Versatile Music Ensemble!
Experience includes
both foreground & background:
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OPENINGS- Henry, MaryHill, Holter, Denver & Seattle Art Museum shows
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FUNDRAISER & CORPORATE EVENTS- Sheraton, Westin, Microsoft, Olympic Fairmont, Opera Omaha, Tacoma & Seattle Glass Museums
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FESTIVALS & CONCERTS- Seattle Mayor's Concert Series, Admiral Theatre, Panida Theatre, Out to Lunch Seattle, & Benaroya Founders Hall.
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WEDDINGS- Woodland Rose Garden, Stimson Green Mansion, Dragonfly Retreat, & Smith Tower's China Room.
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RECORDINGS- Walt Disney video games, Portland theatre, films, television, college & classical radio.
Rouge incites love and play! Bonjour joie de vivre!
Enjoy zesty recreations of 1930-60's French songs and more! Whether Edith Piaf, musette,
or modern tunes, the group loves introducing and transforming French music.
Rouge's music has been incorporated into film, theater soundtracks, television, video
games, and played on classical and public radio stations. In performance, the vocalist can
dance through the audience, engaging with her extraordinary warmth, beauty, and humor.
Chanteuse Elle's sensuous voice is supported by an ensemble of versatile and highly respected musicians. Together they compose lyrics and tunes inspired by France's rich tradition. Rouge performs throughout the USA. The group is celebrating 16 years
bringing audiences passion, romance, and unforgettable joy.
Café Bonbon marks Rouge's fourth CD release. Six classic tunes and 7 originals grace
this album, distinguishing it from their more classic CDs Festival Rouge, La Terre de
Nos Desirs~Land of Our Desires, and self-titled Rouge.
Rouge's regular music "home" is in the cobblestone heart of Seattle's Pike Pl. Market.
Maximilien, 81a Pike Pl. 98101, is a French-owned, fine restaurant where one can hear Rouge regularly in duo or full band.
Other places we've played:
Red Cat Theatre LA * American Heart Association Ball * Montana's Holter Art Museum * The Ruins * Choochokam Festival * KING FM * KBCS *
City of Kenmore Summer Concerts * Viscount Portland * Cystic Fibrosis Foundation * Canterbury Faire * CenterStage Spokane * Portland Art Museum * Columbia Tower Club * 5th Avenue Theatre openings * Arboretum * Henry Art Gallery * Portland Community College * Grand Valley State University Michigan * Everett Performing Arts Center * San Juan Theatre & Arts Center * Art on the Green Couer D'Alene * MaryHill Art Museum * Westin * Couer D'Alene St. Joseph's Hospital Benefit • Franciscan Foundation * Bremerton Symphony Benefit * Blue Heron * Lincoln Theatre * Bloedel Gardens * Lakewold Gardens * Washington Women's Foundation * Zino Society * Chateau Ste. Michelle * DeLille Cellars *
Rouge plays a variety
of French music seasoned with swing, American
standards, ethnic music,
and -- for weddings--
your requests
classical to pop!
Credit to Daniel Kao Photography!
Elle
Vocalist-dancer Elle Rayor founded Rouge. She has graced film and theatre recordings and co-arranged 4 Rouge albums. Her interactive style is influenced by her early careers in mime/mask, repertory theatre, and dance companies. Bilingual, she writes French lyrics for Rouge originals.
Though Rouge is "home," Janet debuted the comedy mime role for Seattle Opera's 2008 "Pagliacci" and performed nationally for 23 years as a professional stilt-dancer in her own fantastical costume designs.
Accordionist Steve Rice has toured extensively with jazz, Klezmer, Cajun, and folkloric groups including "The Mazeltones," "Bochinche," and "Shawn's Kugel." He composes for Rouge and is represented by Black Toast Music. His songs have been heard on shows including: Sons of Anarchy, The Big Bang Theory, Smash, Revenge, and How I Met Your Mother.
He won the Oscar Peterson Award at Berklee College of Music for jazz piano and tours internationally with The Harry James Orchestra.
Steve Rice
Brandon Vance
Violinist Brandon Vance, a two-time National Scottish fiddling champion, has his masters degree from Cleveland Institute of Music and studied under renowned violinist/teacher, Paul Kantor.
A truly gifted player, he records extensively, improvising with passion and then shines easily in classical orchestras, currently Northwest Sinfonietta and Tacoma Symphony.
He collaborates with folk crossover musicians Mark Minkler (Irish flautist/Jazz pianist), Eliot Grasso (Uillean piper/Classical pianist), and Nadia Tarnawsky (Ukrainian folk singer).
Dave Bartley
Guitarist Dave Bartley also plays mandolin, cittern, and other stringed instruments. He's a prolific composer who revels in
variety of genres from swing to Celtic to Greek Rebetika, playing
with such bands as KGB, Bag o'Tricks, Valse Cafe Orchestra,
and Pasatempo.
He has performed with the Seattle Symphony and Seattle Opera. He has several recordings and has toured throughout the US, Europe and Australia.
Clayton Murray
Clayton has been performing professionally for over 30 years in the Pacific Northwest and internationally. His wide range of musical experience includes playing jazz, ragtime, ballads, Latin, broadway, pop and classical.
Cary Black
Bassist Cary Black has recorded prolifically and played with luminaries including Ernestine Anderson, The Kingston Trio, Dan Hicks, Laurie Lewis, Laurindo Almeida, Frankie Avalon, Cheryl Bentyne (Manhattan Transfer), The Boys of the Lough, Bob Brookmeyer, Nokie Edwards (Ventures), The Grand Ol' Opry, Garrison Keillor, Laura Love, Rose Maddox, Mark Murphy, Mollie O'Brien, Joan Rivers, Diane Schuur, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Ernie Watts, and Glen Yarbrough.
Cary, also a producer and teacher, has been described by Alan Senauke in "Sing Out!" magazine as "a musician's musician"!
Toby Hanson
Accordionist Toby Hanson graduated magna cum laude from Seattle's Cornish College of the Arts with a BA in classical composition. He is an accomplished accordionist and pianist who also plays with Smilin' Scandinavians polka band, Valse Café Orchestra, Jangles, Cowgirl's Dream, Alchymeia, and The Tenderlings.
In theater, he was music director of Terry Palasz's one-woman show "The Polish Diva From Milwaukee" and appeared in "Fiddler on the Roof," "Cabaret" and "She Loves Me." His composes, records, produces, and arranges.
Julian Catford
Guitarist Julian Catford has performed in Mallorca, Spain; Scotland, Tahiti, Mexico, and appeared as a guest artist on television. He has accompanied many notables including Rosemary Clooney, Robert Merrill, and Cab Calloway. He is a prolific composer and has made multiple recordings. An inspired and exceptionally talented musician, Julian has studied with major Brazilian musicians including Arnaldinho do Cavaco and classical guitar with Guillermo Fierens, student of Segovia.
He won the WeddingWire Couple's Choice Award for 2014.
Greg Glassman
Guitarist Greg Glassman has been playing guitar and bass professionally for the last 30 years. Equally at home musically in styles ranging from folk to jazz, Greg has performed in a variety of venues spanning clubs to cruise ships to concert halls. He has recorded for radio, television and numerous album projects. Presently, he enjoys performing with a host of Puget Sound jazz musicians and in his own group, Like Minds, with fellow guitarist and teacher Ron Peters, and the Debutones, a 5-piece with his partner Debby Nagusky.