The Musicians
PRASHANT JOHN The founder of Lehera grew up in Bangladesh and lives in Canada. His compositions,while influenced by the music of the Indian sub-continent, combine the influences and instrumentation of a variety of genres and world cultures. Mainly self-taught, Prashant has studied theory and rhythm in Carnatic music, North and South Indian flutes, African Fula flute, Jazz guitar and the Baul music of Bengal with Master musicians and teachers worldwide. Prashant’s compositions have received recognition winning multiple awards and nominations for his cross-cultural compositions in the American and Canadian Independent Music Awards, International Songwriting Competition and in the Canadian Folk Music Awards.
PRAKASH SONTAKKE(Indian Slide guitar/vocals/violin) From a family of distinguished musicians and teachers, Prakash has achieved a triple Masters degree in Hindustani Classical Music—guitar, vocals and violin—and he gives lectures and workshops on classical Indian music and slide guitar at home and around the world. Prakash performs internationally, and his Classical Guitar concerts have been broadcast on All India Radio. A recipient of many prestigious awards, Prakash is equally at home jamming multi-cultural Funk in concert with triple Grammy winners as he is exchanging phrases with North and South Indian classical virtuosi, opening for Rock Legend Jethro Tull, or jurying auditions and training India’s young future singing stars.
SARAH BUECHI (Vocals/keys) Originally from Switzerland, Sarah’s virtuosic vocal prowess demonstrates both versatility and openness while she continues to make her mark as an exciting and diverse singer in the European Jazz and World Music scenes. After graduating from Lucerne’s prestigious Musikhochschule, she took a lengthy sabbatical in Bangalore immersing herself in South Indian Classical Music. The results are apparent in her use of its demanding rhythmic and vocal techniques in a Jazz context. Sarah currently lives in Ireland, where she performs with Dublin-based musicians and is head of the Jazz vocal department at Newpark Music Centre.
KARTHIK MANI (Ghatam/percussion) Karthik has been playing and studying music since the age of five. A passionate and dedicated percussionist/drummer, Karthik has shared the stage with a Who’s Who list of luminaries including African singer Mory Kante, Tunisian singer Dhafer Yousuf, Carnatic Vocalist Mrs.Ramamani, Afro-Cuban percussionist Mokhtar Samba, Japanese guitarist Paul Shigihara, Louis Banks, Karl Peters, Keith Peters, Amith Heri, Ranjit Barot, Ramesh Shotham, Mike Herting, and Carnatic maestro Mandolin U. Srinivas