Dhara World Music Ensemble World Music Band from Los Angeles, CA

Dhara is based in Los Angeles. The multi-faceted group features Vineet Vyas (Canada), Rajib Karmakar (India), James Waterman (U.S.) and Amir Oosman (Pakistan). Each member has studied in the traditions of North/South Indian music, West African rhythms, Persian music, Latin percussion and more. Dhara seamlessly fuses these backgrounds and idioms to bring audiences a performance unlike any they have ever experienced. The members of this quartet all met and began working together while pursuing their Masters' degrees at CalArts. Performance Highlights: 2014 Blue Whale Jazz Lounge, Los Angeles, CA; Oct 21 Ma Center LA, Redondo Beach, CA; Sept.28 World Music and Dance Festival, Wild Beast Concert Pavilion, CalArts; May 3 CalArts Jazz at Capitol Studios: 25-Year Anniversary Reunion Concert, Wild Beast, CalArts; April 19, sharing the stage with the likes of Ravi Coltrane, Ralph Alessi, Peter Epstein, James Carney and Darek Oles Clinics and Workshops: World Music and Percussion Clinic: Percussion Forum at CalArts; Sept. 23, 2014 Recordings: The quartet was selected to record on the 25th Anniversary CD, CalArts Jazz 2014, done in collaboration with and recorded and produced at Capitol Records, Los Angeles. Press: Amir Oosman stirred the drink with his loose-limbed bashing, and then stayed for vibraphonist James Waterman's “Pancha Tattva,” which was bolstered by Vineet Vyas' tablas. The quintet got a hand just for executing the long, fast head on this jazz gamelan… Kirk Silsbee DownBeat Magazine; 5/5/2014