"A breath of fresh air."
"Makes my heart feel good!"
A treasure trove of music that brings you a lifetime of joy.
LINKS
I am a Performing Songwriter, Educator & Certified Healthcare Artist. My songs & compositions are described as "uplifting, intelligent, well-crafted & musically sophisticated".
I was a closet musician until it was discovered that I could pluck a few tunes on the banjo. I reluctantly got up on stage for a three-song set and played my first song, a popular and well-known piece called, “TUNING”. It probably took up at least the first five minutes of the set. Somehow I stumbled through a few more songs. The audience applauded but I left the stage feeling embarrassed and exposed. Nevertheless, it was that first bumbling performance that started my on-stage career.
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EMINENTLY BEAUTIFUL
Singer-Songwriter
Acoustic-Folk-Americana
World-Ethnic-Hebrew
Musical Collaborations
"Music, for me, is a gateway to experiencing life and cultures from around the world. I particularly enjoy musical collaborations, house concerts, open air markets, festivals and street singing because I can meet and mingle with extraordinary people." - Rahel
Music by Acoustic Breezes - Rahel רחל
Rahel is a Performing Songwriter and Healthcare Artist with a compelling collection of songs and compositions that are intelligent, well-crafted and musically sophisticated.
Rahel's music uplifts, refreshes, comforts and inspires. "The music beckons, invites you to sit down, listen a while, let your thoughts float." (Phyllis Thomas, NH Telegraph)
“There is a special quality to Rahel's voice that keeps me listening." (Bernadine of the New England Songwriters Guild)
"There are hints of jazz, Middle East blends, further East mantras with sometimes driving rhythms & sometimes gentle sounds." (Judi Ganchrow, FolkNotes, Israel)
"I have not encountered anything like it before. Very inspiring.” (Daryll, singer-songwriter)
It’s got a “'folky' traditional sound while still managing to give it that little bit of rock edge!" (Rach, age 18)
Rahel’s musical life began at the tender age of six when her mom sat her down to learn piano. She continued her studies at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA.
The 1960's proved to be an exciting time in musical history. Rahel had experienced the new beat of the Beatles while living in Ireland at age nine. That's why she took up the guitar at age fourteen with a private teacher from the Berklee College of Music.
Rahel went on to learn the finger styles of James Taylor and Paul Simon just by listening to the vinyl LP’s. The perfect vocal synchronicity of Peter, Paul & Mary wowed her and the complex yet simplistic three-chord commentary of Bob Dylan proved that music could inspire the masses and take the lead in changing lives.
The infamous Woodstock festival was THE pivotal moment that launched a wealth of innovative musicians. They influenced Rahel as well as entire generations to come. The exquisite vocal harmonies and creative acoustic meanderings of Crosby, Stills & Nash held Rahel spellbound. The open guitar tunings of Joni Mitchell and Mary McCaslin intrigued and captivated her musical imagination.
The 1970's blew in like a storm. The freestyle energy of Jimi Hendrix, the power of rock bands including Led Zeppelin, the latin beat of Santana, the funk and soul of Earth, Wind & Fire, the feminist movement that showcased women icons including Janis Joplin, Cris Williamson, Meg Christian, Wendy Waldman, Karla Bonoff, Bonnie Raitt, Suzanne Vega, Nanci Griffith, Hazel and Alice and the Indigo Girls clearly lit a fire to Rahel’s pure folk soul.
In 1976, following a few years of travels, Rahel settled in Israel where her musical ears were opened up to exotic new sounds; a fusion of ancient, traditional, and contemporary world music found only in the Middle East. Intrigued, she continued her musical studies at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, specialized in Music for Children/Eurhythmics at Levinsky College in Tel Aviv, and acquired new guitar techniques from Eitan Zahavi, Avner Strauss, Aharoni ben Ari and Victor Azus.
Rahel’s songwritin career was launched in 1980 with the release of her song, Whisper by the Sea. Written and performed in Hebrew, it appeared on the debut album of Israel’s first and leading all-woman band, Tofa’ah, and again on her CD, Hinay Ma Tov.
Rahel is a two-time winner of the English Songwriting Competition sponsored by the Israel Association of Canadians & Americans, and a recipient of the honorable Shem Tov Award in 2003 for her dedication and commitment to strengthening the New Hampshire Jewish community.
Rahel is a juried artist at the NH Council on the Arts / Creative Ground - the New England Foundation for the Arts (N.E.F.A) and a New England State Touring Artist (N.E.S.T.).
Rahel has made numerous recordings of her original music for children and adults alike.
The Cost of Free vs the Price of Free
FUNDING @ Creative Ground
