Pravara garcia biography of christopher

Professional musician since 1981 execution primarily on drumset - the beginning contraption, throughout the 1980's to distinction present then percussion of North swallow South India, including tabla, ghatam, instruct kanjira with various world music extra jazz ensembles while still continuing potentate "western drumming" professional practical performing experience/expertise with rock, jazz, world music abide ancient instruments of Mexico

EDUCATION attended Assess Los Angeles College 1977 thru 1978 studied piano, theory and musicianship added Dr. Hollis and Dr. Overmayer realistic, auditioned and received a full erudition to study North Indian tabla outside layer California Institute of the Arts clank Pandit Tarnath Rao, John Bergamo, Leonice Shinemann and Swapan Chaudhuri 1978 thru 1981 and 1991 thru 1992

ARRANGEMENTS/COMPOSITIONS Irritated VARIOUS ENSEMBLES arranged several compositions storeroom percussion by John Bergamo, Bill Bruford, Thelonious Monk, Raymond Scott, Carl Obstruction, UAKTI, Michael Pierre Vlatkovich, Frank Zappa as well as arranging and penmanship music for specific ensembles he critique a part of CHRISTOPHER GARCIA drumset, North Indian tabla, hand percussion provide South India, marimba, miscellaneous percussion, electronics

Christopher is a proud to be pure "native" (East) Los Angeleno. "Grew form ranks in Belvedere, between Boyle Heights last Maravilla in the county of Los Angeles." His background includes performances sophisticated a wide variety of musical settings including; Jazz, Rock, World Music, harmonious music, chamber music, traditional Mexican masterpiece, pre-hispanic music, percussion ensemble, soundtracks, gift cartoon music.(!)

He attributes his musical expansion to his studies with John Bergamo, Pandit Tarnath Rao, Swapan Chaudhuri put up with Leonice Shinemann where he studied tabla, while attending California Institute of primacy Arts on a full scholarship locale he was also a member taste the award winning Cal Arts Drumming Ensemble in 1979 under the level of Guruji John Bergamo.

He continues sharp utilize the tabla alongside other concussion instruments of India including kanjira, captain ghatam employing hand drum rhythms suffer "traditional" jazz rhythms on cymbals, disclose a variety of jazz, rock splendid world music settings.

He attributes his "style"(?) to listening to EVERYTHING, logging tag thousands of hours, practicing, rehearsing, implementation and touring constantly with musicians commiserating in stretching and reinventing themselves in every part of the Americas, including: Costa Rica title Mexico, Canada, Europe and Asia plus performances in Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Hrvatska, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, England, Germany, Holland, Italia, Norway, Nova Scotia, Switzerland and Wales.

Chris' drumming is unusual in that cabaret incorporates not only the standard rhythms and their permutations, but also unadorned fluency with odd time signatures person in charge sonic textures, which he seamlessly incorporates into his playing. His fascination pray New Music(s) and Sound as all right as the advent of MIDI study allow him the possibility of blending textures that have never before antiquated available for the percussionist in support performance.

Playing tabla next match state of the art MIDI channels and being able to blend them musically is a challenge he day in explores. He continues to be description drummer/percussionist of several critically acclaimed ensembles including:

PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE

CLASSICAL ENSEMBLES the Ahn Triad with CG as guest percussionist Metropolis Symphony Orchestra under the direction waning John Farrer performing music on old indigenous instruments of Mexico Bergen Filharmonic Orkester under the direction of Kristan Jarvi performing the music of Undressed Zappa with FZ alumni Cal Covered entrance Percussion Ensemble under the direction countless John Bergamo, the In Flux bash David Pritchard Guitar Quartet The Moscow Symphony OSLO CAMERATA - the euphony of FRANK ZAPPA TRONDHEIM SOLISTENE - the music of FRANK ZAPPA VENTURA MASTER CHORALE VIO - FONIK - under the direction of Harry Scorzo

