Rhiannon Dewey is a saxophone player and multi-instrumentalist with a unique blend of influences from jazz and non-western styles, to synth-pop, hip hop, funk, and electronic music. Her melodic style of playing and section arranging has captivated audiences across the country in spaces ranging from intimate jazz venues, to large-scale performing arts centers, and festival stages. 

Hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina, Rhiannon’s formal musical training begin in school band where she gained not only technical knowledge, but also a love for the sense of community that is harbored by participation in the arts. 

She received a Bachelors of Music Entrepreneurship at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and later a Masters of Jazz Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Colorado Boulder. 

During her time in academia she wrote a thesis entitled “Jazz is a Four Letter Word: Hegemony and Resistance in Black American Music,” which focuses on identifying and combatting colonialism within the genre.  

She now tours the United States with Charlotte-based Indie rock band, Late Night Special, and collaborates in a number of original projects including Two Tree Hill, Tennis Elbow, Azul, and The Coastal Collective. 

She strives to approach every project with a spirit of collaboration and creativity, and more than anything else aims to empower young women to carve out their own spaces in the music industry. 

Photo by Julianna Palumbo