BIOGRAPHY
John Dyer is a progressive vocalist,
guitarist, and lyricist whose ventures include solo and ensemble performances
as well as composing and performing for experimental theater & dance
productions. A visual artist and self - taught musician, Dyer is a
prolific writer and seasoned performer. Over the past twenty years,
as an independent artist, he has crafted a substantial catalogue of
songs, performed nearly six hundred shows, recorded twelve albums,
and presented sixteen theatrical commissions. Founder of the popular
Texas-based band Drama Tiki (1992-1998), the Virginia native, spent
three years contributing to and being nurtured by the music scene
in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, before moving to Brooklyn in 2002.
In New York he has performed at the Knitting Factory, Tonic, Living
Room, St. Ann's Warehouse, and the American Folk Art Museum.
Dyer is a contemporary Singer-Songwriter.
He is a classic writer in that his songs are built on the foundation
of movement & melody, yet his approach and delivery are unique. His
formative years spent drawing, painting and creating in a theatrical
context have led to a strong visual sensibility that is evident in
all of his writing. His lyrics are poetic and the images are rich.
Primary influences include the likes of Paul Simon, David Byrne, Tom
Waits, Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Lennon/ McCartney, John
Coltrane, and Nick Drake. Dyer's eclectic sound infuses elements of
Folk, Rock, Experimental, Jazz, Blues & Pop.
Solo recordings include One Among (2000), Phantom Fire
(2003) and Gostayplay (2004) - named a Best Album Finalist
(Folk/ Singer-Songwriter category) at the 2006 Independent Music Awards
and sited as a "Top Ten Indie Release" on Todd Mack's "Off the Beat-n-Track"
radio show. Dyer's song "Hot Owl" (from the CD Gostayplay)
received Honorable Mentions in both the International Songwriting
Competition - for Best Song/Performance - (2005), and The 11th Annual
Unisong International Song Contest - for AAA/Americana - (2006-2007).
Dyer's theatre and dance scores include compositions
for voice, effected-guitar, percussion, ukulele, and toy piano. Typically
he can be found onstage, performing the music - live. He is the recipient
of two Meet The Composer Grants through the Home For Contemporary
Theatre & Art for Lake Simons' What's inside the egg? (2003)
and the Simons/ Dyer adaptation of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
(2006). He has received Dallas/Fort Worth Critic's Forum Awards for
Outstanding Achievement in Design for the Original Music of Alice
(2003) and for Outstanding New Play (03 - 04) for Up in Auntie's
Attic (A Gentle Haunting) written & directed by Hip Pocket's own
Johnny Simons.
Dyer was commissioned by Hip Pocket Theatre to write the title song
for Lake Simons' adaptation of Mr. Peabody & The Mermaid
(2005) and has had the pleasure of clowning in Matthew Acheson's Dream
Life of A Garden Gnome (2005). He served as musical director for
several productions by North Carolina's Paper Hand Puppet Intervention;
Haw River Puppet Show (1999), The Unexpected Journey
(1999), Tea Time (2000), A Very Old Unfinished Story
(2000), & Uprising (2001) and has provided live accompaniment
for dance in Choreo Collective's Recollection (2001) and Thread
Dance Theatre's Gather (2004). Dyer collaborated with Luminescent
Orchestrii's Rima Fand on music for How I Fixed My Engine with
Rose Water (2006) which was presented by Hip Pocket Theatre in
Fort Worth Texas and followed by a run in New York as part of Theatre
For The New City's Voice 4 Puppet Festival - curated by Jane Catherine
Shaw & Sarah Provost.
In November of 2007 Alice was performed with students of Texas
Woman's University with Dyer providing live accompaniment on guitar,
percussion, and voice/ narration. This production of Alice
was presented at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland in August
of 2008.
White Elephant, Dyer's latest collaboration with puppeteer/
performing artist Lake Simons, was presented at St. Ann's Warehouse
as part of LABAPALOOZA (2007), curated by Dan Hurlin & David Neumann,
and was further developed through a residency at Dixon Place. In the
spring of 2009 La MaMa E.T.C., in association with Stepstone Media,
presented the world premiere of White Elephant in New York
City.
Dyer is the recipient of six ASCAPlus Awards (2004 - 2010). The ASCAPlus
Awards Program provides financial support & recognition to active
writers in the early to mid stages of their careers and to writers
whose main activity is outside of broadcast media. Awards are determined
by a panel of distinguished music experts and are based on the activity
generated by ASCAP members' catalogues with emphasis on recent performances.
