Hi folks,

I hope you're doing well, perhaps getting ready for the Easter long weekend.  Since I last wrote I've had Christmas with my family in Perth, spent a couple of months in India and have now been back in Brisbane for a couple of weeks.  News on the India trip below, but first I'd like to announce my first Australian tour...

Indian Classical Autumn 2009 Australian Tour April 16 - May 2

Some of you will remember my tours in recent years with Japanese bansuri player Taro Terahara.  This April/May I've got him back in Australia, and this time we'll be touring with sarangi player Sangeet Mishra from Varanasi.  The tour planning has come together quite well and we have 11 concerts covering Brisbane region, Victoria, Canberra and Sydney.  Here's the blurb and schedule - please tell any friends you have who are on our path.

• Thu 16 April 7pm - Gold Coast 
• Fri 17 April 7pm - Byron
• Sat 18 April 7.30pm - Brisbane
• Sun 19 April 5pm - Brisbane
• Thu 23 April 7.30pm - Wangaratta Exhibition Gallery
• Fri 24 April 8pm - Theatre Royal, Castlemaine
• Sat 25 April 7pm - Melbourne with Glen Kniebeiss (tabla)
• Sun 26 April 7pm - Melbourne - Double Bansuri/Tabla Concert with Vinod Prasanna (bansuri) and Glen Kniebeiss (tabla)
• Wed 29 April 1pm - lecture/demo at Box Hill TAFE, Melbourne
• Fri 1 May 7pm - Canberra
• Sat 2 May 7pm - Sydney

Varanasi Stay Jan-Mar 2009
This time last year, due to lack of funds and my desire to get re-established in Brisbane, I missed my usual trip to India, so I was very keen to get back this year.  Unlike previous trips, my primary focus this time was not having lessons and doing lots of practice, but rather spending time with my new girlfriend (who is studying Dhrupad vocal in Varanasi) and getting my tabla maker Anwar to make tabla which would reliably pass Australian Quarantine.  Both missions were successful.  :-)

The first big date was Saraswati Puja at Guru-ji's, where there has been a concert in honour of the Goddess of Music almost every year for more than 50 years.  I had the very big blessing and honour to play tabla solo this year, as the final item on the program.  Also while in Varanasi, I had a few more performances: a Concert at Munna House with young Japanese sitar player Yohei, a performance of Kathak dance at Raj English School with my oldest Japanese friend Kazumi Nishikawa, and another concert at Munna House when santoor player Jimi-san was in Varanasi.  I also attended the 5th Annual Ashu Babu Memorial Concert in honour of my dear departed guru-ji, but this year I took the low stress route of not performing there, which was a good thing as I was really busy sending tabla all over the world right up til the concert day. 

I also took lots of photos of Ghat cricket, and there are a few more blogs from my time in India this year listed below.

Tibet2Timbuk2 News
As I mentioned in my last email back in November, my group Tibet2Timbuk2 with Tibetan singer Tenzin Choegyal and singer-guitarist Marcello Milani has released a great new CD, "Music is Life."  I've posted some really nice photos from our CD Launch at the Brisbane Powerhouse, plus some much less slick snaps of a little gig by Tibet2Timbuk2 and friends at Cafe Checocho. 

Tibet2Timbuk2's “Music is Life” is now on iTunes etc, so as well as being able to download or order the CD from my website, you can also download from the major online outlets.  If you'd like to help us spread the word about our music, eg by writing a review on iTunes or telling your friends on Facebook, please check out 20 Ways to Help Tibet2Timbuk2 Achieve World Domination.

You can listen to samples, download tracks or order the CD at the EthnoSuperLounge Shop. Proceeds go to support Tibetan Children's Village.  Your support will be very much appreciated and I promise our music makes you feel good!  :-)


COMING UP:
As I announced above, the big news for me soon is my first Australian tour with Sangeet Mishra (sarangi) and Taro Terahara (bansuri) from April 16 to May 2.  After that I'll get back into the Brisbane routine again - more tabla lessons and hopefully some concerts with Tibet2Timbuk2.  My tabla school concert is scheduled for July 4th.  I'm thinking of visiting Japan in September/October, but haven't made any big steps in that direction just yet....