Mariah Parker

As a composer and multi-instrumentalist, Mariah Parker’s is an intriguing voice on the world music and jazz scenes. Mariah has performed in the US and Europe, and worked with many musicians of note including composer Pauline Oliveros and the late Dumisani Maraire (renowned composer from Zimbabwe).

The celebration of the release of Sangria marks Parker’s debut as a leader, where she seamlessly blends together the considerable talents of her Indo Latin Jazz Ensemble, which includes 2-time Grammy nominated woodwind virtuoso Paul McCandless, trailblazing guitarist Matthew Montfort (Ancient Future), bassist and cellist Kash Killion, (Sun Ra Arkestra, Cecil Taylor); award winning bansuri and jazz flutist Mindia Devi; Latin percussionist Duru Demetrius (Joe Henderson, Herbie Hancock); tabla virtuoso Debopriyo Sarkar (Kronos Quartet), and drummer/percussionist Brian Rice (Mike Marshall).

"Parker and friends blend the rhythmic syncopations of Latin jazz music with the entrancing, asymmetrical meters of East Indian rhythms resulting in first-class world music.” — LATIN BEAT MAGAZINE

“Dazzling debut.... Parker’s subtle and sensuous sounds reflect exotic flavors of India, the Middle East and Latin America.” — PALO ALTO DAILY NEWS

Collaborating Musicians

 

Matthew Montfort is the leader of Ancient Future, and pioneer of the scalloped fretboard guitar (an instrument combining qualities of the South Indian vina and the steel string guitar). He has recorded with legendary world music figures ranging from Bolivian panpipe master Gonzalo Vargas to tabla maestros Swapan Chaudhuri and Zakir Hussain. He has performed concerts world wide, including at the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra on the golden coast of Spain near Barcelona and the Mumbai Festival at the Gateway of India in Bombay.

Paul McCandless During a distinguished career spanning three decades, Paul McCandless has brought a soaring lyricism to his playing and composing that has been integral to the ensemble sound of two seminal world music bands, the original Paul Winter Consort and the relentlessly innovative quartet, Oregon. A gifted multi-instrumentalist and composer, McCandless has specialized in an unusually broad palette of both single and double reed instruments that reflect his grounding in both classical and jazz disciplines.

 

Kash Killion has played extensively with such icons as Cecil Taylor, John Zorn, Sun Ra, Butch Morris and George Lewis. His interest in avant garde jazz was ignited by Sun Ra in 1978, and further heightened by meeting and playing with Pharoah Sanders. Playing cello, bass and assorted Middle Eastern stringed instruments such as, serengi and esraj, Kash's concert history includes performances with Donald Byrd, George Cables, Billy Higgins, Reggie Workman as well as the Sun Ra Arkestra.

Duru Demetrius has performed and/or recorded with such pop and jazz greats as Michael White, Joe Henderson, John Handy, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters. He was a founding member of many of the Northern California African and Pan-African dance troups, such as C.K. Ladzepko's African Music, and is currently head of the music accompaniment department at San Francisco State University and City College.

Debopriyo Sarkar A talented tabla player from Kolkata, Debopriyo is a senior disciple of tabla maestro Pandit Anindo Chatterjee. He has been performing in the classical India music scene for many years, accompanying many great artists, as well as an avid experimenter in many forms of music. He has performed in the international arena, playing many concerts in the U.S.A., Japan, India, the Middle East, Canada and Europe, including concert tour with Asha Bhosle and the Kronos Quartet in the U.S. and London in 2005.

Anuradha Pal A disciple of the World renowned Tabla Maestros, Ustad Alla Rakha and Ustad Zakir Hussain, Anuradha has been lauded as the only Female Professional Tabla Player in the country by the prestigious Limca Book of Records. An A grade artist of the All India Radio, Anuradha has been performing since she was eleven. Besides giving Solos, she has been accompanying Veterans like Amjad Ali Khan, Hariprasad Chaurasia, Sultan Khan, Smt. Veena Sahasrabuddhe amongst many others.

 

Mindia Devi Klein is bansuri and jazz flutist, award winning composer and multi-instrumentalist. Trained in both classical music and jazz, by age 19 she followed her muse to India and Indonesia. A disciple of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, she is a Smithsonian Fellow in Indian classical and a Fulbright Scholar of Balinese Gamelan music. Her cutting edge IndoJazz sound continues to blaze new trails and can be heard on numerous recordings, both as soloist and with many musicians of note.