MySpace a place for friends

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

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.