site, the art of live looping is not a ‘new’ thing:  “The annual Y2K International Live Looping Festival, was begun in 2001 by Rick Walker, himself a found sound/live looping artist. It is the first international live looping festival and longest running one in history.” (http://y2kloopfest.com/about/)

Let’s back up a bit for those who don’t know what ‘live looping’ means. Live looping involves the use of a device (there are many types from several MI manufacturers) that allows a performer to record musical sections in front of the audience and then replay that piece while adding other sound and effect layers to it.  It may involve footpedals (stompboxes), computers, conventional and non-conventional instruments (trash can lids, wood saws, etc.), voice, silence and noise – stacked, layered, stripped, reversed, time-shifted.  Anything goes EXCEPT that the use of anything pre-recorded is not allowed.  This isn’t karaoke…

Being a loop newbie, Rejyna was surprised by the invitation to perform with the other live loopers.  “While I admire those artists tremendously, I did not consider that my song-based approach to looping would fit into their niche. See, I use a looper to build organized musical pieces on stage, and while bridge sections in my songs do allow for freeform experimentation, I was nonetheless surprised, anxious and quite honored to be invited.” 

Resisting her apprehension about fitting in, Rejyna accepted.  “I told myself, they wouldn’t have invited me if they didn’t think my style would fit – so, I accepted invitations to live looping events in Portland, Seattle, Danville and Santa Cruz.  I hope they like what I’m planning to exhibit…  I’m calling this my ‘Looptober’ tour” and while my main goal is to share my songs, my guilty pleasure in all of this is that I will get to be inspired by the best-of-the-best in the looping community.  I am certain that the music I release in the future will benefit immensely from the things I witness from the other artists on this mini-tour.

If you are familiar with the style of music that Citadel puts out, you’ll be surprised to hear how Rejyna takes those songs into the solo realm.  Her set features a few Citadel songs re-done looper-style mixed in with her new compositions.  She will be promoting her CD Solo Sojourn Live and is planning to release a DVD/Blu-Ray disc of the Looptober tour in December.

If you’re in or near one of these cities in Looptober, make sure to attend, unless you don’t mind behind left out of the loop:

Oct. 11^th – J&M Café, Seattle, WA (https://www.facebook.com/events/381359998620826/)

Oct. 13^th – Analog Café, Portland, OR (http://www.facebook.com/events/352601574838095/)

Oct. 16^th – Meenar Music, Danville, CA (https://www.facebook.com/events/432590403522293/)

Oct. 18-20^th, Y2K13 Loopfest, Santa Cruz, CA
(http://y2kloopfest.com/about/)

You can check out Rejyna’s music and videos by simply spelling her first name correctly in your search engine – she’s on CDBaby, iTunes, Amazon, ReverbNation, YouTube, SoundCloud, Facebook, Twitter – and her personal website reveals that music is only one of the mediums she calls her playground – http://rejyna.com

Maybe one of the next blog entries will give us a clue as to how all this solo indulgence has affected the upcoming Citadel CD…ahem?!?

Loop Straws make beverages taste better, so the same must apply to looped music? (One of Rejyna’s Looptober Tour pun posters – http://facebook.com/rejynamusic)

Citadel guitarist to do Southern California shows

Rejyna, guitarist/composer for the indie band Citadel, is scheduling shows in Southern California.  Performing select songs from various Citadel albums and new original compositions from her solo CD, Rejyna will be appearing live at:

February 21st @ 7pm
The Talking Stick Coffee Lounge
1411 Lincoln Blvd Venice, CA 90291

February 21st @ 8pm
Pho King Delicious
9350 Corbin Ave, Northridge, California 91324

Rejyna uses cutting-edge technology on stage to make her solo guitar/voice performance sound like a full band.  Nothing is pre-recorded and Citadel song styles range from folk rock to prog and alternative – with a touch of folk metal here and there.

Rejyna is scheduling shows in the Southern California area while working on her next solo CD and the upcoming Citadel CD.

