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PROJECT
MASTANA
Surabhi Shah
Vocals, harmonium, dholak (barrel drum)
Raised in Canada, Surabhi Shah has had a world of musical influences. She was born of immigrants whose extended visits to India allowed her to live in a culture where music and everyday life are necessarily one - where songs of work, love, gossip, marriage, birth and death help people find their way. And so, even while studying Indian classical music, Surabhi found herself drawn to the haunting tunes of village women outside her teacher's window. Years later in China, while living in a dorm full of African students, she fell head over heels in love with her neighbors' roots-inspired Afro-pop and was struck by the parallels with her own culture's vocal traditions. At HB Studio in New York City, she studied vocal jazz and improvisation. Project Mastana consummates her years of unrequited yearning to marry Indian melodies and African rhythms with the jazz and bluegrass sounds of her new home - to finally map her musical journey of connection. In 2002, she was selected as a recipient of the United Arts Council's "Regional Artist Award."
John
Medley
Guitar, percussion
John Medley was born and raised in Durham, NC. At 12, John
was often found at the family piano with headphones, painstakingly
picking out Thelonius Monk tunes. The guitar entered his life
at 15 when, during a choir performance, he felt a spiritual
draw to its distinct and pure sound. John and Surabhi collaborated
on jazz and then, exploring the connection between jazz and
world music, formed Project Mastana. John's signature single-note
leads recall the improvisations of the Indian sarod and the
African kora and hoddu, making even the most exotic styles
accessible.
Jeff
Mullen
Percussion
Jeff was born and raised in Louisville, KY, where he began
pounding on drums at the ripe old age of six. Joining his
first band at age 11, he got addicted to the fame of playing
in garage bands around town. Once out of high school, he dropped
his heavy metal aspirations for the more subtle influences
of jazz and progressive rock. A few years later he bid farewell
to Louisville to come to the Triangle for spiritual and monetary
enlightenment. It was here he found the culture of world music.
First picking up the doumbek to play with Naji Hilal, he now
brings his influences to Mastana music
Vasu
Kilaru
Bass guitar
Born in Chennai (Madras), India, Vasu Kilaru spent 6 years
there before moving to the New York Metropolitan Area. Vasu
first picked up the electric guitar at the age of 12 because
of the early musical influences of Neil Young and Jackson
Browne. In college, he became increasing drawn to Jazz and
its variants, particularly Hard Bop and Funk Jazz of the 60s,
the elegant sounds of Bosa Nova, the Crusaders, and Steely
Dan. His musical influences include: Stan Getz, Horace Silver,
Joe Sample, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, Herbie Hancock,
Donald Fagen, and Walter Becker.
Matt Brown
Drumkit, percussion, old luggage
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GUEST
ARTISTS
Jeff
Brown
Saxophone
Jeff Brown's background in jazz and world music adds a soulful sophistication to Mastana's melodies. Jeff studied improvisation with Jerry Bergonzi in Boston, MA following classical saxophone study with Kenneth Radnofsky. He performed in and composed for jazz ensembles in Boston. In North Carolina now for over a decade, Jeff has performed and recorded with and composed for several jazz and world music ensembles including Alex Weiss and Different Drum, as well as Cool Shooz.
Daniel Hart
Violin, anything with strings
Deepak
Shenoy
Tabla, ghatam (clay pot), pakhwaj
Project Mastana's earliest collaborator, Deepak Shenoy, contributes his knowledge of rhythm with the tabla and, more recently, a variety of Indian percussion. Deepak “found” tabla during graduate school and his musical interests span classical, popular, fusion and jazz. Deepak has collaborated with Richard Robeson, Bradley Simmons, Sudha Iyer and other noted artists to create the world fusion recording, Transparency (1999). He has also been a dedicated teacher of tabla, and enjoys bringing his passion for this instrument to students.
Tracy S. Feldman
Violin
Stir in Tracy Feldman's gypsy strings, and you can taste the emotion they bring to every song they flavour. Violin is a centerpiece of Indian folk and classical traditions; so, Tracy deftly complements Mastana's music as he draws on world traditions of violin and fiddle playing as well as his extensive classical training. A committed musician and teacher of violin, Tracy has played and recorded with numerous local and national artists.
Braima
Moiwai
Djembe, dundun, balafon
Braima Moiwai was born in Bunumbu, eastern Sierra Leone, to a family of farmers. At day's end, family members entertained each other under the moonlight with songs, stories, drumming and dance. In the United States, Braima has been a musician, storyteller and educator, sharing these village life experiences. His seminal work in exploring historical connections between the rice-growing culture of the South Carolina sea islands and his own, made him a natural choice for the role of a Gullah village musician in the motion picture, "The Patriot". Braima had early glimpses of Indian music from the Indian films popular throughout West Africa. Once in Durham, he played his beloved African high life music as part of Conga 'Jembe, and then played with Carlos Salvo and Florilegios. Braima was raised on reggae, but his influences include soukous, calypso, soca and above all, the traditional Mende music of his homeland.
Saria
Young
Percussive dance
The sparks do fly when Saria joins Mastana with her beautiful brew of percussive dance, costume, spoken word and sheer drama. An artist of great presence, skill and wit, Saria has trained in modern and world dance since the age of three. Originally from upstate New York, Saria is now studying the role of the performing artist in civil society at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA.
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