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My main activity is with the band autorickshaw, which I co-direct with Suba Sankaran. Heavy Traffic, from So The Journey Goes:
Seriously talented musicians who weave a tapestry of musical traditions into a unique and inspiring sonic alchemy
-Dave O’Rama, CHLY FM
There's an autorickshaw website that has lots of info (see the left side of this page for specific links), but here's an overview: au·to·rick·shaw (noun)
1. autorickshaw (auto or rickshaw in popular parlance) is a vehicle for hire that is one of the chief modes of transport in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and is popular in many other countries. It is a motorized version of the traditional rickshaw, a small two- or three-wheeled cart pulled by a person.
2. autorickshaw is a Canadian musical vehicle that blends traditional Indian classical music with jazz and other contemporary forms of music. The band’s 2nd album Four Higher was nominated for a 2004 JUNO award for World Music Album of the Year.
autorickshaw's music lies on the cultural cutting edge, as contemporary jazz and funk easily rub shoulders with the classical music of India. Formed in 2003, autorickshaw has swiftly risen to become one of the most intriguing acts on the world music and jazz landscapes, garnering a 2004 JUNO nomination for World Music Album of the Year.
"The ensemble consists of a mash-up of four of Canada’s most exciting and musically interesting young musicians: vocalist Suba Sankaran, tabla player Ed Hanley, bassist Rich Brown and exotic percussionist Debashis Sinha. All four have achieved excellence on their respective instruments. When their forces are combined, the results are utterly unique and musically pioneering." [The Record]
autorickshaw has toured widely in Canada, including appearances at the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Vancouver and Winnipeg Folk Festivals, as well a numerous appearances at the Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto. US appearances include performances at Joe’s Pub in New York City and at The Kennedy Centre in Washington DC. In January 2007, autorickshaw completed a 3 week tour of India, performing in Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata and in Jaipur at the prestegious Jaipur Festival. autorickshaw on myspace
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