Excerpt of *Gianluca's Skylark* performed during live interview/solo concert at Tamburi Mundi, 2008. Accompanied by Murat Coskun on Hang. Video made possible by Tamburi Mundi
With Glen Velez at Festival of Drums, St. Gallen (2007) video made possible by Heinz Lieb
With the great Basque musician, Kepa Junkera. * Tatihou * from the CD Hiri.
Lori sings a solo while Glen plays Gaval and Bodhran. Video made possible by Murat Coskun at Tamburi Mundi, 2007, Freiburg, Germany www.tamburimundi.com
Lori Cotler - Rhythm Voice, Melodic Voice, Experimental World Musician
"Lori Cotler uses her voice in mystically percussive ways "(The New Yorker)
" Lori Cotler explores the rhythmic power of the voice "(The New York times)
" Vocalist Lori Cotler is the perfect counterpoint for the melodies and rhythms of master drummer Glen Vélez .. she uses her voice like an instrument and delves deep into the core of human emotion "(Elmundo, Illes Balears, España)
" The vocal work of Lori Cotler is positioned like one of the vanguardistas of the world."(Milenio, Tamps. Mexico)
"Lori Cotler is a phenomenon among vocalists. She's gifted with the rhythmic precision and invention of a master drummer, the imagination of a poet, plus amazing control over a multitude of vocal colors, styles and influences. You must hear Lori Cotler"(Eugene Friesen, Grammy Award Winning Cellist/Composer)
" Lori Cotler is a fearless vocalist and sovereign of the human voice"(Randy Brody, Music For People)
"Lori Cotler is a true artist and deep soul"(Edward Bilous, Award winning Composer, Chairman of Literature & Materials of Music at the Julliard School)
Lori Cotler's stunning rhythmic adeptness and genre-bending dexterity puts her in a class all her own among contemporary vocalists. Drawing from the highly sophisticated South Indian rare vocal art form known as Konnakol, she can execute with the human voice, vocal maneuvers which do not seem possible in their rhythmic speed and clarity.
Audiences across the globe have been stunned then entranced by her virtuosic artistry and mesmerizing stage presence. Lori is a fearless vocalist who can soar through complex rhythmic syncopations, then in half a moment flow into achingly tender velvet-toned melisma — Jazz chanteuse meets consummate rhythm vocalist meets, conquers and fuses the sound of the urban world.
In August 2008, a video clip of Lori's innovative expressions of Konnakol was selected as 'Top Featured Video' on the Youtube homepage and reached number one on Youtubes 'Top Featured Music Videos.' This wide exposure introduced the mainstream to her 'Experimental World Music' and to a vocal style that many had never heard before.
Lori's vocal wizardry has propelled her to performances in venues all over the World, as well as in a wide variety of recording contexts, including film, commercials and music CD's. Lori performs and teaches regularly with four-time Grammy Award winning master percussionist and composer Glen Velez. Recent vocal & visual work has been with distinguished multi-award winning composers Edward Bilous (Smack Music), Michelle Dibucci (Smack Music), Robert Miller (RMI-Stimmung), along with esteemed filmmakers, Bruce Ashley and Chuck Fishbein.
Lori's live performances also include radio concerts broadcasted on Spanish National Radio 4, German Public Radio, Italian National Radio 3, Freies Radio Freistadt (Austria), DRS (Swiss-German national radio), WNYC and National Public Radio in the US.
Lori's voice is also becoming a favorite in the modern dance scene and can be heard on scores for Buglisi Dance Theater, Bridgman/Packer Dance, Mimi Garrard Dance Theater (VideoDances) and Nai-Ni Chen Dance Co..
Prior to her becoming a full-time musician, Lori was a professor of Music Therapy at New School University (NYC) from 2001 - 2006. Lori's expertise in the field of Music Therapy led her to work with such populations as Autism, adolescent/adult psychiatry, AIDS, brain injured, cerebral palsy, learning disabled, foster children and at-risk teens.
Lori actively lends her musical talents and passion for running to raise funds for charity organizations. An avid runner and member of the New York Road Runners Club, Lori regularly runs races to support charities. Lori is also a member and supporter of International Women in Jazz.
