Asha McCarthy(Cello / Harmonium / Voice)
Asha originally trained and performed as a classical cellist, before studying Indian classical music on the cello. She is currently training in New Delhi with her teacher, Saskia Rao-de Haas, to deepen her understanding of Indian scales and their transposition onto the cello.
Charlotte Mabon (Voice / Ukelele)
Charlotte has been singing in devotional choirs and sacred circles for the last 7 years. She uses song as a meditative practice and started ‘receiving’ her own music in November 2008. She is currently recording an album called ‘Song of the Earth’. She just returned from several months in India where she took an introductory course in Indian classical music in Cochin near Rishikesh, and then spent 6 weeks studying Naad Yoga – the yoga of sound – at an ashram in Ram Jhula.
David Beauchamp (Drums / Percussion)
David was born and raised in New York City. He has played drums and percussion for about twenty years. He has been a spiritual seeker for almost as long, studying various methods of yoga and meditation. He has been a professional musician for the last seven years, touring with world with bands such as Jeffrey Lewis & the Junkyard, and Johnny Flynn & the Sussex Wit, and others.
Johnny Flynn (Violin / guitar / banjo / trumpet / Mandolin / voice)
Johnny Flynn and The Sussex Wit are a touring and recording band that have made two albums and several EP’s over the last few years. Johnny’s training at school was as a classical musician, playing several instruments, but he began writing his own songs and performing them at the age of 16. He trained as an actor after school, and between touring with theatre companies including RSC…and with his band he has been lucky enough to see much of the world.
Iwan Kushka (Mbira / Oud / Ukelele / Guitar / Bass / Percussion / Voice)
Iwan is a well-travelled multi-instrumentalist with a special love for African music. He studied the mbira with Zimbabwean master-player Chartwell Dutiro and is a founding member of the new duo Fana, as well as the mbira orchestra Omviviolum. Iwan also plays guitar, oud (Arabic lute), ukelele, Indian harmonium, and world percussion. His music is woven with poetry, story and song of many different languages from around the world.
Martyn Phillips (Saz / Viola / Bass / Guitar)
Martyn’s musical influences are wide ranging from Motown to Mantra and with a background of many years in song and music production. In the 1990s a number of his productions became hits around the world. Londonbeat’s “I’ve Been Thinking About You” which was top of the singles charts in 26 countries is still the most heavily played record on German radio. Jesus Jones’ “Right Here, Right Now” became an anthem that topped the US charts. Other notable productions came with Erasure, Roachford, The Christians and The Beloved. More recently he has produced several best-selling albums for Deva Premal and Mitten. He now tends to focus on producing his own songs which mostly get performed by his band Mpath in Germany.
Prema Love (Celtic Harp / voice)
Prema plays devotional harp and sings, focusing on world sacred music. She travels around the world using music and sound as a form of healing. She says “The sound waves of the harp travel effortlessly through the body helping with well being and better health.” She plays for spiritual retreats and singing circles as well as children’s centres and hospitals, and also in one-on-one healing sessions. She performs with Universal Symphonies and Forest Jewel.
Ravi (Kora / Guitar / Percussion / Voice)
Ravi, who was described by Songlines Magazine as “a walking testament to the success of multicuturalism” performs with kora (West African harp), guitar and overtone singing. Since 1985 Ravi has released over 20 CDs, given concerts internationally, created the unique electric/stereo kora, worked with luminaries such as Baaba Maal, Nigel Kennedy & Jon Lord and created pioneering projects such as The Overtone Choir and “Neuneneu” with Brazilian legend Marlui.
Ravid (Hang)
Captured by the beauty of the Hang’s sound, the percussionist Ravid left his native country, Spain, to travel to Switzerland to engage himself in the manufacture and study of this amazing percussion tuneful instrument, still unfamiliar to many people. He has been able to introduce a new technique and become a great Hang master.
Ravid moved to Barcelona in 2004 and has been holding concerts throughout Spain and Europe; he has also recorded his own music on several CDs and collaborated with other well known musicians.
Rowan Sterk (Tabla / Percussion / Voice)
A Dutch multi-percussionist / drummer from Lewes. He’s been developing his own unique sound, style and rhythms over many years. He uses a broad spectrum of sonically interesting percussion instruments from all over the globe, often of a deep, soothing, melodic and ethnic quality, including the tabla, water drums, frame drums, conga’s, darbuka, xylophone, gongs, drumkit, shakers, african drums, etc. At the moment Rowan’s main focus goes out to playing and practicing the tabla, which he studies in India with his Indian teacher, Pankash Suhash. He has played with a great variety of people and bands, some of which are; Andy Barlow, Carrie Tree, Mezzowave, Sonic Incense, Sacred Sound Collective, Soulful Distortion (A’dam), Justin Love.