The Yoginis Indian Jazz Project
These great musicians have graced The Yoginis Indian Jazz Project
with their outstanding performances in India and the USA
Suhail Yusuf Khan - Be it The Dewarists or TEDGlobal; Advaita or world renowned guitarist Steve Vai, the man with the magic fingers has showcased his mastery across the world. Born in a world of musicians, Suhail Yusuf Khan is a Sarangi player—the 8th generation in his family to carry the tradition forward. Still in his mid-20's, he has quickly become the poster boy for new age Hindustani classical music in India. Known for numerous collaborations, Suhail has explored and extended his capabilities by sharing the stage with versatile artists like violinist, Patsy Reid and closer home folk rock musician, Raghu Dixit. He was recently featured on the cover of Forbes India as embodying the new generation of India.
Tarun Balani - drummer, composer, percussionist and music educator living in New Delhi, India. Tarun has been in numerous Indian bands including Incognito, Advaita and Artistes Unlimited. A graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Tarun focused on performance and composition under teachers Ralph Peterson Jr. and Jamey Haddad. He was also the first Indian student at Berklee selected to be part of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute where he was mentored by Danilo Perez, John Patitucci, Joe lovano and George Garzone. In 2011, Tarun and his brother Aditya Balani, founded the Global Music Institute in New Delhi. The Institute aims to promote musical diversity in India, with an emphasis on national and international collaboration in faculty for teaching and performance. It is the only authorized teaching outlet in India for the Berklee School of Music curriculum. He now leads the Tarun Balani Collective and released the record “Sacred World", Which Time Out, India says “point(s) to the future of jazz in India.”
Rohit Prasanna - Hailing from a family of legendary flautists, Rohit has trained and groomed under the kind guidance of their grandfather late Pandit Raghunath Prasanna & father Shri Ravi Shankar Prasanna. He has Performed at the Kavadi Festival at Mauritius, Neemraan Fort Palace 2010 and Kalvid Cultural Society 2009 and 2010. He has performed at the Asean Festival Indonesia 2012. He has performed at the World Ethno Festival Sweden 2013. He won a scholarship from Shahitya Kala Parishad and placed second in the All India Music Competition 2010. Since then he has repeatedly performed in All India Radio, Aakashwani, Doordarshan and Spic Macay.
Gaurav Chintamani - best known as the bassist for Advaita. he is also a sound engineer running the Quarter Note Studios, one of Delhi's most popular studios. His alter ego mostly plays blues guitar.He is influenced by white tea, Bob Dylan, good whiskey, Led Zeppelin, sushi, draught beer, Jeff Beck, strong coffee, good / bad vibes, Stanley Kubrick and silence.
Bob Antolin - multi instrumentalist, composer and arranger. He has performed in Canada, Europe, Middle East and Japan. In Tokyo, Japan, he collaborated with award winning installation artist Sergio Duran creating sound designs and compositions premiered at the Columbian and Spanish Embassies in Tokyo.As an enthomusicology Masters candidate at the University of Washington he studied sitar with Ustad Zia Mohuiddin Dagar and the kulingtang (Southern Philippines bossed gongs) with Danongan Kalanduyan. Bob is currently the instructor of woodwinds at Seattle Central Community College and at the Seattle Public Schools. He fronts his own Afro-Jazz Band Comfort Food, and plays with The Killer Bees Jazz Group, Adrian Xavier's Reggae Band, Global Heat (Afro-HipHop Ensemble), explores Middle Eastern -Jazz fusion with Egyptian Maestro George Sadak, Guilliame Mpacko's African Soul Band, Maya Soleil (African/World Fusion), and the Emerald City Jazz Band, Eckaman Ngongo's Soukous Band, and is generally first-call on the world music scene in Seattle.
Jason Everett - multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and arranger who plays various stringed and percussive instruments including his seven-string fretted and fretless bass guitars and an electric sitar of his own design. He leads the World Fusion Band Tarana. He recently released a solo album of Indian influenced world music under the name Tal Maya. Jason is performing with Andre Feriante and The Bohemian Entourage, Shorouk (Traditional Arabic Music), Deseo Carmin (Flamenco Funk), and Gina Sala' (Kirtan).
Brandon McIntosh is an internationally celebrated performer and teacher of Indian classical music. His primary instrument is sarod, a 25 string lute that is a descendent of the Afghan rabab. He has performed in such distinguished places as: the Indian Embassy in Brussels; Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Russia; Raag-Maala, Toronto; Murshidabad, India; Sangati Center, San Fransisco; as well as numerous Universities including Purdue and Arizona State University. In Seattle, he founded a fusion group called “Anjuman: Indian/Afro-Cuban Ensemble.” He is currently a faculty member at the Seattle Indian Music Academy.
Chaz Hastings has earned a reputation as one of the Northwest’s most prominent performers of Indian percussion. He started his tabla studies in 2002 with Doug Scheuerell at the University of Oregon. Having developed his foundation from Mr. Scheuerell, Chaz then traveled to India in 2006 and 2008 to receive advanced training from the young tabla maestro Vishal Nagar in New Delhi. He has recently returned from a three month visit to India during which he received advanced training from Pt. Sudhir Mainkar, the well-known tabla master in Mumbai. Chaz has accompanied many prominent visiting artists. Chaz is a faculty member at the Seattle India Music Academy.
Larry Mahlis is a drummer/percussionist with over 20 years professional experience and is known as an original and versatile voice on drum set and percussion. Larry has performed in the US, Japan, Mexico and Canada, and appeared on a number of recordings in addition to film and TV soundtrack work. Since 1997 Larry has been an instructor at the Seattle Drum School. While at the Drum School Larry has taught beginning to advanced orchestral and rudimental snare, drum set in all styles; jazz, rock, funk, Brazilian and Afro-Cuban, Middle Eastern and even applications of North Indian Tabla to drum set.