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Lehera

About Me

LEHERA brings together their roots in North and South Indian classical music and Western musical forms to create a genre – tripping vibe both energetic and contemplative. Vocals in English and Classical Indian styles intertwine with Hindustani slide guitar, violin, bamboo flutes and vocal harmonics and are driven by exciting Ghatam (Clay pot drum), Konnakol(Carnatic drum language) and world percussion peppered with funky and bluesy guitaring.“I firmly believe in the Lehera project. It has a lot of energy and is well played!” - Dave King, bassist ( Dizzy Gillespie, Bobby McFerrin, Laurie Anderson, Jimmy Smith, Shirley Bassey, Tina Turner Billy Cobham, Elton John etc).“Though the artists are from different traditions, their performance was unique and outstanding” - Ms. Ramamani, Karnataka College of Percussion.Lehera is one of 5 Finalists in the Independent music Awards for 2009. Please vote so we can win if you think we deserve it. To Vote: Click on or copy and paste: http://www.musiciansatlas.com/imafinalist/Default.aspx?yr=20 09&maincat=6&scat=18 Beside LEHERA, click on REGISTER TO VOTE. Put in your email address and create any password and Click on REGISTER. Go to LEHERA again and click on the 5th star (hopefully!) 5 stars light up. THANKS It’s done! www.lehera.net

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 9/5/2006
Band Website: www.lehera.net
Band Members: PRAKASH SONTAKKE (hindustani slide guitar, violin,vocals)

KARTHIK. SUBRAMANYA (ghatam, mridangam, various percussion)

PRASHANT JOHN (guitar, flutes, vocals)

PRAKASH SONTAKKE Prakash Sontakke is the son and disciple of Dr. R.B. Sontakke, a Doyen of the Gwalior Gharana and a direct disciple of the Legendary Maestro Sangeeth Martand Pt. Omkarnath Thakur. Both Prakash's parents were distinguished teachers of music at the prestigious Benares Hindu University. Prakash has a triple masters degree in Hindustani classical music -- on the guitar, vocals and the violin. Greatly inspired by the Classical Guitar of Pt Brijbhushan Kabra,the pioneer of slide guitar in Hindustani Classical Music, Prakash prefers to play the Gayaki Ang (vocal style) which recreates the emotion of the human voice on the slide guitar. Prakash performs solo and with numerous bands and musicians in major concert circuits in India and internationally and his Classical Guitar concerts have been broadcast on All India Radio. He has also directed special features on All India Radio. Recipient of the prestigious Aryabhatta and Ganayogi Panchakshari Gawai awards, Prakash has worked in several classical and fusion projects, both live and on recordings. He has directed and played on several devotional music projects, music for films, Dramas, Radio and TV features and has been a music director in the making of a Cd ROM “RAGA” produced by the ‘Heritage Media’ His creative explorations in Jazz and world music are deeply underlined by his classical training. He was awarded a scholarship from the Department of Culture for his second instrument, the violin and has given numerous lectures and workshops on classical Indian music and slide guitar. He heads ‘Aspirations’, a team of artistes who give small concerts and demonstrations in schools and colleges for the promotion and appreciation of Indian Classical Music. Prakash is also the secretary of the music school Hindusthani Sangeet Vidyapeeth in Bangalore, India.

www.prakashsontakke.com

KARTHIK MANI Inspired by his illustrious parents - Mr.T.A.S.Mani, renowned percussionist of The Karnataka College of percussion and ground breaking Carnatic vocalist Ms. Ramamani, Karthik has been playing and studying Carnatic music since the age of five. He has performed internationally with musicians like Mandolin U. Sreenivas, Carnatic flute Maestro N. Ramani, Mike Herting, Ramesh Shotham Amith Heri, and ensembles like Tala Tarangini (of the Karnataka College of Percussion), Laya Lahiri, Laya Taranga, and Laya Milana. And Bollywood’s Vasundhara Das’ band, Arya. He has played on and contributed a composition for Charlie Mariano’s recent recording. Karthik also plays and composes music for dance. Although he has a solid foundation in South Indian Classical Music, Karthik is influenced by Jazz, Funk and World music and has been inspired by drummers like Trilok Gurtu, Sean Richman (of the Steve Coleman Band) and Ranjit Barot.
PRASHANT MICHAEL JOHN Born in Lahore, and raised in Bangladesh, Prashant has performed and collaborated with musicians in India, Bangladesh, S.E. Asia and North America in genres from Folk and Rock to Jazz and World music. His keen interest in the musics of the world is reflected in his evolving compositions which, while influenced by the music of the Indian sub-continent, combine the influences and instrumentation of a variety of world cultures. Prashant tours in Canada and the USA leading his Vancouver based World music group, Tandava, and with World, Jazz, and Indian musicians in Canada and India. Mainly self-taught, Prashant has studied Carnatic theory and rhythm and North and South Indian flutes, African Fula flute and Jazz guitar with accomplished musicians and teachers worldwide. Prashant's cross-cultural music group, Tandava, has received multiple nominations - World/Fusion album finalist in the USA Independent Music Awards, Best world Music artist in the Canadian Indies Awards, and Best Ensemble and Best World Music group in the Canadian Folk Music Awards. Prashant has also been on the rotating peer assessment committee of the Canada Council of the Arts.

www.tandava.com

Influences: Influenced by Hindustani and Carnatic, folk music of India and western and world musics..
Record Label: Unknown Indie
Type of Label: Indie

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