Rhett Elliot

"My role in society, or any artist's or poet's role, is to try and express what we all feel. Not to tell people how to feel. Not as a preacher, not as a leader, but as a reflection of us all." -Lennon

Rhett Johnson grew up in Orlando. The industrial music wave of the early 90's heavily influenced him during his high school days at Boone. Not long after, the rave culture swept through the area and provided elements of fascination for Rhett's own creative germination in his early days of electronic music making. It was then, too, that he fell in love with tribal percussion. Combining the more ambient elements of the Rave scene and this passion for world music, Rhett was a founding member of the NPR Echoes featured Red Shift Mantra. Coinciding with an inherent belief that light and sound transform people, all aspects of Rhett's musical universe (Red Shift Mantra, Manteis the solo producer, and DJ Rhett Elliot) began morphing music with multimedia. Highlights include being featured on Echoes, opening for the Orlando Music Awards, being featured with Heather Henson's collaborative projects with modern dancers, several full length CD and DVD projects, a DJ residency at the Peacock room in Orlando and later at the Chapel Bar and W Hotel in Seattle with DJ Colby B, a part in the Sea Sound Lounge Seattle Promo Party for PartyStrands.com, Opening for Andreas Tilliander and Raphael Irisarri at Blasthaus San Francisco, Composing Custom Music for Delta Connection Academy training materials, composing and performing the soundtrack for Heather Henson's Ibex Puppetry, and a 3 part pixel painting video art exhibition at the Hotel on Rivington in New York City. Rhett has also been certified a Mac Genius/Creative Software Trainer for Apple Inc and is currently a Mac Tech for the University of Central Florida.