If you are looking for our children’s show, please click HERE!!!
“An electrified alchemy that fuses ancient instruments and musical traditions from around the world with unique, modern instrumental inventionsâ€
What do Japanese monks, Australian Aborigines, Indian classical musicians, African shamans and mad scientists have in common? Absolutely nothing! Except that they have all contributed to the musical inspiration behind the band Dharmakasa!
Dharmakasa is a truly unique collaboration of 4 musicians that was formed from a chance meeting at a musical event in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Since then, they have gone on to perform together at numerous musical festivals and events including a performance as the opening act for Anoushka Shankar at the Chan Center. The Children’s show has performed extensively in elementary schools in Vancouver as well as the Surrey Children’s Festival (both to rave reviews). Their groundbreaking new sound ranges from fiery shamanic dance music to meditative soundscapes, drawing from the musical traditions of Japan, India, Africa, and Australia, while fusing them with modern elements. They perform on instruments that range from thousands of years old to recently invented. Dharmakasa was recently featured on a CBC documentary and they have received numerous grants from Canada Council for the Arts.
If you are looking for our children’s show, please click HERE!!!
Alcvin Ramos (shakuhachi, didigeridoo)
Born in Japan but originally of Filipino descent, Alcvin spent many years studying shakuhachi flute in Japan with the some of the greatest masters of the instrument and eventually received his shihan (masters) license with Katsuya Yokoyama and Kaoru Kakizakai. He also studied the didgeridoo with the Aborigines in Australia. Alcvin has played with various musicians including: John Mclaughlin, Bill Laswell, Hun Huur Tuu, Christopher Blasdel, Toshinori Kondo, Josheph Pepe Danza, The Vancouver Symphony, and Dreamtime Continuum. He regularly tours nationally and internationally and has performed at the Vancouver Jazz Festival, Vancouver New Music Festival, the Vancouver Sacred Music Festival, and the World Sacred Music Festival in Japan. He is also the founder of the Bamboo-In Shakuhachi Retreat Centre on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia.
Andrew Kim is a Korean musician who has performed in China, Africa, Thailand, and has studied sitar in India. He has played with Spearhead , Chinese superstar Dadawa, as well as Delhi2Dublin. He also performed for the Prime Minister, the Mission Folk Fest, Stan Rogers Fest, and the Halifax and Vancouver Jazz Fests. Expanding on the capabilities of conventional musical instruments, he has invented unique hybrid creations including his 9-Stringed Violin/kalimba, Electric sitar , Morrocan Hockey Stick, Spoon Fiddle and homemade theremin.
The highly charged music is driven by a virtuosic rhythm section that consists of the legendary bassist Cameron Hood (a Juno and Jesse award nominee) and drummer Shambunata Daniluk (formerly of the Zimbabwean band Feso). They are available to perform either as a dynamic four-piece or a more meditative two-piece ensemble.
Contact: Diana Stewart Imbert (agent) - (604) 253 6292/ [email protected] or Andrew Kim (604) 524-8101
Other related websites:
Dharmakasa Children’s Show
Andrew Kim
Alcvin Takegawa Ramos
The Shakuhachi Society of British Columbia
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts which last year invested $26.3 million in music throughout Canada.
Nous remercions de son soutien le Conseil des Arts du Canada, qui a investi 26,3 millions de dollars l’an dernier dans la musique à travers le Canada.