Healing Force of the Universe
1200 E Walnut St, Pasadena, CA 91106
Thursday, July 30
Doors at 8pm
$20 advance / $25 at door

Pantala is a new Los Angeles chamber ensemble led by composer and multi-instrumentalist James Waterman. The group brings together some of the city's most distinctive cross-cultural voices, weaving Hindustani and Carnatic classical, Celtic, Balkan, West African, and Western classical traditions, along with American pop and blues, into original music that is bright, fiery, and intricate.

The evening opens with a classical Hindustani raga set from cellist Chris Votek and tabla virtuoso Neelamjit Dhillon. A disciple of Dr. N. Rajam, Votek is one of the only cellists in the world performing Gaayaki-Ang, the vocal style of Hindustani raga. Dhillon, a disciple of Ustad Zakir Hussain, is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist equally at home in North Indian classical music and jazz. Together the duo has arranged and orchestrated music for the San Francisco Symphony and Zakir Hussain's Triple Concerto, which premiered in Mumbai and toured the UK.

James Waterman, vibraphone, guitar, and compositions
Chris Votek, cello
Neelamjit Dhillon, tabla, bansuri
Yvette Holzwarth, violin
Madeline Barrett, piano
Michel Von Loh, guitar