BEAUTIFUL INDIAN MUSIC TONIGHT IN HAMILTON...

[kc]

Seriously good band playing Pepper Jack's tonight, called Tasa...

9pm $8.00

www.tasamusic.com

www.peppejackcafe.com

tasa was formed in June 1999. The band was created by tabla player/composer Ravi Naimpally. Though the music of Tasa is rooted in the classical music traditions of north and south India, elements of many of the world traditions are represented. Instruments from India, Brazil, Turkey, and North America blend together in such a way as to create a new and distinctly Canadian voice. The music of Tasa draws from the rich repertoire of ragas and talas from the Indian classical music tradition. Ancient melodic and rhythmic forms are used to create a context for improvisation. Each player brings his own diverse musical history to the band giving the music a 'world' character. The other members include John Gzowski, Ernie Tollar, Alan Hetherington, and Chris Gartner. Together they represent some of the best musicians in the fields of world music in Canada today.

Chris Gartner

Chris has been performing, recording, and teaching for the past 17 years. He toured Europe, Canada, and the United States with the critically acclaimed experimental rock group Look People. While with the band, he co-produced and co-wrote their final album, appeared in Billboard magazine, the cover of Now magazine, numerous music videos and national television broadcasts (including a half-hour live special for Much Music in Florida), plus performances in the Lollapalooza music festivals both in Canada and in Orange County, California. Chris has toured Europe and Canada with recording artist Sara Craig. With her he has appeared on Dutch radio and Canadian national television, as well as live performances in the U.S. As a performer Chris has been a vital part of the experimental Jazz scene in Toronto. He was a key player in Tom Walsh's N.O.M.A. along with Pierre Tanguay, Great Bob Scott, John Gzowski, Reiner Weins, and Nylan Perrara. His bass and chapman stick playing can be heard on The Excalceolators debut album Eternal Good Foot. This group toured many Jazz festivals including an appearance in support of Medeski, Martin and Wood. Chris' playing received acclaim from Billboard magazine for his playing on Clay Tyson's Debut album. His work with Kevin Hearn (Bare Naked Ladies) has been very well received including supporting dates with the Rheostatics. Aside from his valuable contibution to Tasa , Chris is a composer and is also working with singer/songwriters Leah Salomaa, Lori Cullen and Mia Sheard. email: chrisgartner@hotmail.com

Alan Hetherington

Alan is a Canadian drummer/percussionist who has travelled and studied widely in South America and the Caribbean. He has studied Cumbia in Colombia, the Joropo tradition (maracas) in Venezuela, Afro-Peruvian music in Peru, Cuban folkloric music in Havana, and specializes in the many musical styles of Brazil. He has performed with the Vancouver Symphony, the Toronto Symphony, the Canadian Opera Company, Nexus, John Wyre and Musaic, Trichy Sankaran, Glen Valez and is a member of the contemporary world jazz ensemble, Vuja De. He has made many recordings for film and television and can be seen frequently performing with the top jazz groups in Toronto. For the past nine years Alan has spent Toronto winters in Sao Paulo, Brazil playing with Sombra e Agua Fresca, Denys Christian, Mauro Bastos, and Bel Brazil. He holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University Of British Columbia where he studied with John Rudolph and a Masters Degree in percussion performance from the University of Toronto under Russell Hartenberger. Alan is also the 'Director' of the Escola de Samba de Toronto - Toronto Samba School. email: alancanadense@hotmail.com

Ernie Tollar

Ernie has created music in many jazz, world, and contemporary settings. His work as a performer, composer, and producer has been heard across Canada and abroad at concerts, clubs, and festivals and on recordings. His scores have accompanied film at major festivals world wide. Ernie has studied South Indian classical drumming and singing with professor Trichy Sankaran and flute with Maestro N. Ramani in S. India. As a performer he has appeared with the David Restivo group at festivals, clubs, and for CBC radio. Along with Rick Lazar, Hugh Marsh, Levon Ichkhanian, and George Koller, Ernie creates free-form world music in the group Spare Parts. With Co-leader John Gzowski, he has performed at the Hillside Festival, The National Gallery, Guelph and Waterloo Universities, and The Ontario Science Centre in the world jazz group Mecca. Ernie has toured with kora/piano player Daniel Janke�s West African influenced jazz group from B.C to Alaska. He has also worked with such luminaries as Bob Becker and John Wyre of Nexus fame. As an active member of the the world music scene in Toronto, Ernie can be heard with such groups as Greek/Arabic ensemble Maza Maze, Doula, Brenna MacCrimmon's Altin yildez Orkestar, The Toronto Tabla Ensemble, The Evergreen Club Gamelan, The Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band and Ron Allen's Ritual Party. email: etollar@interlog.com

John Gzowski

John Gzowski is a performer, composer and instrument builder. He plays electric guitar, classical guitar oud, mandolin, banjo, lap steel, tamboritsa, dumbek, cello, and cumbuc. As a guitar player he has worked with such people as Elliot Sharp, John Zorn, Bobby Wiseman, N.O.M.A., Hemisphere's, Maza Maze, Meryn Cadell and New Music Concerts. John has brought his unique style of guitar playing to festivals such as St. John's Sound Symposium, Whitehorse's Frostbite, Victoriaville's Festival de Musique Actuelle, most of Canada's Jazz Festivals and New York's New Music Seminar. He has played rock, jazz, new music, and world music, and can be heard on over a dozen CD's. As a composer, he has written for Critical Band, Hemisphere's, Mecca as well as for television, dance, theatre and film. He has lead the groups Critical Band, Mecca, and The Space Trio. John has received the prestigious Dora Award, for Froth's Quartet (with Julia Aplin) as well as for Necessary Angel's The Widow Judith. He has also worked on Theatre Passe Muraille's Rigolleto, Factory Theatre's Where is Kabuki, and Autumn Leaf's Down Here on Earth. His list of custom instruments include the electric dowel, the cat's cradle, the electric 2 X 4 and the 19 tone electric guitar, all designed for the performing of music in alternate tunings. some of which have been shown at the Art Gallery of Ontario. John also runs a hard disk recording system, translating music into lots of 1 and 0's, for CD's. theatre, film, and television

Edited April 28, 2005 by Guest

[\/\/illy]

That sounds awesome Ken. I'll try my best to make it down there to see this tonight!

[Lazlo]

Kenny, don't let them start till 10pm. Willy, I promise to wear that pink, frilly number you like so much.

[paisley]

awesome band... the tabla and flute/sax players are incredible... added bonus, the bass player is Chris Gartner from the Look People

definately worth checking out if you get the chance

[kc]

You still rock even without a beer in your hand Paison.

[paisley]

but of course

=)

[Lazlo]

Those guys were great. I went expecting something more traditional and was blown away.

[\/\/illy]

I so wanted to be there but I ended up working until 12:30am and I had absolutely nothing left in me at that point. I'm glad to hear it was a good show!

[Lazlo]

Go cry at someone who gives a fuck douchebag.

[\/\/illy]

Fuk you and the horse you came in on you cross-dressing mother-fukker!

[Lazlo]

I got the close from your closet and don't talk about my mother that way cock tease.

[\/\/illy]

"If I ever find out who you are, I'm gonna shove a sausage down your throat and stick starving dogs up your butt!"

[Lazlo]

I'd prefer it be the other way around.

[\/\/illy]

I'd prefer it be the other way around.

I've heard; that's what's funny about the quote.

[Lazlo]

Then I must be funny.

[\/\/illy]

Yea, funny to look at and funny smelling.

(I'm really running out of material here if that isn't painfully obvious already.)