You can find Rejyna and Citadel on many of the social networks by starting your search here:

Facebook: Rejyna page and the Official Citadel page

Reverbnation: Rejyna and Citadel

For more info, contact: citadel_1@msn.com
Citadel ® is a registered US tradename- all rights reserved – used with permission

3 Songsmiths: Mark, Joe and Rejyna

Mark See, Joe Rollin Porter and Rejyna are bringing their songs to Java Central. You’ll get a good mix of guitar-based music styles while you enjoy excellent baked goods, exquisite java beverages and smoothies, and the family-friendly atmosphere of Java Central Cafe in Uptown Westerville.

Support the Independent Artists and the Venues!
Show starts at 7:00 p.m. – All Ages – No Cover – Bring the family!
Java Central, 20 S State St Ste B, Westerville, Ohio

Mark See

Mark See is a singer, songwriter, guitarist that has played around Columbus for many years.  His style is a mix of rock, pop, blues, and country with a few jazz chords thrown in to mix things up.  He has played primarily in his own band Creatures Of Habit, but has a history of sitting in with other bands for extended times.  He has one full length CD called Creatures Of Habit and a four song EP called Trinkets.  He is currently at work on his next CD, tentatively called Nickles And Dimes and feels that this will be his best work yet!  You can find and contact Mark on Facebook and MySpace at http://myspace.com/creaturesofhabitmarksee

 

Joe Rollin Porter’s fingerstyle acoustic guitar playing and vocals transcend genre and style, viscerally connecting with music lovers of widely diverging tastes.  His live performance can bring a room full of loud distracted drinkers to a hushed silence, hanging on every note.  The music primarily consists of Joe’s own arrangements of traditional American folk songs, with a dose of early rural blues and an occasional dash of Celtic flavor as well.  The end product is truly unique. 

Joe Rollin Porter

Joe does not attempt to “authentically” replicate old-time music. Nor does he try to modernize the old songs to make them appeal to contemporary commercial tastes.  Rather, after years of absorbing and internalizing traditional folk music, the songs flow out as natural self-expression.  The result is an individual artistic statement that injects new life and energy into the folk tradition, keeping the heritage alive and growing.

If you don’t care about any of that, but you like great fingerstyle guitar playing, or simply enjoy high quality entertainment, Joe provides that too.  Find out more about Joe at http://joerollinporter.com/ – http://cdbaby.com/cd/jrporter

 

 

Rejyna

Rejyna is a composer and performer who has played in several bands, including her own band, Citadel, which has released several CD’s that mix rock, progressive, folk and metal.  Citadel formed in Ohio after being chosen for the first QFM Hometown album.  The band ventured to Los Angeles and continued to perform and release albums, co-producing the first progressive rock festival: ProgFest.  In additon to music, Rejyna is also active in film, video and literature.  She has worked on the restoration of many films including Star Wars, James Bond, and several Disney animated features.

As a solo musician, Rejyna uses her acoustic guitar with various pieces of technology that enable her to present the sound of several players on stage.  She doesn’t use pre-recorded backing tracks – instead, she uses loopers and vocal harmonizers to weave intricate songs in real-time.  Creating layered sonic acoustic rock music in front of live audiences, Rejyna’s songs can be soft and tranquil, loud and fast or a mix of all these elements.  Her song structure ranges from simple to complex.  Rejyna cites several influences including Jethro Tull, Rush, Al DiMeola, Yes, Kansas, Shadowfax, Seals and Crofts, Poco, Gentle Giant, Dave Mason, Dan Fogelberg, CSNY, Ambrosia…

Rejyna recently recorded a live show and released it on CD, featuring acoustic versions of several songs from the Citadel repertoire alongside previously unreleased original material.  She is currently performing in and around the central Ohio area and plans to release another solo CD after finishing her work on the upcoming Citadel CD.  You can find Rejyna in several places online: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, ReverbNation – and her personal website is http://rejyna.com , and her music is at http://cdbaby.com/cd/rejyna  as well as on iTunes, eMusic, Amazon, Napster and many other online retailers.

