British virtuoso vocalist and winner of London Jazz Awards Best Vocalist, Cleveland Watkiss performed live with the Stardust Vocal Improvising Choir at the World Heart Beat Music Academy in London on 12th May 2015 as part of Wandsworth Arts Festival and Fringe.
Cleveland begins the evening with his own unique style of performance. He combines samplers, digital technology and the human voice in layers, creating complex music right in front of the audience. A master of the voice, he uses it to create the harmonies, percussion and basslines, and weaves them together into musical soundscapes.
With the Stardust People Vocal Improvising Choir, Cleveland creates an extension of his own performance, taking small groups of the choir and leading them in singing a beat, melodic line or harmony. As he moves around the circle, adding more layers, the music pieces itself together and fills the room.
An evening with Cleveland Watkiss and the Stardust People Choir is more than just an entertaining event; it is a liberating experience that forces you from your passive seat in the audience onto your feet to become a part of the choir. The only way to experience this choir is first hand.
I didn’t have to mime one tiny bit. The experience was amazing. I got over my fear of singing and just enjoyed the moment. Cleveland and the Stardust People Choir form a very friendly and fun yet extremely intense atmosphere.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4yI9TtAx8E