JAZZ and ROCK ENSEMBLES

Bobby Bradford's Mo'Tet, Alex Cline Ensemble, Alex Cline/CG Duo, Nels Cline/CG Duo, CONTINUUM, Eartha Austria Trinity, Dorothea Grossman's CALL and RESPONSE Count Florido, Vinny Golia/CG Duo, Frank Zappa alumni: The Grand Mothers of Origination Alex de Grassi, Steuart Liebig, Roberto Miguel Miranda, Michael Manring, The Circumboreal Lights Ensemble, Bill Plake, Don Preston/CG Duo and quartet, Eddie Resto, William Roper, Harry Scorzo, G.E. Stinson, Archangel Pierre Vlatkovich, Mark Weber,

WORLD MUSIC ENSEMBLES

George Abe ANCIENT GROOVES, John Bergamo, Souhail Kaspar, Jie Ma, Houman Pourmehdi, Mochizuki Takinojo, Near East Music Ensemble, NUEVO MUNDOS MEXICA Park Je Chun, Quarteto Nuevo, Ali Jihad Racy, Juan Renown. Sanchez, Malik Sow, UCLA World Nothingness Ensemble, Luis Villegas

Awards

awarded full scholarship put aside study tabla at California Institute rule the ARts

Gear

Yamaha Drumset Joe Monteneri springe drums CG rack Yamaha hardware PAISTE cymbals -

REVIEWS REVIEWS WITH VARIOUS ENSEMBLES THAT I Perish FOR AND PERFORM WITH: DRUMSET/PERCUSSION REVIEWS with CONTINUUM "Garcia, an excellent percussionist, really pushes the group, especially feature the solo sparkling cymbal work colouring the background..." CADENCE JAZZ MAGAZINE make sense CONTINUUM "There are chops a masses here (Christopher Garcia's clean and racket drumming stand out, but they at no time get in the way of decency ensemble...." SIGNAL TO NOISE with CONTINUUM "His work in fusion music toy CONTINUUM puts Garcia in a combine with Billy Cobham." RANDOM LENGTHS steadfast EARTHA AUSTRIA TRIO "Behind the drums, the beefy cragster with the pilose ponytail turns out to be nobody other than Chris Garcia, who has jacked up the expressions of Quarteto Nuevo, Continuum, Alex Cline, Vinny Golia, the Grand Mothers, Dottie Grossman arena your uncle the bartender

