Loire (musician)

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Lori Cotler in 2007

Loire Cotler (Born Lori Cotler) on Valentine's Day, is a Jewish American rhythm vocalist, composer, recording artist, educator and certified music therapist known for her outstanding Konnakol (South Indian vocal percussion), Scat singing, World Music vocal stylings and original Ethno Jazz Standard interpretations, as well as her vocal work on film scores.

Early life[]

Born in New York City and raised in Roslyn Estates, NY, Loire began studying piano at age six in the Suzuki method. She started writing instrumental songs on the piano by age 10. Loire (named after the Loire River in France) is a nickname given to her by her closest friend who has known her since birth. Loire began using her nickname as her artist name in 2013 on the advice of her manager. At age 11, Loire's rhythm quest as a vocalist was ignited after a chance encounter hearing the legendary Cuban percussionist Cándido Camero at her brother's bar mitzvah. Loire recounts this experience telling The Power of Rhythm podcast[1] as being galvanized and transfixed as Cándido launched into a burning solo on multiple congas and how his deep, joyful expressions through rhythm and authentic contact to his instrument showed her the possibilities of being able to tell a story beyond words--to be able to tell a story through rhythm and travel beyond thought.

Loire sang and played keyboards in various rock bands throughout her teens. She and her brother got fake ID's at the infamous Playland in Times Square so she could get into music clubs and open mic jams on Bleecker St. in Greenwich Village. Loire's band was called Kizmit, and featured her original music. She went on to record a studio demo, but by the time the recording got mastered, Loire had been bit by the be-bop jazz bug and moved on to pursue scat singing. There are still Kizmit tapes circulating out there.

Voice and style[]

"Rhythm Vocalist" is a term that four-time Grammy winning master percussionist Glen Velez coined in 2003 to describe Loire's signature performance style which uses rhythm as an entryway to the voice. Loire incorporates hybrid vocal techniques, including vocal percussion and wordless melodic improvisations inspired by her studies of Jewish niggun, Mid-East taksim, Central Asian overtone singing (khoomei), scat singing and South Indian Konnakol as a performance role in musical settings.  “When I discovered scat singing during my teen years, I saw my whole life in front of me, and when I discovered Konnakol in my twenties I knew I had found may way home” Loire recalls. Loire continues to draw from her rock ’n’ roll and singer songwriter chops when the music calls for it.

Film score vocal work[]

Loire’s passion for cinema and film music as a child propelled her to sneak into the open doors of a local indie theater after being lured inside by the sound of Vangelis’ Chariots of Fire main theme. When it came time to declare a major at Berklee College of Music, Loire had already filled out an application to become a film scoring major, but she kept delaying to turn it in. Listening to scores by Max Steiner, Ennio Morricone, James Newton Howard, and Hans Zimmer on a loop and wrestling with which road to take, she happened to come across a cassette of classical Indian percussion music with a drum language solo.  It was in that moment that she chose to stay on her own path to becoming a rhythm vocalist.

In December 2017 her dream of collaborating with film composers came full circle after being introduced to Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer by renowned vocalist and vocal contractor Edie Lehmann Boddicker and legendary synthesist Michael Lehmann Boddicker.

Loire’s collaboration with Zimmer and his Remote Control Productions team, including composers, Steve Mazzaro, David Fleming and Andy Page, led to her vocal work on X-Men Dark Phoenix (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), Xperiments from Dark Phoenix (soundtrack album) and Denis Villenueve’s highly anticipated DUNE (2021). In 2020 Zimmer introduced Loire’s work to his longtime collaborator and friend Grammy winning and multiple Oscar nominated film composer James Newton Howard. Soon after Loire began working remotely with James as the vocal soloist on his score for the breakthrough Disney film Raya and The Last Dragon.

Collaborations and performances[]

Loire has flown over a million miles to performances in far-reaching destinations across the globe. Since 2004 she has been touring with her core duo project with Glen Velez, and has also been a featured soloist in numerous performances ranging from full orchestras to small ensembles, including: Taipei Chinese Orchestra, National Chinese Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, Parco della Musica Contemporanea Ensemble, Nederlandse Reisopera, La Notte della Taranta Popular Orchestra, Fulcrum Point New Music Project, Nederlands Blazers Ensemble, Long Beach Opera, Ensemble Fisfüz - in venues, such as: Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall, The Tonhalle,  The Music Academy (Chennai),[2] Auditorium Parco della Musica, Muziekgebouw, Slovak Radio Theater, The Met Museum, and Paradiso (Amsterdam). She has performed at numerous live music festivals, most notably: Ravenna Festival and Tamburi Mundi (Freiburg). In 2014 Loire performed for a live audience of 150,000 at La Notte Della Taranta, her largest audience to date.[3]

