Aharon Wheels Bolsta – Percussion, Flute, etc.

The rhythms of India combine with jazz and funk, West African poly-rhythm, Balkan meters, and various Middle Eastern rhythmic traditions in the drumming of Aharon Wheels Bolsta, whether the instrument be the drum set, the Indian tabla, Egyptian dumbek, framedrum, shakers, Malian calebasse, vocal percussion or any of the vessels on his multifarious palette of percussive sounds.

Aharon Wheels Bolsta is a drummer and percussionist working with an array of music-makers in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. He began classical drum study at the age of eleven and continued with teachers of various styles through high school, most notably Jim Dalrymple of Cal Tjader’s ensembles. This period culminated in Aharon’s tympani, marimba, and snare work with the California State Honor Band, and in musical theater and jazz combo work at College of Marin.

Although he continued to perform sporadically as a drummer for jazz projects and rock bands, Aharon put down the sticks and focused on non-musical academics for nearly four years before finding renewed love for drumming through the North Indian tabla.

For seven years Aharon has been honored to study with the renowned master Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri. While striving to train and perform on tabla in the traditional manner, Aharon’s background in jazz and improvisational music has enabled him to perform and record in non-traditional projects such as Balkan-wonder group Panacea, Persian-Kurdish Turkish original fusion group Aleph Null, psychedlic-neo-Jewish jam band Mozaik, and clarinetist David Solbach’s recording project which utilizes tabla and other-non-western percussion to accompany jazz standards and originals (including the compositions and playing of Berkeley pianist Jason Martineau). Meanwhile Aharon has fostered partnerships with several musicians who play the melodic instruments of North India such as sarode, sitar, and the bansuri flute (Nepali musician Manose Singh Khalsa). He continues to augment his understanding of Raga by studying under Maestro Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and working for the master’s concert archive. Aharon has performed many times as tabla accompaniest in traditonal concerts at the Ali Akbar College of Music, and at special events and weddings. He also performs as a member of the Ali Akbar College’s Tabla Ensemble.

Aharon has also been blessed with opportunities to study traditional rhythms and music with masters (Souleyman An of Habib Koite’s Bamada) in Mali and Burkina Faso, with Egyptian master Souhail Kaspar in California, and various Balkan music teachers.

Follow Aharon at http://www.rhythmwheels.com

John Cha – Bass

John Cha has been performing bass for the past 15 years and joined up with David in 2003 to perform with the earliest incarnation of Shakiban. Bringing consummate technique and in-the-pocket groove, John provides the perfect foundation for Shakiban’s jamtronic explorations.

Follow John at http://john-cha.blogspot.com/