About Me
From deep within the confines of New York’s downtown jazz enclaves, singer and songwriter Serpentine Arborvitae first electrified listener’s with her dynamic gift of improvisational voice, moving Musician Magazine journalist Chip Stern to conjure “ one of the most fascinating vocal stylists to emerge in many years. “ After studying and performing with such jazz legends as Ornette Coleman, Serpentine turned her talents away from the avant-garde to more popular musical forms. Whether onstage or in the studio, Serpentine brings listeners a refreshing new look at the future of pop music. Endlessly suggestive and inventive, sensual and energetic, Serpentine breathes with a musical verve that evokes a fiery lust for freedom we may have forgotten we have." Bill Murphy“ We are treated to some extraordinary vocal work by vocalist Serpentine Arborvitae; her tonal qualities along the her ability to sing microtones can send chills up your spine. “
CMJ New Music Report
Andy Grabel~ Black Mountain News September 3, 2008
Serpentine Arborvitae has always been drawn to the crossroads where spiritual awareness and music meet. Her current musical project “Human Angel†draws on her diverse, multi-cultural and musical influences. Joining her is " What The Bleep " space music composer Jonn Serrie and world music percussionist River Guerguerian for the premiere performance of “Human Angel†at 7 p.m. on Saturday at the United Research Light Center in Black Mountain. Arborvitae recently spoke with the Black Mountain News about her upcoming performance, relocating to Black Mountain, and working with jazz great Ornette Coleman.
Q: What is “Human Angel†and what inspired it? Arborvitae: I experience Human Angel as an emerging archetype, gathering force out of our expanding human experience on earth. We are accelerating to the point of being able to consciously live the ideals we’ve always ascribed to heaven and the angelic realm. We can create heaven on earth. We are beams of pure light life force, in human form, born to experience unconditional love, compassion, freedom and joy. Q: How has working with Jonn Serrie and River Guergarian helped your work? Arborvitae: John Serrie has been an inspiration by virtue of the music he creates. His enthusiasm and support over the past two years gave me great insights while I was developing the music. River Guerguerian is one of the musical treasures of Asheville. His range and passion resonates deeply with my work. Both Jonn and River will be expanding upon my original ideas and I can already feel it is going to be a sublime evening! .Q: What do you hope listeners will get spiritually from your performance? Arborvitae: To appreciate and understand we already are perfect. What a gift this life experience is. Dare to dream! Dreams are made to come true. Q: Jazz great Ornette Coleman was a mentor of yours. How did he help guide your musical path? Arborvitae: His vision of what music can be, how each individual musician is capable of creating the harmony, the rhythm, and the melody independent of the other musicians while they are playing together. Multiple unisons! Isn’t that where we're heading as a species and planet? Expanding our diversity and appreciating each other’s unique beingness? Ornette’s musical philosophy and the way in which he composes revealed to me how free sound truly is and all the things it can do when given that freedom. Ornette has had the strongest influence on the way in which I hear music. My mind and my heart and my spirit expanded through working with him and listening to him play. Q: How has your music evolved since you began singing in New York jazz clubs? Arborvitae: I have lived many lifetimes in the process of becoming a musician. Listening and learning from music from all over the world and opening to my own ancestral roots. I experiment with language as a non- verbal creation. Instead of focusing upon a style, I penetrate the emotional core of what I want to share and communicate that by drawing from diverse elements without censoring myself, That freedom is magical and sustains me inside out!
"Once every great while, even the primary colors like “ folk, rock, blues, jazz,“ can only fade when trying to categorize a vividly personal vision. Using her voice and a synthesizer, Serpentine Arborvitae could compose a soundtrack to David Lynch’s next film, only I think the movie should be about her. More than any hard macho-rock you can think of “The First Coil†shatters convention and routine, but in its place raises dark pagan frameworks that allow the primal spirits to enter our world. Its no surprise the ten tracks are eccentric, daring and erotic. Any good musician reaches for some common truth, but Serpentine is after the ultimate passion that channels spiritual totality through the mortal individual. " Mark Keating - Sound Views Magagzine
