Emile

Affectionately known by his fans in Asia as "Jambo," choir director, vocalist, improvisational performer, percussionist, storyteller, choreographer and dancer Emile Hassan Dyer was raised in France and Senegal where he was influenced at an early age by the rhythms and music of West Africa. Emile brings a multicultural perspective to music, drawing on his Cherokee and African heritages while performing the percussion instruments and vocal styles of many cultures.  He uses vocal and body percussion as well as drums from around the world and extensive vocalese in his musical creations. 

Emile has toured nationally and internationally as a percussionist and vocalist for WorldColor, and has performed at such prestigious venues as the Birendra Convention Centre in Kathmandu (Nepal), the Chautauqua Institute (NY), the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts (NY), the Los Angeles Civic Center (CA), the Kravis Center (FL), Urban Gateways (Chicago, IL), as well as the House of Blues, the Troubadour, the Whisky a go go, Genghis Cohen, and Highland Grounds (Hollywood, CA). In 2001, Emile had the honor of performing inside Stonehenge at the request of the Arch Druid of England for the victims of 9-11.  

In the US, Emile has taught vocal workshops at the Omega Institute in New York, the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, the Sivananda Ashram in the Bahamas, and in Michigan at the C3 Spiritual Community. In Canada, he has performed and led workshops in Vancouver, Montreal, Victoria, and along the Comox Valley in British Columbia. 

He has worked with such luminaries as Babatunde Olatunji, Bobby McFerrin, Kevin Locke, Titos Sompas, David Darling, Glen Velez and Jim Scott, as well as Art Baron of the Duke Ellington Big Band.  Emile has also appeared in several music videos for MTV and VH1, including Bobby McFerrin's "The Garden."  In October 2004, Emile founded the Rhythm Tribe Song Circle in Los Angeles, CA, a non-auditioned, multi-ethnic community choir for people who just want to sing.

In February 2005, he completed the Community Choir Leadership Training program in Victoria, BC with Shivon Robinsong and Denis Donnelly of the Gettin' Higher Choir, and in the fall of 2006, Emile teamed up with Maggie Wheeler to co-direct the all-inclusive, non-auditioned, family-oriented, Golden Bridge Community Choir, which meets on Sundays online. The choir, which started out with 23 curious souls, now boasts 90+ enthusiastic members.  That same year, Emile began deepening his exploration of vocal improvisation with Rhiannon, one of the founding members of Bobby McFerrin's Voicestra. He was a participant, and then a co-pilot, for Rhiannon’s year-long vocal improvisation intensive, All The Way In.  

In November 2007, Emile won TrueNica Music's International Song Writing Contest for Human Rites' Dance For World Peace, with his song, "There Are Many Happy People." He also choreographed the dance and performed in the video released on New Year’s Day 2008.

Emile has a long tradition of teaching in the arts.  For example, he has taught dance and music at Days of Creation Art Center Summer Programs.  He also teaches cultural heritage and the history of the African diaspora at various schools in the Los Angeles metropolitan region.  He has been a guest teacher at Los Angeles College of Music (LACM), regarding vocal improvisation.

As a dancer, Emile composed for and performed with Marion Scott's Spirit Dances (LA), Kei Takei’s Moving Earth Dance Company (Japan), Creach and Koester Dance Theater (NY), Martita Goshen Dance Ensemble (NY), Tandy Beal and Friends (SF), Djanbazian Dance Company (Iran), AARE Dance Collaboration (LA), and Kuumba Na Nia (W. Africa). He was co-founder of Amalgam Dance Theater. 

He is a founding member of Pandora's Vox, Primitive Soul (3rd place winner of 1999 Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival), and the vocal group KIADISA!  He is currently performing with the A Cappella improvisational group FISH2birds with Cathy Segal-Garcia, Mon David, Ashley Maher, Cecily Gardner, Adrianne Duncan, and Tracy Lee Joesph Robertson, in addition to co-directing the Golden Bridge Community Choir with Maggie Wheeler.

Starting summer 2020, Emile will be offering online hand drumming and percussion lessons for beginners.

And the adventure continues...