Dyer is currently juggling a number of recording projects which are
at various stages of development, including Alice's Adventures
in Wonderland, four-track and ensemble recordings from North Carolina:
Mighty Vivid Cricket and Quiet By the Blade, and a handful
of new song cycles.
Hawke & Owl (2008-present) is Dyer's most recent collaboration with
singer-songwriter/ banjo player Hilary Hawke. They play original compositions
alongside reinterpretations of traditional and contemporary roots
music, performing throughout New York City and surrounding areas.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
AWARDS & GRANTS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
ASCAPlus Award 2009-2010
ASCAPlus
Award 2008-2009
ASCAPlus
Award 2007-2008
11th
Annual Unisong International Song Contest 2006-2007. Honorable Mention.
John Dyer "Hot Owl" (AAA/Americana)
ASCAPlus
Award 2006-2007
INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARDS 2006. Best Album
- Finalist
"John Dyer - Gostayplay" (Folk/ Singer-Songwriter).
Meet the Composer
Grant
Sponsored by HERE Theatre - New York, NY for
"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" 2006
Jim
Henson Foundation Seed Grant - Awarded to Lake
Simons, in collaboration with Composer John Dyer for "White Elephant"
(working title) 2006
INTERNATIONAL
SONGWRITERS COMPETITION 2005. Finalist/ Honorable Mention Best Song
Performance "John Dyer - Hot Owl"
ASCAPlus
Award 2005-2006
Dallas - Fort Worth Theatre Critic's
Forum Award for Outstanding New Play '03 -'04:
"Up in Auntie's Attic (A Gentle Haunting)" Written & Directed by Johnny
Simons. Music by John Dyer
ASCAPlus
Award 2004-2005
Top Ten Indie Release 2003/4
on "Off the Beat-n-track" Radio Show: "John Dyer - Gostayplay"
Jim
Henson Foundation Grant
Awarded to Lake Simons, in collaboration with Composer John Dyer,
for "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" 2003/2004
Outstanding Achievement in Design
- Original Music
for "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"
Dallas - Fort Worth Theatre Critic's Forum Award 2003
Meet
the Composer Grant
in conjunction with HARP (Here Artist in Residency Program)- Home
For Contemporary Theater & Art/ HERE Theater, NY,NY
for "What's Inside the Egg" 2002/2003
Finalist
- North Carolina Songwriters Co-Op Songwriting Contest 2000
Best
Folk/Acoustic Group
Drama Tiki- 1998 Ft. Worth
Weekly Ft. Worth, TX
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
THEATRICAL
SCORES & PERFORMANCES (1990-2010)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Wind Set-up
Directed by Lake Simons.
Puppets, Objects, & Costume Design by Lake Simons.
Music by John Dyer.
Presented at St. Marks Church - New York, NY 2010
White Elephant
Written & Directed by Lake Simons & John Dyer.
Music by John Dyer.
Puppets, Objects, & Costumes Designed by Lake Simons.
Originally produced by La MaMa E.T.C. in Association with Stepstone
Media.
Presented by La MaMa E.T.C. - New York, NY 2009.
Presented by Hip Pocket Theatre - Fort Worth, TX 2009.
Work-In-Progress showings presented by Dixon Place - New York, NY
2008 &
by St. AnnÕs Warehouse - as part of LABAPALOOZA! (Mini - Festival
of New Puppet Theatre from the Lab) - New York, NY 2007
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Written by Lewis Carroll.
Adapted & Created by Lake Simons & John Dyer
Puppets/ Choreography/ Set by Simons
Music & Libretto by Dyer (Dyer performs as musician & narrator)
Originally Produced by Hip Pocket Theatre - Fort Worth, TX. 2003
Produced by Tandem Otter. Culturemart @ HERE Arts Center, NYC. 2005
Produced by Tandem Otter. Presented @ HERE Arts Center, NYC 2006
Produced by Texas WemonÕs University: Denton TX 2007
Produced by TWU @ Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Edinburgh, Scotland,
UK 2008.
How I Fixed My Engine with Rose
Water
Created and performed by: Lake Simons, Erin Orr, John
Dyer, Brendan McMahon, and Rima Fand.
With additional staging by Chad Lynch.
Music by John Dyer & Rima Fand.
Originally Produced by Hip Pocket Theatre - Fort Worth, TX. 2006
Presented by Theatre for the New City - New York, NY. 2006
Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid
"Mermaid
Waltz " song for: Adaptation by Lake Simons
Based on 1948 film "Mr.Peabody & the Mermaid ".