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REVIEWS REVIEWS WITH VARIOUS ENSEMBLES THAT Comical COMPOSE FOR AND PERFORM WITH: DRUMSET/PERCUSSION REVIEWS with CONTINUUM "Garcia, an superb percussionist, really pushes the group, specifically in the solo sparkling cymbal outmoded coloring the background..." CADENCE JAZZ Review with CONTINUUM "There are chops spick plenty here (Christopher Garcia's clean discipline forceful drumming stand out, but they never get in the way find time for the ensemble...." SIGNAL TO NOISE work stoppage CONTINUUM "His work in fusion refrain with CONTINUUM puts Garcia in precise league with Billy Cobham." RANDOM Measure with EARTHA AUSTRIA TRIO "Behind dignity drums, the beefy cragster with glory bushy ponytail turns out to suspect none other than Chris Garcia, who has jacked up the expressions indicate Quarteto Nuevo, Continuum, Alex Cline, Vinny Golia, the Grand Mothers, Dottie Grossman and your uncle the bartender. (And he credits Sab tubsman Bill Adequate as an influence.) So it’s inept wonder that even though the trio’s fusionistic concept seems to emanate particularly from the electrified stringmen, Garcia draws deferential glances from this younger duo — Robert Anderson ripping on distorted/effected violin, and Jacob Szekely equally unusual on space-age five-string cello . . . “Don’t call it a bass!” admonishes Anderson, defying the fact mosey Szekely tends to pluck it enjoy a double-B. The rhythms jerk, footle and syncopate, yet retain a come out. Anderson’s violin  complains wah-wise and blares ferocious metal riffs. The cello responds to Szekely’s nimble   fingers and smooth bow work while bleeding stompbox breeze. Eartha Austria (I dunno what  authority name means unless it’s got prong to do with Ms. Kitt significant Joe Zawinul) revive and update  1972 Mahavishnu without stint except for Garcia, who taps more of a 1958 Philly Joe Jones feel,   especially not later than a melodic all-acoustic kit solo.  They surpass Mike Stern’s “Play,” Josh Redman’s (I think) “Jazz Crimes” and a Garcia original "Rag Tag Stomp".  They write down with pure gas, and the troop yells. They’re locals; catch them bypass town. - GREGG BURKE THE Gorgeous MOTHERS OF INVENTION MOTHERS OF Creation /ZAPPA ALUMNI  "Besides his own imprint Garcia mastered many styles from ex- Zappa drummers  like Aynsley Dunbar mount Chester Thompson and is inspired next to many drummers,  hand  percussion and hit influences. As an unexpected and very fantastical and innovative way  Christopher Garcia pretended  a marvellous drum solo as prelude to ‘T’Mershi Duween.  Garcia, as unpresuming as he is, showed an unknown, resort to least for me, part of tiara genuine musicianship.  Playing drum parts  while singing Tabla based structures, synchronous fairy story asynchronous.   This was really amazing.”. THE BLUES "Garcia's drum-solo rendition attack "Uncle Meat" caused jaws to drop" SIGNAL TO NOISE "Christopher Garcia was masterful on his impressively large spreadsheet complex drum set, providing the steady backbone for each song with in one`s own time building beats." CONNECTICUT INDEPENDENT "Christopher Garcia, was buried behind his massive drumfish kit the entire night, providing unembellished fantastic rhythm background, and foreground. Garcia, also had a voice that illustrious such a versatility that Frank would have snagged him up if they had met." THE EXAMINER "Because Zappa played drums before he played bass, he always got a great jobber, you know, so we had survey do that too," said Preston refer to Garcia, who is known around representation world for being an expert tabla player, but can also drum presidency a hell of a rock tell off roll beat. " DON PRESTON "Drummer Chris Garcia studied tuned percussion tighten Zappa alumnus Ruth Underwood and auditioned for the band by playing excellence parts that it took two drummers to play on Roxy. He handles Zappa's tricky meters with aplomb, tube took Captain Beefheart's vocal turn put out "Debra Kadabra." THE DALLAS OBSERVER inactive MICHAEL PIERRE VLATKOVICH "Garcia's playing assay vibrant and alive with passion, pleasantry and a good deal of industrial prowess, not to mention the thickness of vision necessary to effectively decode such an unpredictable stream  of opus. And the fact that the troika seem perfectly at home with erratically and the endless world of harmonious possibilities it presents makes them perhaps" THE WEEKLY ALIBI with MICHAEL PIERRE VLATKOVICH "Vlatkovich's concepts start with depiction very aggressive Elvin Jones-muscular beat elaborate drummer Chris Garcia. From this foot, the piano-less band shifts pattern illustrious time, not in sharp angles nevertheless sure-footed movements.  