Read any of the dozen or so biographies on Cassandra Wilson and you’ll discover some basics: born and reared in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960s and 70s by musician and educator parents. She studied piano for 13 years and played clarinet in the concert and marching bands of junior high school. During the 70s, she could be found performing Joni Mitchell songs behind an acoustic guitar, or singing with a blues band in Little Rock, Arkansas, in front of a large funk band in Jackson, or in the company of long-time friends in an all-girls ensemble. In the eighties, Cassandra moved to New Orleans, and performed with Earl Turbinton and Ellis Marsalis. She was relocated to East Orange, New Jersey where she made a decision to take her chances on the New York jazz scene. After a stint as the main vocalist with Steve Coleman’s M-Base Collective, Cassandra began recording on her own. Her development can be tracked through her discography. From the standards on Blue Skies to the Grammy-winning projects New Moon Daughter and Loverly, to the combination of originals and interpretations played by a collection of Mississippi and New York musicians on both the 2001 release, Belly of the Sun, and 2003’s Glamoured, Cassandra continues to evolve as a vocalist, songwriter, and producer.

Nico Wayne is a unique french blues artist and play harmonica since the age of 18. He plays and sings with a forceful enthousiasm that is very entertaining.

Joget…. the Bluesy Irish way!!
Into AkashA….a compilation of diverse genres of music, woven together with a the magical thread of acoustic ethnic instruments from around the globe. Sitar with guitar, tabla with djembe, mridangam played to bass guitar, jazz piano, Indian Raga style. Irish Riverdance with a hint of American blues, Indian ‘konnukol’ or voice percussion laid on a Spanish plateau…..the connection and seamless bonding of Eastern and Western instruments and world genres presents itself in this thrilling album, taking the listener deep into a sublime environment of musical bliss…deep into AkashA.
The 90 min extravaganza, excluding an interval, will begin with AkashA’s opening concoction of Bourbon Lassi… Indian vocal percussions from the North and South open the doors to this lively number of Irish Riverdance on to blues, finishing with a flourish of all this artistry mixed together. Other exciting numbers from the album which will be presented are Ants in my Turban, with its hint of a Russian march, Damascus, presenting the exotic rhythms of the long ago Persian era; the bossanova, Indian style, in Bombay Bossanova, and not – so – classic American blues on the sitar, in Brickfields Blues. Also listen out for the Indian Vocal percussions taking a strange twist in Kunna Cool.
AkashA is represented by Jamie Wilson (compositions, guitar, gambus, vocals), Sivabalan Shanmuga Sundram (mridangam, ganjira, vocal percussions), Greg Henderson (bass guitar), Kumar Karthigesu (sitar, dilruba), Vick Ramakrishnan (tabla, vocal percussions), Badar Ben Taleb (world percussions, vocals), and featuring guest artist Eric Li (piano).
Audiences can look forward to the live, improvised interplay between the artists, which will vary greatly from the track recordings, with spontaneity exploding as the enthusiasm of the audience builds! AkashA will also perform a number of tracks not included in the CD, as well as cover versions of popular classics, blues and jazz numbers.
Do be there to enjoy this one night only extravaganza in Ipoh!!!!