Lori began her musical training at age six. During her teenage years she trained at the Long Island High School for the Arts and it was there that she embraced Jazz, vocal improvisation and Scat Singing through her studies with Dave Burns Sr., legendary trumpeter with such luminaries as Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, James Moody and Thelonious Monk.
Lori attended Berklee College of Music where she earned a Bachelor degree of Music, followed by New York University where she earned a Masters degree in Music Therapy.
" Takadimi Taka Takita ... Cotler sings and claps with her hands .. the syllables go as fast from her lips as Velez with his fingers playing the drums ... Powerful and beautiful! " ( Achener Nachrichten - Aachen, Germany)
" Vocalist Lori Cotler is the perfect counterpoint for the melodies and rhythms of master drummer Glen Vélez .. she uses her voice like an instrument and delves deep into the core of human emotion "(Elmundo, Illes Balears, España)
" Two world class soloists blend music traditions from six continents into personal revelations, fiery syncopations, exhilarating rhythm chants, seductive melisma and hypnotic overtones."
Lori's Performance & Teaching Venue Highlights:
Europe: Royal Academy of Music (Stockholm, Sweden), Falun Copper mine (Falun, Sweden), L'Auditori (Barcelona, Spain), Sa Taronja (Andratx, Mallorca), Centre Cultural Sa Nostra (Palma de Mallorca), Jardins de la Fundació Bartomeu March (Cala Rajada, Mallorca), Palermo Kalsart (Sicily), Marrazano World Festival - Università di Catania (Sicily), Discoteca di Stato - Palazzo Antici Mattei (Rome, Italy), TFF Rudolstadt Festival (Rudolstadt, Germany), Tamburi Mundi (Freiburg, Germany), E-Werk (Freiburg, Germany), Drumfactory (Berlin, Germany), Internationales Percussionfestival Freistadt (Freistadt, Austria), Gasteig (Munich, Germany), and Tonhalle (Zurich, Switzerland), Croussis Festival (Athens, Greece), Theéaâtre de l'Espace Culturel de Gignac (Gignac, France)
USA: The Juilliard School, Mannes College of Music, Manhattan School of Music, Berklee College of Music (Boston, MA) New School University (NYC), Antioch University McGregor Program, Out North (Anchorage, Alaska), Geraldine Dodge Poetry Festival (Waterloo Village, NJ), Plymouth Fine Arts Series (Des Moines, Iowa), University of Vermont (Burlington, VT), National ORFF Music Convention (Long Beach, CA), National Music Therapy Convention (Minneapolis, MN), World Rhythm Festival (Seattle, WA), MusikFest (Bethlehem, PA), Silver Mine Guild Music Series (New Canaan, CT), South Orange Performing Arts Center (South Orange, NJ), Piccolo Spoleto (Charleston, SC), Symphony Space (NYC), Krannert Center for the Performing Arts (Urbana-Champaign, Il), Clark Studio Theater (Lincoln Center, NYC) The Academy — A Program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School and The Weill Music Institute.
South America: SESC (São Paolo, Brazil)
Middle East: Confederation House (Jerusalem, Israel), Beit Shmuel (Jerusalem), Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Studies (Ramat HaSharon, Israel)
Asia: Taipei Chinese Orchestra (Taipei City, Taiwan)
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Written by: Carra Sleight
Lori was recently featured in a new Documentary film called "Renewing American Culture: The Pursuit of Happiness." See video clip here.
*note* This documentary is based on the critically acclaimed book 'Renewing American Culture:The Pursuit of Happiness' by Theodore Roosevelt Malloch and Scott T. Massey. Todd Gould, Producer/Director, Theodore Roosevelt Malloch, Executive Producer, Scott T. Massey, Executive Producer.
Hello Lori! Good surprises occur in our lives His work was one for me I was hours on your myspace listening your videos and recordings It is a beautiful music that you have You won a big fan I hope to have the opportunity to work with you one day! Much success you deserve all good! Loved to meet you kisses
Hi Lori... It's just a hello from France to say to you that is always a pleasure to come here and listen to you!!! When will you come here to give a concert???? Have a good day!!!
