Twee Canadese multivocalisten in Gorssel

Onder auspiciën van BALK vonden rond Hemelvaartsdag 2009 opmerkelijke workshops en coachingsessies plaats die geleid werden door Dylan Bell en Suba Sankaran, twee multivocalisten uit Canada. Hierbij een verslag.

Dylan Bell is ex zanger/arrangeur van de Canadese a cappellagroep ‘Cadence’. Samen met zijn vrouw Suba, ook al zo’n multivocaal wonder, was hij naar Europa gekomen voor een aantal workshops in Duitsland en Nederland. De organisator, Nathaly Masclé, had samen met ondergetekenden voor een druk programma gezorgd van workshops, coaching sessies en een concert. Ongeveer 50 personen hebben zich door Dylan en Suba laten onderdompelen in de wereld van vocale improvisatie, vocal percussion en andere technieken. Verrassend waren de oorspronkelijke Zuid-Indiase vocale percussieklanken die Suba doceerde als aanvulling op de gebruikelijke vocale percussieworkshops van de westerse drumkit en de latin percussie.

Hemelvaartsdag was het middelpunt van hun bezoek in de prachtige locatie van Hotel De Roskam in Gorssel. Na de workshops gaven Dylan en Suba die avond ook een concert als ‘FreePlayDuo’. Zij gebruikten daarbij soms een loopapparaat waardoor ze meerdere stemmen konden dubben. (Een impressie van dit concert is op YouTube te zien: zoeken op FreePlayDuo). Special guest was Robina Souillee, één van de coaching-leerlingen. Zij zong de lead van Stevie Wonder’s ‘I wish’ met Dylan en Suba in de begeleiding. Voorafgaand aan het FreePlayDuo gaf vocal group PITS een aantal nummers ten gehore. De andere dagen werden er individuele coachings, groepscoachings en workshops gehouden in de gastvrije studio van Piet en Fredy Schollema te Lochem.

Het goede weer, de gemotiveerde en enthousiaste deelnemers, de prettige wijze van samen musiceren met Dylan en Suba, de fijne locaties en de onvermoeibare Nathaly (Nathaly Masclé - red.), maakten deze dagen tot een succes. Dat smaakt naar nog een bezoek. Mogelijk dat er dan gekozen wordt voor verschillende niveaus workshops, zodat iedereen op het eigen niveau kan meedoen. Wil je meer weten over Dylan en Suba, ga dan naar hun website www.dylanbell.ca

Thomas Hessels, BALK / Rhythm&Juice en Joep Hopstaken, PITS

Dylan Bell en   Suba Sankaran

Uit de aankondiging

Available Workshops Vocal Jazz

Dylan Bell and Suba Sankaran

1: Vocal Percussion: The Art of Vocal Drums

This is a hands-on workshop on how to create percussion sounds using the voice. This is a useful tool for small and large vocal ensembles to aid in keeping the rhythm intact, or to simply add variety to any given song. Sounds include traditional drum kit sounds, and Latin/African percussion.

2: Jazz Improvisation: An Approach to Scat Singing

This workshop discusses the basic blues form. Chord progressions will be taught and sung. The basic blues scale will be shown and sung as well. Different patterns will be presented in call-and-response fashion, placed in different rhythmic spaces. Some examples of blues songs will be performed as an added listening component. Scat singng (improvised syllables sung within the structural framework of the song) will be introduced. A vocabulary list of commonly used scat syllables will be given. The singers in the workshop can “jam” at the end with Dylan and Suba accompanying (time permitting).

3: Rounds, Rhythms and Circle Songs: An Approach to Vocal Group Improvisation

This workshop can include physical, breathing and vocal exercises to begin. Various rounds and multi-layered rhythms will be taught in a call-and-response fashion. The Circle Song is a vocal group improvisation extracted from the previous rounds and rhythms. Informally performed in a circle, various vocal ideas (melody, harmony, rhythmic variance, ostinato patterns, basslines, chord progressions) are given by the leader and incorporated/improvised by the singers.

