Alisha Sufit was the singer songwriter with the 1970s psych prog folk band Magic Carpet. After studying at art school, she began performing in clubs and colleges around the UK, singing her own compositions plus traditional folk songs, self-accompanied on acoustic guitar and Appalachian dulcimer.
In 1971 Alisha joined ex Chelsea School of Art fellow student Jim Moyes plus two friends to form the Magic Carpet band, (www.myspace.com/magiccarpet1972). The line-up consisted of Alisha, vocals, guitar, Clem Alford, sitar, esraj, tamboura, Jim Moyes, guitar, and Keshav Sathe, tabla. The band made one album entitled Magic Carpet. After a launch at the 100 Club, London, UK, a performance at Cleo Laine and Johnny Dankworth's Wavendon, some airplay on Pete Drummond's Sounds of the Seventies, plus several club and festival appearances, the group disbanded in 1972.
During the 70s and 80s Alisha performed as supporting artist with numerous musicians including The Enid, Fairport Convention, Terry Reid, the legendary Davy Graham, Incredible String Band, etc.
In the 1980s Alisha started singing jazz standards plus her own jazz-oriented compositions playing with various musicians including Peter Ind (bass), Pete Saberton (piano), Chucho Merchan (bass), Nick Weldon (piano), Dave McCrae (piano) amongst numerous others. The Magic Carpet album began to receive acclaim 15 years after its release, the original LP now a sought-after collectable, currently reissued on CD by Magic Carpet Records label. The album was also reissued as an audiophile heavyweight vinyl signed limited edition of 1,000 which sold out immediately.
In the early 90s Alisha revived her back catalogue plus continued to write new material, with 200+ songs to date. In 1994 she released Love And The Maiden, a limited edition signed CD, a collection of her early recordings with sleeve notes by legendary guitarist Davy Graham (myspace.com/davygraham). She was invited to appear at the Incredible String Band’s I.S.B. Convention concert in Leeds in 1994.
In 1993 she released the album Alisha Through The Looking Glass on CD and heavyweight EMI audiophile vinyl, 12 songs arranged with contributions by Ray Warleigh (saxophone), Bernard O’Neill (bass), Keshav Sathe (tabla), Mamadi Kamara (congas), Chris Haigh (fiddle) and Alan Dunn (accordion).
In 1996 Magic Carpet sitarist Clem Alford and Alisha got together again to record the album Once Moor (Magic Carpet II), featured in Sound On Sound magazine. The album was issued on CD and EMI audiophile heavyweight vinyl. It consists of original material, with a bonus raga by Clem Alford on the CD version. "Gorgeous melody, bittersweet lyrics" - Phil McMullen, Ptolemaic Terrascope.
In 1999 Alisha contributed 2 tracks to the compilation album Women Of Heart and Mind released by Quail Records, an anthology of women singer songwriters, and in 2005 she was included in the compilation album Many Bright Things, contributing the song Silver Witch, accompanied on mandolin and bass by Frank Defina. Alisha continues to write songs, with a forthcoming album to be released entitled Alisha’s Cellar.
Links: Magic Carpet Records web site - www.magiccarpetrecords.com Alisha Sufit web site - www.alishasufit.com
Also - www.myspace.com/magiccarpet1972
Discography: Magic Carpet, Love And The Maiden, Alisha Through The Looking Glass, Once Moor (Magic Carpet II). Soon to be released : Alisha’s Cellar
Buy CDs: visit Magic Carpet Records at - www.magiccarpetrecords.com or www.forcedexposure.com in the USA
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