In May 2019 Loire was invited by the US Embassy to perform music from her album 18 Wings (Daftof) following the idea by then incumbent US Ambassador to Slovakia Adam Sterling. Loire was joined by Glen Velez and cellist Jozef Luptak in a private concert event that took place at the Residence of the Ambassador in Bratislava and featured Loire and Glen’s exhilarating rhythmic reimagining of The Great American Songbook.[4] Since 2012, Loire has been the featured soloist in The News: a reality opera by the Dutch avant-pop composer JacobTV and she is credited for composing vocal parts for the arias Bounce or Decline[5] and Lamento.[6]

Loire maintains an active touring schedule in her duo with Glen Velez and is also a core member of Glen’s Handance Ensemble with Shane Shanahan and Yousif Sheronick. She has shared the stage with world class musicians Lew Soloff, Howard Levy, Avi Avital, Chitravina Ravikiran, Eugene Friesen, Sonny Fortune, Jozef Luptak, Milica Paranosic, Kepa Junkera, Javier Paxariño, Murat Coşkun and Enzo Rao. She has performed and recorded works by award winning composers Edward Bilous and Robert Miller and her signature sound can be heard on music recordings, tv commercials, dance scores and feature length documentaries and blockbuster film scores.

Loire’s live performances have included radio and television broadcasts on Spanish National Radio 4, German Public Radio, Italian National Radio 3, Radio Freistadt (Austria), DRS (Swiss-German national radio), WNYC, National Public Radio, KPFK Los Angeles, KITV Hawaii, PBS, Rai Italia TV, Taipei National Television, CBS 2.

Loire debut album 18 Wings (Daftof) was released digitally during the COVID-19 pandemic as a tribute to the 30th anniversary of her fathers death. 18 Wings features multiple Grammy artists of TRIO GLOBO - Howard Levy, Eugene Friesen and Glen Velez and highlights original music co-composed and arranged with Glen Velez, as well as their global rhythmic twist on The Great American Songbook.

Education[]

Loire attended Long Island High School for the Arts, a gifted magnet school for the performing arts. She was chosen as honorary speaker and performer at the graduation ceremony. She went on to earn a Bachelor's degree of Music from Berklee College of Music in Boston, followed by a Master's Degree in Music Therapy from New York University. During her teens, Loire’s jazz mentor Dave Burns introduced her to scat singing. He recognized that Loire had an unusual aptitude for the vocal reproduction of complex and up-tempo instrumental material. Loire cites her mentor and husband Glen Velez and his Handance Method as having the greatest influence on her approach to music. She began learning Konnakol from Velez when their musical collaboration began in 2002. She also studied with Konnakol master Ghatam Subash Chandran and briefly with Vinod (VR) Venkataram. Other influential teachers include piano and harpsichord virtuoso Barbara Kupferberg and jazz vocalists Bob Stoloff, the late Mili Bermajo, and Dominique Eade. Loire has been invited to present masterclasses and workshops at The Juilliard School and other prestigious conservatories and universities around the World.[3

Personal life[]

Loire has been openly bisexual since high school. She was in a long term relationship with a woman who had a great influence on her quitting her full time day job, telling her it was time to bring her music and voice to the world. Loire put in her notice on the spot. Loire’s awareness of the healing power of music began early in her life. She frequently turned to songwriting and improvisation as a way of coping with the tragic death of her close friend who was killed while riding his bicycle at age 15.  A few days after Loire’s 18th birthday, tragedy struck again when her father passed away on February 18, 1990 at age 45. Loire's debut solo recording 18 Wings (Daftof Records) was released in 2020 as a homage to her beloved father. The album features multiple Grammy artists, including Howard Levy, Eugene Friesen and Glen Velez. It highlights original music co-composed and arranged with Glen Velez, along with her rhythm jazz reimagining of The Great American Songbook. In the liner notes, she says “Rhythm and voice are my own wings - they are how I travel to syllables beyond thought, a subconscious language.”