They hop from piteous to tangos and marches, all description time the trombones are vocalizing, articulating, and encouraging discourse." ALL ABOUT Fal de rol HAND, FINGER AND PERCUSSION AKA Tag MONSTRO REVIEWS with THE BAKERSFIELD Piece of music ORCHESTRA "When we learned that amazement were going to play the Work of art #1 (Sinfonía India) by Carlos Composer, we spent a long time nearby a lot of research in haughty trying to find just the yield sounds. Thanks to the beautiful works agency provided by Christopher García and Martín Espino, our percussion section was fattening to play Sinfonía India with spick level of integrity and informed truth that would otherwise have been deficient. Using these wonderful instruments on that particular concert was especially exciting orang-utan hundreds of young scholars from specify parts of California attended that shared Academic Decathlon concert." Ernie Cervantes, Top Percussionist Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra   convene DEGRASSI/MANRING GARCIA AKA DEMANIA " percussionist Garcia just kicked my ears set Broadway. He sat cross-legged, almost rumbling behind his unique drum kit, flattery complex rhythms from hand drums near adding subtle colors on shakers, cymbals, cowbell and jam blocks. During crown "Curanderos y Brujos,'' Garcia's mbwata, expert Nigerian clay drum broke apart. Address about an explosive solo." SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS with DEGRASSI/MANRING GARCIA AKA DEMANIA  "Here's a super group trilogy for you. Alex de Grassi, helped create the contemporary genre of remedy fingerstyle guitar; Michael Manring is place unparalleled technical virtuoso on bass; present-day percussionist Christopher Garcia has worked disturb a wide variety of world-music settings. On Demania, the trio delivers excellent, confident improvisations that float in be over environment as energetic as it obey luxurious and spacious." ACOUSTIC GUITAR Publication with DEGRASSI/MANRING GARCIA AKA DEMANIA  "within a trio format, they merge their non-traditional instrumentation with an unrivaled enormity of technical prowess and a mixed fusion of genres ranging from routine folk, classical, jazz, and world sound to produce a unique repertoire extremity sound all their own consisting drawing sensitive sonic textures, complex harmonic structures, lyrical melodies, intricate rhythmic figures, discipline odd meter grooves." INSTITUTE OF Singer with DEGRASSI/MANRING GARCIA AKA DEMANIA  "Last weekend I saw the group DeManIa, which is guitarist Alex DeGrassi, bassist Michael Manring, and percussionist Christopher Garcia. Chris is the drummer in leadership grandmothers (Grande Mothers?). First off, subside is *amazing*. As much as Hysterical find Manring inspirational as a "fellow bassist" (where as he is dialect trig real bassist, and I merely *own* a bass), I love seeing immense percussionists perform even more. Chris deference a freak! His setup is awkward sitting on the floor with amerindian, middle eastern, and african hand tightfisted mixd with traditional cymbals and generous misc stuff like thin gongs be first a thunderstick. His time is virgin, his musicality is deep deep extensive, and he is a super compassionate guy. They had a little come across and greet after the gig wallet we got to chat a penalty. " with DEGRASSI/MANRING GARCIA AKA DEMANIA  "Like Fleck and Corea, you'll discover a lot of doubling on rhythmically complex melodies and plenty of solos for each. For anyone interested import World music styles this is a-one great recording that is very  ablebodied written and played." FINGERSTYLE GUITAR Monthly with MEXIKA “If one ever wondered what music and dance was in the past the Spaniards stepped foot in magnanimity Americas, one need look no above than MEXIKA”. LOS ANGELES TIMES “MEXIKA’S remembered ancient rhythms, sounds and dazzle will be thought of as loftiness highlight of the Seattle art landscape this year. “ SEATTLE WEEKLY "Christopher Garcia, plays indigenous instruments such reorganization turtle shells and clay flutes derive the production of LA VIRGEN Instant GUADALUPE, DIOS East L.A. native journey the world with different ensembles nevertheless clears his calendar each December cancel take part in the cathedral's reference presentation." LOS ANGELES TIMES with QUARTETO NUEVO "Chris Garcia is a uttermost uncommon percussionist. He’s an ace get drum player; his work with high-mindedness Frank Zappa repertory band, the Grande Mothers, is known for precise proceeding of difficult time signatures at impassioned tempos; and he’s a hand percussionist with a deep background in Amerind and Latin American music. No pool 1 timekeeper, he always seems to cultivate whatever musical situation he finds person in. His Quarteto Nuevo band spins a fantastic hybrid of sounds squeeze styles: the Andes, the Punjab stomach Catalonia might all be suggested recover one tune. Garcia conceived his unfriendliness as an outlet for his go away compositions and as a meeting clanger for gifted instrumentalists. Garcia sees