Elvira Arul
Elvira Arul is a lady with a voice like no other, with the lethally good combination of power, soul, passion, pizazz and personality. Having worked with local and international artistes over the years – to name a few Sheila Majid, Misha Omar, Reshmonu, Jaclyn Victor and VE while on the international front Kenny B, Rachel White, and Phil Perry has given her the taste and thirst of the stage. She has definitely come into her own as a vocalist.

Ida Mariana
Ida Mariana who’s voice has been described as ‘Silvery silk’, ‘warm smoothness’, ‘marshmallows in hot chocolate”, “fun and sophistication in one”, “voice subtly husky, melodic, silky, pitch-perfect … full of soul” and a charm that “oozes sweet sophistication”. Mainly influenced by Blossom Dearie, Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Holiday, Prince and Aretha Franklin, this accomplished jazz vocalist is also active in theater productions

www.bennylackner.com
German-American jazz pianist Benny Lackner lived in the US almost 20 years, and about half of that in NYC. In the States he studied at the California Institute of the Arts under the direction of Charlie Haden and his mentor Brad Mehldau. He played many major jazz-clubs and festivals and formed his own trio that got a name for its personal way of interpreting standards as well as covers of songs of the current generation. His Trio’s approach to both its original material and compositions ranging from Monk to Prince fuses intensity with unintrusive virtuosity. These reharmonizations of the familiar give the traditional form of piano trio a new identity and purpose in our own time.
Benny Lackner, Jerôme Regard (bass), MatthieuChazarenc (drums)

www.sunnysiderecords.com/artist.php?id=166
Kirk Lightsey (piano), Dr Tony Makarome (bass), Eddie Layman (drums)

Kirk Lightsey, from Detroit, Michiganis a pianist of immense accomplishment and versatility whoworked with scores of major jazz stars, including YusefLateef, Bobby Hutcherson, Freddie Hubbard, Curtis Fuller, Harold Land, KennyBurrell, Chet Baker, James Moody, Clifford Jordan, Benny Golson and Don Cherry.

Noted for his hard swinging style and deeply soulful and expressive sound, jazz saxophonist Patrick Terbrack has performed with seasoned veterans and jazz legends Willie Pickens, Rodney Whitaker, Benny Golson, and Jimmy Heath. Terbrack is now stepping away from his role as a sideman and embracing his role as a bandleader.

www.sunnysiderecords.com/artist.php?id=166
Kirk Lightsey (piano), Christy Smith (bass), Eddie Layman (drums)
Kirk Lightsey, from Detroit, Michiganis a pianist of immense accomplishment and versatility whoworked with scores of major jazz stars, including YusefLateef, Bobby Hutcherson, Freddie Hubbard, Curtis Fuller, Harold Land, KennyBurrell, Chet Baker, James Moody, Clifford Jordan, Benny Golson and Don Cherry.

www.ericvloeimans.com
Eric Vloeimans is regarded as one of Europe’s best trumpet players, and he’s garnered 4 Edison Awards for his recordings, the North Sea “Bird” Award, the EllyAmeling Award, the ‘Golden Nutcracker 2011′ award. He is a great performer and his electric band Gatecrash has toured not only Europe, but also Asia and the USA.

Guitarist-composer AzSamad’s music has taken him to festivals and venues in the United States, Austria, United Kingdom, Singapore, and Malaysia. “A prodigy with the steel-string and nylon-string guitars” (Faces Magazine), Az is constantly in demand with his diverse musical skills in Jazz, contemporary acoustic fingerstyle guitar and classical guitar leading to performances from intimate solo guitar shows to outdoor festival stages and classical orchestra concerts.

www.kendraka.com
Kendraka is the Sanskrit word for nucleus. Kendraka as a band is the convergence of the creative thoughts and energies of bassist and composer Mainak “Bumpy” Nag Chowdhury. Along with his team of musical individualists, this is a collective endeavour that traverses the boundaries of rhythm, melody and genre. Kendraka draws its inspiration from the venerated traditions of east and west – Hindustani as well as Carnatic music, and jazz – and is a band fuelled by an improvisational drive shared by all of the musicians, who, though theyhave different backgrounds, tastes and aspirations, all share in this common goal. The compositions are written by Bumpy and are to be viewed as very personal snapshots from periods in his life. Kendraka’s improvisations are an attempt by each individual to offer their own perspective on these universally applicable human themes and sensibilities. Kendraka are not a typical ‘fusion’ band in large part because of this emphasis on ‘process’ rather than being concerned with the ‘end-game’.

Mainak “Bumpy” Nag Chowdhury – Bass and Compositions
BodhisattwaGhosh – Guitars
GaurabChatterjee – Drums
NishadPandey – Guitars