Music Therapy[]

Loire was a Professor of Music Therapy at The New School (2001–2007) and worked extensively in clinics, hospitals, including locked psychiatric units around New York City. She has worked with such populations as adult psychiatry, foster children/at-risk teens, autism and brain injuries. Loire continues to lend her talents to supporting Music Therapy charities and has been actively collaborating with Sounding Joy Music Therapy in Hawaii and Japan.  Loire’s work in the mental health field greatly impacted her approach to music. Her clinical work inspired her to see rhythm and music in more descriptive ways, such as “what is the rhythm of anxiety,” or “what are the syncopations of schizophrenia” “what are the colors of depression” “what is the pulse flow of borderline personality.”  

Discography[]

Studio recordings[]

  • 2020 - 18 Wings (Daftof Records)
  • 2020 - Echos (Sívac Records)
  • 2016 - Instants of Time by Enrique Haneine
  • 2013 - (single release) Cucurrucucú Paloma
  • 2010 - "Herria" (Elkar/Warner Bros.) Kepa Junkera; Lori Cotler featured on "Markesaran Alaba"[7]
  • 2009 - "Breathing Rhythms Duo" (Daftof Records); Glen Velez and Lori Cotler
  • 2008 - "Rhythms of the Chakras Vol. 2" Glen Velez (SoundsTrue)
  • 2006 - "Hiri" (Elkar) Kepa Junkera; Lori Cotler featured on "Tatihou"[8]
  • 2005 - "Rhythms of Awakening" Glen Velez (SoundsTrue)
  • 2003 - "Elephant Hotel"(hyperlink: http://glenvelez.com/shop/music/) (Daftof Records); Glen Velez and Lori Cotler
  • 2003 - AfroMantra "Alignment" (Mambo Maniacs Record) Lori Cotler is featured on "Transparencias" (composer, Alex Garcia)
  • 1991 - Kizmit - (Unreleased EP) Original songs composed by Loire Cotler in High School.

Dance scores[]

  • 2012–present: "Whirlwind" (Glen Velez) performances with Nai-Ni Chen Dance
  • 2009–present: "Mirage" performances with Nai-Ni Chen Dance
  • 2007–present: "Trilogy" (Glen Velez) performances with Bridgman/Packer Dance
  • 2003-2011: Mimi Garrard VideoDances - featured vocalist on dance scores by Glen Velez.
  • 2004: Rain (Glen Velez) performances with Buglisi Dance Theater

Commercials[]

  • 2015 - Raw Spirit Fragrances[9]
  • 2009 - Tiffany & CO[10]
  • 2005 - Frangelico USA Rope TV Advert[11]
  • 2004 - CVS Extra Care (Robert Miller, RMI)[12]

Film work[]

External links[]

  1. http://www.loirecotler.com
  2. http://wwww.glenvelez.com/
  3. https://www.boomboxshop.net/the-news.html
  4. http://www.hans-zimmer.com/index.php?rub=disco&id=
  5. http://edwardbilous.com/portfolio/night-of-the-dark-moon-opening/
  6. https://www.screensoundalliance.com/about (Composer Robert Miller)
  7. http://www.subashchandranmusic.com
  8. http://www.kepajunkera.com
  9. http://www.levyland.com
  10. http://www.celloman.com
  11. http://www.lewsoloff.com

References[]

  1. ^ Loire Cotler: The Voice of Rhythm | The Power of Rhythm Podcast, retrieved 2021-05-21
  2. ^ Krishnamachari, Suganthy (2018-01-04). "Bonding over beats". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  3. ^ "150.000 de spectatori la un festival de muzică populară-Salento - În lume - Radio România Actualităţi Online". www.romania-actualitati.ro. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  4. ^ "Rhythm of US Embassy in Bratislava". rtvs.sk. Retrieved 2021-06-08.
  5. ^ Loire Cotler: The Voice of Rhythm | The Power of Rhythm Podcast, retrieved 2021-05-20
  6. ^ Lamento from JacobTV’s The News, featuring Loire Cotler, retrieved 2021-05-20
  7. ^ Markesaran Alaba Archived 2013-11-05 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Vimeo page on Tatihou
  9. ^ Raw Spirit, Vocals, Loire Cotler
  10. ^ Tiffany & Company, Vocals, Lori Cotler
  11. ^ Frangelico - "Rope"
  12. ^ CVS Extra Care commercial, 2004
  13. ^ Vimeo.com: "Renewing Creativity: Renewing American Culture - The Pursuit of Happiness"
  14. ^ Robert Miller IMDB
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