Get ready to groove! Project Mastana's mystical mix of soulful vocals and contagious rhythms have a universal appeal that your body understands. First it's your head nodding, then it's your toes tapping; next thing, you're moving and grooving.

Blending Indian melodies and African rhythms with jazz, funk, rock and other forms of popular music, Project Mastana bridges the gap between east and west, traditional and popular, the esoteric and the accessible.

The harmonium and tabla of India meet the djembe, talking drum, and balafon (wooden xylophone) of Africa, with vocals in Hindi, Mende, French and English. The familiar guitar, bass, violin and sax make even these exotic sounds accessible.

Now, enter the "Nautch Girls", those Project Mastana Dancers, with their many colors, masks and mischief and you've got a feast of sights and sounds that's sure to please!

Often people ask the meaning of "Mastana". In the weaker sense it conveys joy and jubilation but the strong sense of the word reaches astral levels, going beyond dunken revelry, to a religious ecstacy. Inklings of this level of passion can be seen in the dance of whirling dervishes, or the soulful vocals of the likes of the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Mastana is a level of artistic and devotional passion that aspires to the divine.

Likewise, Project Mastana aspires to bring that level of passion to our music and performances.