Two Sold Out standing room only shows @ Small World Centre

Things have been so busy since April – I’ve barely had a chance to keep up!

Bandana, Suba, Vandana and Amely on stage at Voices of Asia, Apr 25th at the Small World Music Centre in Toronto.

The Voices of Asia collaboration, as part of the Small World Music Asian Music Series,  with these ridiculously talented ladies:  Suba Sankaran, Amely Zhou and Vandana Vishwas, accompanied by Dylan Bell and Ed Hanley bandmates of Suba’s from Autorickshaw – was unbelieveable. Chinese classical, to Hindustani and Carnatic, to alt/rock to jazz to medieval European choral – really – really.  Somehow all the pieces jelled throughout the evening. It was kinda magical.

Thanks to an amazing audience on taking a chance – great things can come from these experiments. Thank you Small World Music Society for being the catalyst of such amazing cultural experiments, for inviting me to play and for introducing me now to these amazing musicians.

It was a really different kind of show than the rock shows I’ve been accustomed to doing. Still very high energy and always raw – but it was really cool to have multiple voices, tabla and erhu, live on my songs. Reza Moghadas did a fantastic job, making sure we could all be heard and balanced and beautiful. It’s a real treat for me to be able to sing, and not scream, (although – I always love me some screaming).  It was a plush seat theater – the Small World Music Centre – and roughly about 4 day residency!  It was such a pleasure to work through and re-arrange the songs with musicians who are at the top of their craft. I was a bit nervous – to collaborate with 5 other musicians – all of us from very different genres/practices. But the team was amazing and the outcome brilliant. Sold out, standing room only April 25th show. (Video to come! Thanks Rodrigo Castro!)

This show was so successful and had such momentum, that the lovely Ed Hanley, our amazing percussionist and tabla player from Autorickshaw, suggested we  produce a fundraiser in support of Nepal earthquake relief efforts.  Some 20 artists based in Toronto, along with the Voices of Asia team, produced a pretty awesome and very eclectic nigh to celebrate Asian identity in support of Nepal Relief. The show sold out – and with a Government of Canada matching program, in one night we raised $5000! Many thanks to Ed for bringing everyone together and producing the show.

All of the fundraiser artists! I’m in the long blue skirt!