Meet the Artists
Merrill Collins
Yvon Chausseblanche
Pope Flyne
Charles Moselle
Joseph Hebert
Mary Sano
Chris Ray Collins
Merrill Collins
compose
r, keyboardist, producer, Publisher
A native of Nutley, New Jersey, Merrill Collins began writing and performing music in early childhood, with the encouragement of a family of musicians, artists, and inventors. From the age of twelve, Merrill worked as an accompanist for vocalists and dancers in the metropolitan area of NYC. Working her way through college as a musician, Merrill earned a Master of Music Degree from the SF Conservatory of Music on a full scholarship.
In addition to concert performances, employment included 17 years as Senior Musician in the Department of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies at the University of CA in Berkeley. Merrill’s diversity of musical styles has roots there, having played for master classes of many choreographers including the Alvin Ailey Dance Co., Mark Morris Co., Joe Goode, Janice Garrett, Frank Shawl, Josie Moselie, in addition to a series of collaborations with Duncan Dancer Mary Sano.
While raising her son Chris Ray, Merrill worked with many children and youth programs, developing curricula for his Montessori pre-school, YMCA School Age Child Care, public and parochial schools. Multimedia pieces and humanitarian projects which were produced internationally later became published as music/books that teach about key world agreements: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, and Toward a Global Ethic: An Initial Declaration.
Performances of original music include the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations (1995), KRON SF Airlift to Africa (1986), KRON In Concert Against Aids (1989), UNCHR Human Rights Day,UN World Habitat Day, concerts for Amnesty International, United Way,Pathways to Peace, and many other global organizations. Major performances include "Licht ins Dunkel" produced on Austrian national television. Merrill presented original works at the Council for the Parliament of the World Religions Conference in Cape Town, South Africa and appeared on E-TV in December, 1999. Her works were cited as "Gifts of Service to the World."
Merrill can be heard playing as organist/keyboardist at Saint Monica's Church in Santa Monica, and in the Music Healing Department of Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Beverly Hills where she volunteers weekly as a pianist in the main lobby. Her music is also being studied in the Cousins Center at UCLA for its positive impact in T'ai Chi classes offered as treatment for people with anxiety and insomnia. As a member of the Sound Healers Association and a voting member of NARAS , Merrill is interested in musical benefits on all forms of healing, including Qigong, Yoga, deep breathing,meditation, and contemplation. Merrill is available to play live music for conference and retreat activities.
Merrill's video collaborations with her husband, photographer Yvon Chausseblance, can be seen on YouTube. Merrill is available for live presentations and performances at conferences and events in the Los Angeles area. She is represented by Hittmusic for TV and film work, and performs accompaniment for singers and dancers in preparation for two upcoming books.
Contact Merrill / Printable Bio / Preview on iTunes
Reviews for Merrill collins:
"An artist who is responsive to her world." —Today's Artists
"By all accounts moving and inspiring. . . ." —United Nations Center for Human Rights.
"The relaxation response induces a profound state of deep rest, which when practiced and applied to our daily lives, can alter how we respond to physical and emotional stress. The music of Merrill Collins is, in my view, important in facilitating the transition into this state of deep relaxation." —Dr. Michael Irwin, Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology / Jane & Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
"Internationally recognized composer/musician Merrill Collins has
created an outstanding musical performance, played by master musicians who blend their artistry together to create a deeply rich, harmonious experience that transports the fortunate listener to their own inner temple of peace. And that is just my personal experience!" —Ellasara Kling for the Qigong Alliance newsletter"We played Merrill's album during a week-long meditation retreat at Esalen Institute, and everyone loved it, and said so. We got such positive feedback." —Lorin Roche, Ph.D., teacher & author (The Radiant Sutras, Meditation 24/7, Whole Body Meditations)
"Merrill Collins' music has become a great asset to my workshops and retreats. It is rare to find music that can be a graceful transition
from meditation to movement. I particularly love "Soyez Gentille" and "Sanctuary," as piano and cello are my favorite instruments. Merrill's melodies move us in toward the heart and outward into soulful expression. Ahh..." – Camille Maurine, creator of Moving Theater, author (Meditation Secrets for Women, Meditation 24/7)
Yvon Chausseblanche
Photographer/Videographer/Events documentation
Yvon Chausseblanche photographed all the instruments in We Declare!, as well as the gorgeous roses on the Blossoms album. He provides media support services for Spiraling Music Artists products and website.
Yvon is married to Merrill Collins.
