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Srivani Jade was introduced to music at the age of four by her father Bhavani Prasad Jade and uncle Raghavendra Tilwalli. She studied Khayal initially with Dr. Sharad Gadre in the Gwalior style (2002-03), and in the Kirana style with Pandit Parameshwar Hegde since 2006. Srivani also enjoys singing an eclectic repertoire of light classical music, such as Thumri-dadra, Tappa and Bhajans.

Although she grew up performing on the stage and radio in India, she debuted as a Khayal singer in Ragamala's Utsav festival (Seattle, 2008) and Devanandan Ubhayaker Yuva Sangeet Utsav for emerging artists (Bengaluru, 2009). She has since continued to study, teach, and perform Hindustani Gayaki in both North America and India--Kalakendra (Portland), Ragamala (Seattle), Chhandayan (New York), Anindo Chatterjee Institute of Tabla, Suburban Music Circle (Mumbai) to name a few--and major music festivals such as the Sawai Gandharv Bhimsen Mahotsav (2014).

She has five solo albums to her credit, and several grants, artist residencies and awards, including the Washington State Arts Commission Fellowship Award (2009) and an NEA grant for her musical composition work on the existential love poetry of Meera Bai (Astitva, 2011). She has composed and recorded theme vocals for independent films such as Tapasya (2003), Siddhanto (2014) and stage productions such as Indian Ink (Sound Theater Company). She is an auditioned artist with All India Radio, and Visiting Artist with the University of Washington School of Music's Ethnomusicology program. She has also presented workshops on Hindustani/Bhakti music at UW Bothell, University of Puget Sound, University of British Columbia (Canada) etc.

Srivani's inter-disciplinary work, with visual artist Annette Solyst's miniature 'Peacock' paintings was featured as a month-long installation at Jack Straw New Media Gallery (Raag-rang) in 2014. Her work as a soloist for Seattle-based B'shnorkestra's Global Concerto series (Tagore's Prarthona) was featured in the 2016 Earshot Jazz Festival, and received critical acclaim.

Her new work-in-progress Soul Raga features One-on-One dialogues between Indian Vocals and West Javanese Sundanese music, Senegalese drumming, and Greek clarinet. Soul Raga has received grant support from 4Culture and Jack Straw Productions, and will premiere in Seattle in Summer 2017.

www.srivanijade.com

Thione Diop, percussionist from Senegal, West Africa, is widely recognized for his powerfully expressive Djembe performances. He is descended from an ancestral line of Griot drummers in Senegal, West Africa, and is a master of the djembe, sabar, tama, and djun djun.

In 1998, Thione moved to Seattle to teach and perform; a year later he formed Yeke Yeke, a percussion ensemble that has performed the traditional rhythms of West Africa to delighted audiences for the last ten years.

Thione is also responsible for some incredible regional events, such as the annual Spirit of West Africa Festival and Kasumai Africa, offering the Pacific Northwest audiences a chance to enjoy immersive experiences in African music, dance, and culture.

Thione has shared the stage with such noteworthy musicians as Poncho Sanchez, Alpha Blondy, Prince Diabate and Max Romeo. Thione Diop and his group Yeke Yeke are well known from their many regional appearances in the U.S. and Canadian Northwest. In Senegal, Thione has collaborated with renowned griot artists Babou Laye Cissokho; master Kora player, Thierno Kouyate; Orchestra Baobab saxophonist, Thierno Ba; Xalam master, Samba Ndoc Tama player for Cheikh Lo and singer Abdoulaye N'Diaye on a number of tracks.

A track from one of his most recent collaborations, Samba Griot, co-produced by Thione and Lynette Wich, is featured in the film The Heartbreak Kid. The track "Lamba" from Jammu Aduna is featured in the documentary "End of Poverty" by Philip Diaz. Additionally, various tracks from Kham Saa Thiosanne were used in the Spanish documentary film "Metropoluz" by Eduardo Torres. Thione is co-producing a documentary film, Modern Day Griots with director Malika Weeden.