Artist Portfolio
In 2017 I formed a trio with Manish Pingle (Indian Slide Guitar) and Gurdain Rayatt (Tabla). This later evolved into the Attuned Quartet with Omar Peunte on violin and Shanti Jayasinha on cello.
In 2018 I became a student of Roopa Panesar, who is the leading Sitarist of the UK and Europe. We have been undergoing intensive training sessions to help me to further adapt Sitar techniques and concepts onto the electric guitar. In 2019 Roopa arranged for me to have lessons with Shakir Pavez Khan, son of legendary sitarist Shahid Parvez. In 2015, I produced a solo album entitled ‘Lusitana’. This project was inspired by the landscape of North Portugal and is comprised of my own compositions played on classical guitar. Between 2010 and 2013, I worked with a classically trained Carnatic singer from Chennai, India. We spent a lot of time working with traditional pieces and breaking down each line to adapt them to the guitar. Performances include the ‘Migrations Day Festival’ and a shared bill with Larry Coryell, both held at ‘St Georges’ in Bristol. We presented a 5-day workshop programme and various performances at the ‘Tribe of Doris’ music summer school in 2010 and 2011. Sri Ramana Bihari Dasa Babaji (Dadaji) comes to the UK from India to hold an annual Kirtan Festival at the Shekinashram in Glastonbury. I have been fortunate to provide sitar and guitar accompaniment to his performances/musical prayers from 2010-2013. |
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In 2011, I helped produce an E.P. of Zimbabwean Mbira music with a group called 'Ombiviolum'. The traditional mbira arrangements were complemented by guitar, sitar, cello and oboe in a unique fusion.
I was a founder member of ‘Ashowka’ (2006-2008). We were signed to ‘Invada Records’ (independent label of Geoff Barrow - ‘Portishead’). Ashowka have sared the bill with ‘Polar Bear’, ‘10cc’ at Colston Hall and ‘Konono No.1’. The material was based on a fusion of Rock, Jazz, altered scales and Latin/African rhythms.
I play North Indian Classical Music on the sitar. In 2007, I began to study with Doungh Sanfay, who was a disciple of the late Amanath Misra - Professor of Sitar at Varanasi University. I have also studied with Mahesh Chandra Pandey who is a Vocalist and Professor of Music in Haldwani, India. He taught me during a visit to India in 2009, using the traditional oral method in which I was required to recreate what he sang on my sitar.
In 2009, I did some session work and co-writing with Jahmelia Lee for the Bristol Harbourside Festival on the Queen's Square stage. We also did a recording session at Nelly Hooper’s studio in London. This project won Bristol’s unsigned competition and received a grant from the Joe Strummer foundation – ‘Strummerville’.
When I was a student at Access to Music in Bristol and London (2003-06), I was in a group called ‘Perhaps Contraption’. During our time on the course, we were selected to represent the college on a national level submitting a track for the ‘College Circuit CD’ and playing showcase gigs at venues such as BAFTA on Piccadilly Circus and the De Montfort Hall in Leicester.
As a teenager I was a lead soloist of a Blues Orchestra in Bristol and performed live on BBC radio Bristol.
I was a founder member of ‘Ashowka’ (2006-2008). We were signed to ‘Invada Records’ (independent label of Geoff Barrow - ‘Portishead’). Ashowka have sared the bill with ‘Polar Bear’, ‘10cc’ at Colston Hall and ‘Konono No.1’. The material was based on a fusion of Rock, Jazz, altered scales and Latin/African rhythms.
I play North Indian Classical Music on the sitar. In 2007, I began to study with Doungh Sanfay, who was a disciple of the late Amanath Misra - Professor of Sitar at Varanasi University. I have also studied with Mahesh Chandra Pandey who is a Vocalist and Professor of Music in Haldwani, India. He taught me during a visit to India in 2009, using the traditional oral method in which I was required to recreate what he sang on my sitar.
In 2009, I did some session work and co-writing with Jahmelia Lee for the Bristol Harbourside Festival on the Queen's Square stage. We also did a recording session at Nelly Hooper’s studio in London. This project won Bristol’s unsigned competition and received a grant from the Joe Strummer foundation – ‘Strummerville’.
When I was a student at Access to Music in Bristol and London (2003-06), I was in a group called ‘Perhaps Contraption’. During our time on the course, we were selected to represent the college on a national level submitting a track for the ‘College Circuit CD’ and playing showcase gigs at venues such as BAFTA on Piccadilly Circus and the De Montfort Hall in Leicester.
As a teenager I was a lead soloist of a Blues Orchestra in Bristol and performed live on BBC radio Bristol.