4: Repertoire Workshop

Dylan and Suba will work with your existing repertoire, giving performance ad vice to get your music to the 'next level'.

5: Warm Up Exercises: Tricks, Tips and Techniques

• Physical exercises - concentrating on the upper half of the body, singers will be taken through several exercises to engage the head, neck, shoulders, chest cavity and torso, paying special attention to balance (Yoga-related), stress release, and connecting all exercises through breathing.

• Breathing warmups - These exercises include the rationing of the breath, concentrating on staying relaxed in the body while testing the limits of the air supply.

• Vocal exercises - these include a wide range of various exercises serving different purposes. For example, minimal jaw movement exercises, range-building exercises, eartraining exercises, part-singing exercises (similar to rounds, but built on Bach counterpoint and voice-leading, using scales and arpeggios),/p.

6: Writing Techniques: The 'How to' Crash Course in Vocal Jazz Arranging

Dylan and Suba will speak about the art of arranging and how to develop ideas towards arranging. Specific examples will be played, deconstructing and reconstructing the song through arranging techniques. A new song could be introduced in a workshop format, giving it different treatments: change in tempo, feel, dynamics, syllables, etc.

7:The A Cappella Evolution: The Musical History of Vocal Jazz

Discuss the history of vocal jazz ensembles punctuated by specific musical examples.

Biographies

Dylan Bell

Juno-nominated Dylan Bell is a vocalist, instrumentalist, composer/arranger,Music director and producer/engineer. Dylan has worked with groups ranging from vocal jazz ( Cadence, Swingle Singers ) to vocal pop to ecletic jazz and world music to classical ( Nathaniel Dett Chorale ). He’s played stages across the world from his Toronto to Stockholm to Calcutta.
His compositions and arrangements are performed across the world by several vocal groups. Dylan had the honour of singing in Washington DC, as part of the celebrations surrounding the inauguration of President Barack Obama. He also performed for Nelson Mandela in earlier years. Dylan is a multivocalist such as Bobby Mc Ferrin.
He can inspire many vocalists and together with his wife Suba he brings various vocal workshops all over the world.

Music Honours, Awards and Grants (1999-present)
2007 Recipient, Ontario Arts Council Songwriting Grant 2006 Multiple Nominee, Juno Awards: Vocal Jazz Album of the Year, Engineer of the Year
2006 Multiple Winner, CARA (Contemporary A Cappella Recording) Awards: Best Rock/Pop Album, Best Jazz Song, Best Original Composition
2006 Recipient, Canada Council Touring Grant (Cadence) 2005 Winner, John Lennon International Songwriting Competition, Best Jazz Song
2005 Recipient, Canada Council Career Development Grant (Cadence)
2005 Recipient, Ontario Arts Council Touring Grant (Cadence)
2005 Recipient, Toronto Arts Council Creators and Composers Grant
2004 Recipient, Toronto Arts Council Concert Production Grant (Cadence)
2004 Recipient, Ontario Arts Council Songwriting Grant
2004 Recipient, Canada Council Grant to Individual Musicians
2003 Winner, New York Harmony Sweepstakes (Cadence)
2003 Multiple Winner CARA Awards: Best Collegiate Album, Best Cover Song (Wibijazz’n’)
2000 Winner, CARA Award: Best Jazz Song (Hampton Avenue)
1999 Winner, Jazz Report’s Vocal Group of the Year

Suba Sankaran

As a multi-musician (voice, piano, percussion), Suba regularly performs across North America, Europe and Asia with world music ensembles. Highlights include performing for Nelson Mandela, Bishop Desmond Tutu, and Peter Gabriel.
Suba is in demand as a choral director, arranger, educator and composer. She has composed, recorded and produced music for theatre, film, radio and dance, including collaborations with Oscar-nominee Deepa Mehta.