Rejyna to offer Citadel songs solo sampler at McConnel Arts

Citadel band member, Rejyna, opens for Jim Volk’s Acoustic Guitar Night at 8:00 p.m. at the Peggy McConnel Arts Center’s Bronwynn Theatre in Worthington, Ohio on Friday, January 13. 

Performing songs she contributed to the band Citadel, Rejyna uses an acoustic guitar, a headset mic and various effects to present enhanced solo renditions of songs from Citadel albums and CD’s.  She presents songs that often stray from pop formula writing, citing lyric-writing influences such as; Yes, Jethro Tull, Rush, Cat Stevens, and even Gentle Giant.  The musical aspect of her compositions also draws heavily from rock-based genres that feature non-conventional song structures.  While Citadel focuses on the harder side of the rock-meter, Rejyna as a soloist strips it down to the acoustic core of the composition.

“Yes, I use a vocal harmonizer, but I turn off the autotune pitch correction.  I use the Vocalist to weave 2, 3 and 4 part harmonies around my own voice and the guitar rhythms that I record live into the looper, and I then layer in solo and harmony guitar riffs.  One of my most requested solo songs is an instrumental titled “Happy Hands” where I use the looper to lay down a rhythm guitar part, then add a lead, then a harmony lead, and then a bass line.  Creating solo-orchestrated musical pieces live in front of an audience is a different adrenalin beast from performing with other musicians.  The sweat and fervor in my live show is proof that trying to do it all correctly in ‘one-take’ in front of a live audience is the endorphin ‘buzz’ I am addicted to…and I hold DigiTech wholly responsible for my gear addiction” (Rejyna)

Rejyna recently released a CD of one of these live performances entitled, Solo Sojourn Live, which is available on CDBaby and their online affiliates like iTunes, Amazon, eMusic and Napster. 

Rejyna will be the opening act for Jim Volk’s Acoustic Guitar Night.

From:

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2012/01/08/2-this08-jan-art-grqfg7u6-1.html

“Guitarist Jim Volk will headline an evening of music with warm-up sets from recent International Thumbpicking Contest winners Josh Woods and Shohei Toyoda and singer-guitarist Rejyna.”

From: http://www.mcconnellarts.org/wp/archives/7516

“Jim Volk is a high energy solo acoustic guitar player that thrills his audiences every time he plays.  His performances include a wide mixture of blues, rock, country, guitar bangin’ “modern acoustic” – and, crowd favorite medleys Jim puts together on the fly.
http://jimvolk.com 

 

Out in western Kentucky there is a International Thumb Pickin’ Contest that BOTH Josh Woods and Shohei Toyoda have won – in consecutive years.  Nobody can win that prestigious award without being able to play the guitar VERY WELL:

Josh Woods – is a self taught Kentuckian guitar player, himself.  Thousands of avid guitar players attempt the extremely complicated Atkins/Travis style of playing guitar, yet only once in a millennium does one come along that was born to do so. That would be young Josh Woods. His long fingers on his large strong hands seem to know exactly where to go on the fret board.  And, the rhythm of his accompanying “thumb” is flawless – and, will have you up out of your seat dancing as he plays.

http://www.youtube.com/user/atmahack/videos

Shohei Toyoda – came to finger style guitar from a different direction – he is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, where he developed a love of finger style guitar from virtuoso guitarist, Guy VanDuser – who arranged Stars & Strips for the late great Chet Atkins.  Since graduation, Shohei has traveled the world over to learn from the Masters of Guitar. He has sat at their feet to internalize their ’soulful’ music. He brings to the world a form of fingerpicking unique and energetic.

http://shoheitoyoda.com/

Rejyna – is a composer, guitarist, vocalist, performer and studio artist who has worked in all types of bands and musical genres. A great bulk of her work can be heard on the releases of the rock band Citadel, who has been releasing their own indie music for the last three decades.”

http://rejyna.com

McConnell Arts Center of Worthington, 777 Evening St.

Tickets cost $15, or $20 the day of the show

Call 614-431-0329 or visit www.mcconnellarts.org

Citadel ® – Since 1979 – The Original Citadel

http://citadelsongs.com
http://citadelband.com
http://citadelmusic.org
http://facebook.com/citadelprog