‘Common Voice’ from the new IDIO CD!

Citadel band member, Rejyna, has uploaded a 2nd song from her new CD, IDIO, titled ‘Common Voice’

Hear the song here:
Soundcloud:  https://soundcloud.com/rejyna/common-voice-go-easy
ReverbNation:  http://www.reverbnation.com/rejyna/song/22180153-common-voice

Rejyna notes, “this is a fun song to play and the words hold a lot of meaning for me.  We have choices and freedoms that many do not and the lyrics to this song remind me to stay active, stay vigilant, stay alert and above all – add my common voice to the cry for liberty for all – and of course, the guitarist in me loves playing the shred leads between acoustic rhythms – and playing the drums and having the looper repeat what I play is something that appeases the novice drummer in me…”

01 – Common Voice (Go Easy)
There was a time
when the common voice among us
had no chance to dare a king
Dreams and wondering
were smothered into suffered silence
subjugated by imperial strings 

Now’s the time
for the common voice among us
to challenge netharias kings
Songs and sidewalk speeches
struggle to abate the silence,
to stay the liberated from surrendering 

Do we see it’s all all right? 
Do we see it’s all of light?

Still the surf and the noble
share a common threat
as our homeworld
suffers from neglect –

Easy, go easy
Say you want to love
Say you are for love

Right now, shout it out,
roundabout, all around the world.
Write it down, right it out,
your mind light can shine now.

Make your rhyme outside time
Speak your mind
to eyes blinded by the fright
Use, lose, abuse
or choose to unite
There are no second chances
to roll the liberty dice…

Music recorded using multiple memory slots on one JamMan Solo, Vocals sung thru an SM57 DigiTech Vocalist Live pro and tracked on a DigiTech GNX4, loops stitched and massaged in SoundForge.

Rejyna: IDIO ~ http://cdbaby.com/cd/rejyna3

From the CD, IDIO, by Rejyna
http://cdbaby.com/cd/rejyna3
c. Rejyna Douglass-Whitman  (BMI)

Published by W.E./Citadel of Cynosure Productions (BMI). All Rights Reserved.  Unauthorized duplication, repurposing, exhibition or performance is prohibited by US and international copyright laws.

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

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

Citadel songs featured on Rejyna’s solo release!

Citadel guitarist, composer and vocalist, Rejyna, is releasing a solo live CD of a performance featuring her solo songs as well as unplugged versions of songs from the Citadel band. 

“Solo Sojourn live” will be available on CDBaby and affliated digital sites like, iTunes, eMusic and Amazon starting May 1.

Rejyna - Solo Sojourn Live CD Gatefold

The following is taken from the liner notes of the Solo Sojourn live CD:

Using the latest in musical instrument technology, the acoustic folk-rock performance you hear on this CD is created in front of a live audience ‘on-the-fly’ by one person. 

Rejyna plays the rhythm passages while simultaneously recording them live onto a phrase looper.  The looper then replays those parts while Rejyna sings and/or adds guitar leads and harmony guitar leads to those passages.  During this guitar layering process, Rejyna sings into a vocal harmonizer that creates realistic multi- part vocal harmonies based on and mixed alongside her original voice. 

The result is a full, natural sounding sonic presentation that comes across like more than one person is playing and singing.  No pre-recorded ‘backing tracks’ nor in-studio overdubs are used on this recording – all layering or overdubbing is done by Rejyna on stage with the looper and harmonizer.  You can check out Rejyna’s web videos to watch the process for yourself.

Citadel music featured on this solo CD include:
Stygian Barque, Voice Inside, On Life and Living, Another, In Wonder, Standing Alone and Are You Aware.  The CD also includes Rejyna’s solo songs, The Songwriter, Freedom Dream, In Wonder, Dreamworld, and the instrumental songs, If I Cry and Happy Hands.

Rejyna’s Comments:
“I’ve had the pleasure of performing in many venues in my hometown during an extended visit with family and friends. Since it has been such a renewing experience, I’m releasing this CD of my solo live set to memorialize the good fun I have doing these performances with my guitar, looper and vocal harmonizer. 
        I’ve chosen the songs for this CD as a focus on some of the dream phases and life processes we go through when trying to find or rediscover ourselves, i.e., Self Doubt vs. Self Direction, Departures and Escapes vs. Surrenders and Separations, Renewal vs. Retreat, Cowardice vs. Celebration…
       I am thankful for the supporters of original music, for the convivial coffee houses and taverns that give me stage time, and for the technology that enables me to put out such a big sound from one voice & two hands.

You can find out more about Rejyna by googling her name; she is on Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn, ReverbNation, and she has an archive creative content portfolio site at Rejyna.com

The photographs on the CD were taken by Rejyna’s daughter, Jazmyn Whitman of AnimeJaz.com.  The compositing, retouching and package design was done by James Eves III of Digipix.Us

All content is © Rejyna Douglass-Whitman & published by W.E./Citadel of Cynosure Productions (BMI) All Rights Reserved.  www.rejyna.com

Rejyna on the Web:

 www.rejyna.com

www.cdbaby.com/artist/rejyna

www.facebook.com/rejynamusic

www.youtube.com/rejyna

www.reverbnation.com/rejyna

www.twitter.com/rejyna

The live CD was recorded using an Audio Technica ATM73a headset mic, an Ovation Balladeer, a Digitech Vocalist Live 3 and a Digitech JamMan solo.

Demonstrations using a midi guitar with a looper & a vocal harmonizer

Citadel guitarist/composer Rejyna demonstrates in two recent videos, how a solo performer can sound like more than one person.  In these Citadel ‘Behind the Scenes’ videos – instead of using pre-recorded tracks – Rejyna creates her accompaniment live and ‘on-the-fly’

Using the Godin Freeway SA (Midi or Synth guitar) with the Roland GR-20 synth guitar pedal, a Digitech JamMan Solo looper and a DigiTech Vocalist Live 3, Rejyna runs through renditions of her Citadel songs ‘Stygian Barque’ (aka ”Baroque Ballad Barque’) and ‘Another’ (aka ‘Soft Rock Another’)

“Stygian Barque” is featured on the Citadel CD’s “The Citadel of Cynosure & Other Tales” and is also on ‘D’ANthologie 2 ~ Crosses or Crowns?”  with ‘Another’ – both of which are available on CDBaby at http://cdbaby.com/artist/citadel as well as on iTunes, eMusic, Amazon and other sites.

Stygian Barque: The metaphor of a boat (barque) sailing on the river Styx presents a message of internal struggle, with a merging of the heart and mind as the dream solution.

Another: Day after day, night after night, year after year – ever feel stuck in a cycle?  Rainbows are waiting in the dawn in Another Dream Away…

You can hear these songs live by following Citadel on Facebook http://facebook.com/citadelprog or by checking Rejyna’s solo performance schedule, Rejyna is at http://facebook.com/citadelsongs

Citadel ® is a registered US tradename, used with exclusive permission.
© W.E./Citadel of Cynosure Prod (BMI) – Posted by content authors and owners. All Rights Reserved. Do not duplicate or re-distribute without the authors written authorization. 

iTunes has Citadel here:  http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/citadel/id206493356
and the most recent Citadel CD is here:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/danthologie-2-crosses-or-crowns/id320727450

Look for “Citadelsongs’ on Twittter, YouTube and MySpace and check out these links for more Citadel:

http://citadelband.com
http://citadelmusic.org
http://citadelsongs.com
http://ilike.com/artist/citadel
http://reverbnation.com/citadel
http://facebook.com/citadelprog