Presented by Hip Pocket Theatre - Fort Worth, TX. 2005
Dream Life of A
Garden Gnome
Clown/ Puppeteer/ Musician/ Vocalist.
Directed by Matthew Acheson.
Presented by Brooklyn Arts Exchange. Brooklyn, NY. 2005
What's Inside the Egg?
Composer/ Musician.
Puppet Parlor. HERE Theatre, NYC. 2002
HARP (Here Artists in Residency Program).
HERE Arts Center, NYC. 2003 HERE Arts Center, NYC. 2004
Hip Pocket Theatre - Fort Worth, TX. 2004
Up in Auntie's
Attic (A Gentle Haunting)
Written & Directed by Johnny Simons.
Music by John Dyer & Johnny Simons/ Lyrics by Johnny Simons
Dyer performs as musician & vocalist
Originally Produced by Hip Pocket Theatre - Ft. Worth TX. 2004
Telos
Composer/ Musician.
Presented by Redfest (Collaborative, Mixed Media Festival) @ One Arm
Red - Brooklyn, NY. 2003
Recollection
Presented by Choreo Collective at Durham Arts Council,
Durham NC. 2001
Performed original instrumental composition entitled "Play or Place"
Uprising - The
Creation of the World in Four Parts
Music Director/ guitar & percussion.
A production of Paper Hand Puppet Intervention
Presented by The Forest Theatre Festival, Chapel Hill, NC. 2001
Tea Time
Music Director/ guitar & percussion.
A production of Paper Hand Puppet Intervention
Presented at Leaf Festival - Black Mountain, NC. 2000
Presented at Fete de la Musique - Carrboro, NC. 2000
A Very Old Unfinished
Story
Music Director/ guitar & percussion.
A production of Paper Hand Puppet Intervention
Presented @ The Forest Theatre Festival - Chapel Hill, NC 2000
The Unexpected Journey
Music Director/ guitar & percussion/ original compositions
and sound accompaniment
A production of Dreaming Dog Theatre
Fete de la Musique - Farmers Market & Carborro Arts Center- Carrboro,
NC. 1999
Haw River Puppet Show
Musician (orchestral member/ sound accompaniment).
Saxapahaw & Bynum, NC. 1999
The Overcoming of
Despair Music
Written & Directed by William Clark III.
Director/ Musician - guitar, piano, percussion.
Trinity Valley School - Ft. Worth, TX. 1992
Action
Original music by Dyer
A TVS Players Production.
Trinity Valley School - Ft. Worth, TX. 1992
The Snow Queen
Musician/ guitar/ composed & performed original music
A TVS Players Production. Trinity Valley School - Ft. Worth, TX. 1991
Androcles and the
Lion
Musician/ guitar/ composed & performed original music
A TVS Players Production.
Trinity Valley School - Ft. Worth, TX. 1990
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
FESTIVALS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
*
Edinburgh Fringe Fest. 2008. Edinburgh, Scotland. UK
*
LBAPALOOZA! (Mini - Festival of New Puppet Theatre
from the Lab) 2007. Presented by St. Ann's
Warehouse in Brooklyn, New York
* Dewey
Beach Music Conference & Festival 2006 - Dewey Beach, Delaware
* M.E.A.N.Y (Musicians & Emerging Artists
New York) Festival 2005. CBGB's Gallery. New York, NY
*
Kimbell Art Museum's Family Day Festival - 2004 - Excerpts of "Alice
In Wonderland". Fort Worth, TX
*
Redfest 2003 One Arm Red - Brooklyn, NY
*
Autumn at Topsail -2001- Paper Hand Puppet Intervention - Topsail,
NC.
*
Out of the Bush Festival -2001- Carrboro, NC.
*
Forest Theatre Festival -2001/ 2000- Chapel Hill, NC.
*
Fete de la Musique -2001/ 2000- Chapel Hill, NC.
*
Leaf Festival -2000- "Tea Time" w PHPI - Black Mountain, NC.
*
Fete de la Musique -1999- Chapel Hill, NC.
*
Haw River Festival -1999- Puppet Show Orchestra -Saxapahaw & Bynum,
NC.
*
1st Annual Berry Music Festival -1996- Ft. Worth, TX.
*
TCU Music & Arts Festival -1996- Ft. Worth TX.
*
Texas Brewers Festival -1995/ 1996 - Ft. Worth, Austin, Dallas, Houston,
San Antonio, TX.