Pope Flyne
African Drummer
Featured artist on We Declare! and Everybody's Everybody, Spiraling Music's World MusicPope Flyne teaches a type of African dance to schoolchildren of all ages, 1-12, called "Kuntum" (pronounced Kundum). Kuntum is a traditional combination of songs, drumming, and dance of the Nzimah Tribe of the Republic of Ghana. Once a year, they celebrate the Kuntum festival, which is a time for healing, repairing broken promises, friendships and marriages, and rejuvenating the strength of the people.
Pope has toured the U.S. and Canada as a drummer, and has recorded several cross-over CDs. He has produced albums of his unique drumming and song, which are distributed through Digital Synergy Enterprises. Pope now resides in Oakland, teaches drumming, and performs around the Bay Area.
Mary Sano
Choreographer
Mary Sano, director of the Mary Sano Studio of Duncan Dancing, is a protegé of Mignon Garland, founder of the Isadora Duncan Heritage Society (IDHS) in San Francisco. A native of Japan, Sano began to study dance with Garland in San Francisco in 1979, and established the Japanese branch of the IDHS in 1983. In the Bay Area, Sano received her MA in Dance from Mills College in 1991.
Continuing her authentic Duncan style dancing, she choreographed and danced in new collaborative works such as KaChoFuGetsu, Toward a Global Ethic, and Rainbow Wish. She has been performing in the Bay Area as well as abroad over a decade. Her performances include a televised dance on NHK, a nationwide broadcast in Japan, and an invited work at the Duncan house inaugural ceremony in Athens, Greece.
The Mary Sano Studio of Duncan Dancing is dedicated to preserving the art of Isadora Duncan, and exploring the contemporary relevance of Duncan's art. Sano teaches, performs internationally, and produces The Dionysian Festival, an annual dance and music event which celebrates Duncan's birthday (May) and A Terpsichorean Celebration (November).
Phone/Fax: 415-357-1817
Joseph Hébert
Cellist, Vocalist, Conductor, Composer
Featured artist on Sanctuary and Soyez Gentille.
Joseph Hébert is a versatile artist, at home in musical genres from opera to jazz. An active performer, he is frequently heard in solo and ensemble concerts in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, including tours to Japan, Europe, and Hawaii. He is Assistant Principal Cello of the Oakland East Bay Symphony in California, and is Music Director of a 10,000 member church, where he directs multiple choirs. Mr. Hébert is also a voting member of the Grammy Awards Recording Academy.
He has shared the concert stage and recording studio with renowned artists from the classical and popular music worlds including: Carlos Santana, Stevie Wonder, Natalie Cole, Linda Ronstadt, Ray Charles, Harry Connick Jr., Jesse Norman, Marilyn Horne and a host of others. As a member of the Skywalker Symphony Orchestra at George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch, Mr. Hébert has recorded on numerous soundtracks for movies and individual artist/CD projects.
Joseph Hébert served for over 15 years on the faculty of the University of California at Berkeley where he taught ‘cello, conducted the String Ensemble, and directed multiple choruses in the Young Musicians Program; a program that provides music training scholarships to highly gifted disadvantaged Junior High and High School students. Joseph studied music at Stanford University, California State University East Bay (Hayward), and the University of California at Berkeley.
Hebert's solo and improvisational cello talents are featured on hundreds of CD projects including Silver Ship, Bach Improvisations, Shojobo, and Eklektic. He is a featured artist on Spiraling Music's Sanctuary and Soyez Gentille.
Reviews for Joseph Hebert:
Oakland Tribune – "he is one of the most eloquently expressive cellists in the area."
Mainly Piano – “…and Hebert’s soulful cello cuts right to the heart. This piece is worth the price of the CD alone - it’s a knockout!”
Wind & Wire – “Joe Hebert has to be one of the most versatile cellists around…he plays pizzicato on some tracks, making it sound like he is playing bass; then he soars with full-bowed classical treatment.”
Contact Joseph / Printable Bio
Chris Ray Collins
Drummer/Vocalist/Producer
Chris Ray Collins began performing world music at the age of 5, as part of the Social Awareness via the Arts program at the YMCA. AT the age of 7, he played a leading role in "Everybody's Everybody," a musical written by the children to raise money for children affected by the famine in Ethiopia.
As a young adult, he co-produced We Are Interdependent - ethno-trance dance for the Council for the Parliament of World Religions conference in December, 1999 in Cape Town Africa, where the Artists Toward a Global Ethic presented Gifts of Service to the World. He played a key role in the development of Human Rights for All Creation (the first incarnation of Every Man, Woman, and Child), and Artists Toward a Global Ethic. He is the vocalistand drummer on many of the We the Peoples PSAs, and other Spiraling Music CDs.
Chris Ray now produces environments for productions and events as the owner of Scene 2.
