Bickley Rivera

Bickley Rivera. Award winning Steelpannist and World Independant Music artist Bickley Rivera celebrates over 3 decades of diverse and global-reaching music artistry with her magical explosion of reggae, chill and world music. Touting 4 albums, 10 singles and 57 released songs, Bickley's music has reached multiple music charts, including Billboard, national television featured on The Weather Channel, and is heard on all major streaming platforms and radio.

Bickley Rivera was born in Hartford, Connecticut. She was surrounded by musical influence: her mother, a singer and organist; her brother, a pianist and conductor; an uncle, a renowned brass virtuoso and Professor of Music (Indiana Univ). The house was always filled with symphonic, operatic and classical music while Bickley began her classical piano studies at age 5. When Bickley's father brought her a guitar from his visit in Japan, she immediately started writing her first songs (age 13), then continued to compose using keyboards, organ and synthesizer.

She graduated from the Springfield Conservatory of Music, receiving multiple music scholarships, the John Phillips Sousa Award and the Outstanding Musician Award. In high school, she was first-chair clarinetist (chosen for All Eastern Band), drum majorette, and pianist for chorus.

In her early music career, she was keyboardist in various pop bands, then started her own "all original" music group named "Cuba Libre" with her husband Nelson. They originated and produced "Caribbean Madness", the only Caribbean Riverboat Cruise series on the Connecticut River, which sold out for 5 seasons. She opened for national acts such as "America". It was during these years that she combined all her varied influences into her songwriting (Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, Tangerine Dream, Al Dimeola, Pieces of a Dream, Fourplay). She had a vision of one of her songs being played on the Weather Channel - which years later became reality.

"Super Moody", "Euphoric", "Magnetic Magic", "Hypnotizing" are just some of the words listeners and interviewers have used to describe Bickley Rivera's compositions. In the early 2000s, Bickley moved to Florida and began her journey through the Steel Pan world. By 2010, she was recognized throughout New England, Florida, and the world for her music hits after releasing her first steel pan album "Chillin' After Five". Her performances featured her newest chill vibe as she continued playing a variety of Caribbean influences of reggae, calypso and soca music.

Ms Rivera has had radio play on hundreds of radio stations in the US and other countries such as UK, Japan, Phillipines and Africa to name a few as well as streaming on media, hotels and spas. Bickley's music was frequently heard on national television on The Weather Channel's forecast, TV's Music Choice.

In 2014, Bickley was awarded by GHP Radio the Best World Island/Reggae Music and nominated for Best Smooth Jazz Soul Female Artist, Best Female Producer/Songwriter and Best Latin & Brazilian Jazz. Bickley has directly worked with acclaimed musicians such as Steve Oliver, Tom Schuman (Spyro Gyro), Will Donato, Praful, Andy Narell, Dr. Len "Boogsie" Sharpe among others. She was the arranger and orchestrator for Dr. Martha Velez for 4 Theatre Productions. Bickley had the privledge to perform in Trinidad's International Panorama 2015 (birdsong steelband) & 2023 (Phase II steelband) competitions as well as Miami Panorama 2024 (Orlando's New Generation Branches Steelband). Presently, she performs regularly in the Southwest US with her BICKLEY X.I band. Performances have included WMNF 88.5FM Karibbyan Kruze Festival for 5 years, Tampa Carnival Festival, many large Festivals as well as venues in Maryland, Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Michigan, Ohio, Bahamas and Trinidad.

Your host, Dion Parson, is an educator, composer, Grammy Award-winning performer, and bandleader. He currently resides on the island of St. Thomas and serves as the Chair of the Communication and Performing Arts Department at the University of the Virgin Islands. He is also the President of the United Jazz Foundation, which is a music education organization that mentors underprivileged kids to become musicians. His musical career has allowed him to tour internationally for over 30 years, and he has been recorded on over 110 recordings.

Bickley Rivera. Award winning Steelpannist and World Independant Music artist Bickley Rivera celebrates over 3 decades of diverse and global-reaching music artistry with her magical explosion of reggae, chill and world music. Touting 4 albums, 10 singles and 57 released songs, Bickley's music has reached multiple music charts, including Billboard, national television featured on The Weather Channel, and is heard on all major streaming platforms and radio. Bickley Rivera was born in Hartford, Connecticut. She was surrounded by musical influence: her mother, a singer and organist; her brother, a pianist and conductor; an uncle, a renowned brass virtuoso and Professor of Music (Indiana Univ). The house was always filled with symphonic, operatic and classical music while Bickley began her classical piano studies at age 5. When Bickley's father brought her a guitar from his visit in Japan, she immediately started writing her first songs (age 13), then continued to compose using keyboards, organ and synthesizer. She graduated from the Springfield Conservatory of Music, receiving multiple music scholarships, the John Phillips Sousa Award and the Outstanding Musician Award. In high school, she was first-chair clarinetist (chosen for All Eastern Band), drum majorette, and pianist for chorus. In her early music career, she was keyboardist in various pop bands, then started her own "all original" music group named "Cuba Libre" with her husband Nelson. They originated and produced "Caribbean Madness", the only Caribbean Riverboat Cruise series on the Connecticut River, which sold out for 5 seasons. She opened for national acts such as "America". It was during these years that she combined all her varied influences into her songwriting (Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, Tangerine Dream, Al Dimeola, Pieces of a Dream, Fourplay). She had a vision of one of her songs being played on the Weather Channel - which years later became reality. "Super Moody", "Euphoric", "Magnetic Magic", "Hypnotizing" are just some of the words listeners and interviewers have used to describe Bickley Rivera's compositions. In the early 2000s, Bickley moved to Florida and began her journey through the Steel Pan world. By 2010, she was recognized throughout New England, Florida, and the world for her music hits after releasing her first steel pan album "Chillin' After Five". Her performances featured her newest chill vibe as she continued playing a variety of Caribbean influences of reggae, calypso and soca music. Ms Rivera has had radio play on hundreds of radio stations in the US and other countries such as UK, Japan, Phillipines and Africa to name a few as well as streaming on media, hotels and spas. Bickley's music was frequently heard on national television on The Weather Channel's forecast, TV's Music Choice. In 2014, Bickley was awarded by GHP Radio the Best World Island/Reggae Music and nominated for Best Smooth Jazz Soul Female Artist, Best Female Producer/Songwriter and Best Latin & Brazilian Jazz. Bickley has directly worked with acclaimed musicians such as Steve Oliver, Tom Schuman (Spyro Gyro), Will Donato, Praful, Andy Narell, Dr. Len "Boogsie" Sharpe among others. She was the arranger and orchestrator for Dr. Martha Velez for 4 Theatre Productions. Bickley had the privledge to perform in Trinidad's International Panorama 2015 (birdsong steelband) & 2023 (Phase II steelband) competitions as well as Miami Panorama 2024 (Orlando's New Generation Branches Steelband). Presently, she performs regularly in the Southwest US with her BICKLEY X.I band. Performances have included WMNF 88.5FM Karibbyan Kruze Festival for 5 years, Tampa Carnival Festival, many large Festivals as well as venues in Maryland, Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Michigan, Ohio, Bahamas and Trinidad. Your host, Dion Parson, is an educator, composer, Grammy Award-winning performer, and bandleader. He currently resides on the island of St. Thomas and serves as the Chair of the Communication and Performing Arts Department at the University of the Virgin Islands. He is also the President of the United Jazz Foundation, which is a music education organization that mentors underprivileged kids to become musicians. His musical career has allowed him to tour internationally for over 30 years, and he has been recorded on over 110 recordings.