*
New Dimensions Festival -1996- Dallas, TX.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
SPECIAL PERFORMANCES/ BENEFITS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
*
Gather - A Benefit for Thread Dance Theater. Brooklyn, NY 2004
*
Benefit for The Nervous Cabaret's European Tour. NYC 2003
*
Music for "Beauty Love Truth" - Group Imrov Performances. NYC 2003
*
Anti-War/ Relish Democracy/ Humanitarian Aid Benefit. NYC 2003
*
Benefit for Choreo Collective - Carolina Theatre - Chapel Hill, NC
2001
*
Rape Awareness Benefit -1995- TCU, Ft. Worth, TX.
*
Benefit for Bone Marrow Transplant -1995- Ft. Worth, TX.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
DISCOGRAPHY
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
*
John Dyer - Gostayplay 2004
*
John Dyer - Up in Auntie's Attic (A Gentle Haunting)
2004 Music for a play / with Words by Johnny Simons
*
John Dyer - Phantom Fire 2003
*
APB Records Compilation - Triangle Tracks 2001
*
John Dyer - One Among 2000
*
John Dyer - Mighty Vivid Cricket + 2000
*
Drama Tiki - Live Selections 1997
*
Drama Tiki - Pluses and Uncuts 1997 - Out
takes and uncut tunes from "Sweet & Sour Change" sessions
*
Drama Tiki - Sweet and Sour Change 1997
*
Drama Tiki - Settle 1995
*
Drama Tiki - Peeking 1992
*
John Dyer - Dreams, Riffs and Instruments 1992-
Music from "The Overcoming of Despair" (a play by William Clark III)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
SOUNDTRACK/FILM
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
* L.E.S.
Is More Music: Celebrating innovative bands of downtown NYC.
Highlights of the Howl! Festival 2004. Presented by The Lower East
Side
Biography Project. NY, NY 2005
*
Vivid Red Bird - original recording used
in the film "Teddy" - A Bonzai! Production 2002
*
The Man Who Killed Rock Monennof [sic].
Co-wrote and performed original soundtrack for a D/W Production. Fort
Worth, Texas. 1995
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
WORKSHOPS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
* Cowtown
Puppetry Music Festival Workshop - Puppetry & Music
- with Lake Simons & John Dyer. University of Texas at Arlington.
Black Box Theatre. Partially funded by the Heartland Arts Fund - Mid
America Arts Alliance, NEA, and the TCA. July 2004
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
SELECTED VENUES/ APPEARANCES
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Knitting Factory (Main Space) - New York,
NY
Living Room - New York, NY
Tonic - New York, NY
American Folk Art Museum - New York, NY
CBGB's Gallery - New York, NY
Blender Theatre @ Gramercy, New York, NY
Bowery Poetry Club - New York, NY
3 Legged Dog - New York, NY
HERE Arts Center - New York, NY
St. Ann's Warehouse - Brooklyn, NY
Galapagos Art Space - Brooklyn, NY
Tinker St. Cafe - Woodstock, NY
Bedlam Theatre - Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Niceto - Buenos Aires. Argentina, South America
Arts Center - Carborro, NC
Carolina Theatre - Chapel Hill, NC
Forest Theatre - Chapel Hill, NC
Venus On the Half Shell - Dewey Beach, DE
Casa Cantina - Athens, OH
Sonny's - Albuquerque, NM
Bogarts - Parkersburg, WV
Vermont Studio Center - Johnson, VT
Cardinal Point Winery - Afton, VA
Ridglea Theatre - Ft. Worth, TX
Hip Pocket Theatre - Ft. Worth, TX
Trees - Dallas, TX * (with Drama Tiki)
Club Da Da - Dallas, TX *
Steamboat - Austin, TX *
White Rabbit - Austin, TX *
Rick's Place - Denton, TX *
The Hop - Ft. Worth, TX *
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
RADIO
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
*
AMP3 Radio (Amplifier Magazine Online)
* KHZ 1580 AM Radio with Carolyn Fox, LA
* 810 AM Washington, DC & Baltimore, MD
* 1590 AM in Ocean City, MD ¥ KHZTV.com
* WDIY Bethelhem, PA
* WCBE Columbus, OH
* WKZE - CT/ MA/ NY
* WNRN / Acoustic Sunrise - Charlottesville, VA
* KTCU - Fort Worth, TX
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
SOME
ACTS THAT DRAMA TIKI OPENED FOR
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
David Garza
George Clinton &
P Funk All Stars
Speech (from Arrested
Development)
Aquarium Rescue Unit
Col. Bruce Hampton &
Fiji Mariners
Beanland
Tabula Rasa
Citizen Lane
Cricket Taylor
The Grapes
Pop Poppins
Larry
The Connells
Snap Floosie
