From Isfahan to Bangalore

November 23, Presentation House Studio

A sound journey from Iran to India featuring music from the Persian, Hindustani, and Carnatic traditions with improvised explorations and cross-pollinations.

Amir Eslami - ney

Srividhya Balaji - voice

Sruti Ramani - voice

Ibrahim Saker - oud

Taees Gheirati - santoor

Hamin Honari - tonbak/daf

Curtis Andrews - mrdangam/kanjira

Jared Burrows - guitar

Touring with Italian pianist, Carlo Morena, with Rob Kohler (bass) and Joe Sorbara (drums).

• Yardbird Suite in Edmonton, Friday, Feb 22
• Vernon Jazz Club, Saturday, Feb 23
• workshop at Capilano U on Feb 26
• All Saints-by-the Sea, Saltspring Island, Wednesday, Feb 27
• Frankie's Jazz Club Feb 28

Come on out!

"Tales from the Zoo" has just been digitally released. Click the album cover to go to the soundcloud album. Hard copies of CDs will arrive very soon. Email me for a copy. I'm so excited to have had the opportunity to record with Vinny Golia (saxes, piccolo, bass clarinet), Greg Campbell (drums, cornet) and my long-time collaborator and mentor, Clyde Reed (bass). The title of the CD is a reference to some great stories told to the band by Vinny. His father was a zookeeper at the Bronx Zoo. Vinny grew up around the animals and keepers at the zoo has a great appreciation for the natural world. Many thanks are due:

• to the Quan Family PD Fund for helping make this happen
  
• to Clyde for hosting the rehearsals and getting us all in touch
  
• to Vinny and Greg for traveling so far
  
• to my skillful and creative daughter for the cover art.
  

"Reliable Parts" has just been digitally released. Click the album cover to go to the soundcloud album.

This a recording of trio improvisations with my good friends, Joe Sorbara (drums) and Clyde Reed (bass). After several months of regularly working together we seem to have developed a particular way of improvising together that is really rewarding.

"Breathing Machines" has been digitally released. Click the album cover to go to the bandcamp album. Hard copies of CDs are available. You can order a copy from bandcamp.

Narwhal is a new music ensemble at Capilano University. "Breathing Machines" is the result of a year-long collaboration between Narwhal and the brilliant young composer/multi-instrumentalist/singer, Ridley Bishop. Ridley made an amazing recording of songs for vocie and wind quartet where he sang and played all the wind instruments himself. When I heard it, I knew we had to do them with a large ensemble.

The album was a major undertaking. Ridley and I arranged the music for seven female voices, 2 bass clarinets, guitar, bass, vibes, piano, and drums. The rehearsal process lasted several weeks and, after a truly epic live performance of the music, we spent many days in the studio. The students bought into the project 100% and their performances went far above and beyond 'student work'. Ridley's writing is truly unique, original, and beautiful. Many thanks to Lawrence Wu and Roland Choe for all the engineering work on the show and the CD.

I've just finished a week of rehearsing, recording and performing with Trichy Sankaran and the Offering of Curtis Andrews. Curtis has been Sankaran's disciple for over twenty years and did all the work organizing the visit, grant writing (thanks Canada Council!) logistics as well as writing some music. Sankaran Sir was also commissioned to write a piece for the occasion "Chapu Tala Malika", a piece that turned out to be as difficult as it is beautiful in its rhythmic architecture. The piece was constructed around a 24 beat cycle of chapu talas in 3, 5, 7, and 9. To spend time playing with and learning from Sankaran Sir was truly a privilege. I feel like my rhythmic understanding and ability has grown exponentially as a result. His musical precision, gorgeous drum tones, deep laya (time feel or groove), improvisational prowess, and excellent jokes made for an enlightening and uplifting ten days. The experience was surely one of the top musical highlights of my career thus far. Curtis, Dave Spidel, Robin Layne, Vidyasagar Vankayala, and Kaushik Sivaramakrishnan were dream band-mates throughout. Pictures courtesy of Kaushik..

I've been fortunate to spend the last week rehearsing, recording and playing with Vinny Golia, Clyde Reed, and Greg Campbell. It has been a lot of fun musically and very important opportunity for personal growth as well. Vinny is amazing in so many ways. Many thanks to the Quan Family PD Fund for help in making this happen. Recording will come out later this year.

Narwhal is a mixed vocal/instrumental ensemble that I direct at Capilano University. The group focuses on student compositions and arrangements as well as collaborations with composers and players from a wide variety of musical styles and genre. Recent Cap Jazz grads, Sara Kim (voice) and Mili Hong (drums) were special guests this semester as we explored a large ensemble version of Sara's Watermill Project: fusions between Korean folk music, jazz, and rock. More photos of the concert can be viewed here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsksgUpeA

I've been working regularly with trombonist and composer, Brad Muirhead, since 1992. He is quite an amazing musician and organizer with his own unique way of thinking about and playing music. Playing with him and trying to achieve his vision for his work has taught me a great deal about myself and about music in general. Brad is releasing his new CD "Old/In/Out/New" at pat's Pub this saturday. as on the record, there will be the regular quartet with Bernie Arai (drums), Brent Gubbels (bass) and me (guitar) plus Jennifer Scott (voice), Raphael Geronimo (percussion), Brad Turner (piano/trumpet) and a host of trombones including Luis Melgar, Ellen Marple, Greg Farrugia, and Brian Harding. Don't miss it!

I'm excited to be part of No Complications, a new CD recording by my dear friend, Len Aruliah. Len and I have been working together since 1990 and it is always a joy and a challenge to play his beautiful and intricate compositions. I play guitar and accordion on the album and also mixed and mastered it. It sounds great, so please go to CD Baby to buy a download or physical CD. https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/LenAruliah