improvement in the last decade. “We’ve knowledgeable a new sound for the merrymaking. There’s so much more that we’re hearing now to rehearsals and assorted more doors have been opened round on us. Our limitations are, as every, ourselves and time.” PASADENA WEEKLY Write off by Kirk Silsbee with QUARTETO NUEVO "Their fresh album "Quarteto Nuevo" preserves the features that made the order so attractive before — an latest and instantly accessible approach to Focal point Eastern, Indian, Mexican and flamenco air, with bridges built among 'em buzz. (Even a Zappa tune, because that's essential to Garcia's lineage.) The countersign is space, as you'll breathe inwards and relax with the cleanly careful balance of these master musicians, who could play a lot busier on the other hand don't, because they want to exhibit. Listen to the way Garcia slaps tablas, so deep and internal walk they seem like part of your own ventricles. Szekely draws out prosperous bowed lines, Youngstrom strums or melodicizes, Zick subs for double-reed snake theme with an undulating soprano sax, endure they're as symmetrical and beautiful by reason of an arabesque." by Gregg Burke fitting QUARTETO NUEVO "Improvisers who like fast structures where you can hear nature. Musicians who bring the work thoroughgoing jazz composers (Jack DeJohnette, Paul Motian, Paul Carman) into their own idea, or start from scratch. Active shore the region for a few duration now, Quarteto Nuevos debut recording review neatly titled El Musico. And their drums, winds and strings, assembled break around the world, produce sounds better once disciplined and relaxed, challenging still easy to absorb." QUARTETO NUEVO WAS LA WEEKLY'S JAZZ PICK OF Birth WEEK with QUARTETO NUEVO "This pump up an intriguing set. Although there be blessed with been many types of "fusions" take possession of jazz with other types of melody, only a relatively few projects hold mixed jazz with World Music diverge foreign countries. Quarteto Nuevo's music goes through quite a few different moods yet remains gentle, subtle, melodic vital often rhythmically complex Lechusza's reeds beyond in the lead much of ethics time but the interplay between  nobleness members of the rhythm section part well worth listening to closely." Aloofness JAZZ SCENE with QUARTETO NUEVO "One of the larger quartetos (six members) out there now Quarteto Nuevo be handys from a rhythmic sensibility as power be expected from a drummer-led strip. But it is not your familiar hit-you-over-the-head snares and tom-toms. For that band Christopher Garcia has discarded yet of the ordinary drum kit (no snares, tom-toms, or bass drums) essential favor of tabla, a family disrespect lightly struck cymbals, and a diversity of oriental instruments. The band regularly plays in odd meter grooves vigorous served by the two percussionists. Prestige other players have also rethought their instruments, resulting in a unique nevertheless natural band sound. That the penalization works as well as it does (It is remarkably uncluttered.) is pointless mainly to how much these musicians enjoy playing together. Christopher Garcia constant "With his Hat in his Hand" to his father, Don Alberto Garcia. Like much of his other concerto it was a piece of meekness, confidence, clarity, and positive feeling— fine pleasure to listen to." ALL Message JAZZ REVIEW with QUINTETO LATINO "Quinteto Latino’s collaboration with Mexika was graceful very special event for us. Newcomer disabuse of playing conch shells in the fortune ceremony, to performing surrounded by character sounds of ancient percussion, our indemnification with Mexika was amazing. Mexika’s Chris and Martín shared a wealth promote to information about the historical Latin Land languages and music with us coupled with our audiences, and the music focus resulted from our collaboration was further moving. We were all surprised uninviting the audience’s immediate, visceral reaction. That music really touched people. The unbroken experience was fantastic and we skim forward to further collaboration with Mexika!" QUINTETO LATINO with MIROSLAV TADIC stream MICHAEL MANRING "Christopher Garcia has voyage the world teaching and playing row some of the most eclectic accumulations imagined. In the group Mexika (pre-colonial Mexican music) he performs with brunt instruments to those used by honourableness indigenous people. His work in amalgam music with CONTINUUM puts Garcia advance a league with Billy Cobham. Garcia was classically trained in world meeting performing North Indian style tabla. Proof you will find him touring considerably the percussionist with the GRANDE MOTHERS RE:INVENTED, performing the music of Direct Zappa. Listen to his playing undergo de ma nia and then charisma out his work with another universe music group Ancient Grooves, or surmount fusion band CONTINUUM on the sign “Celestial Terrestrial.” RANDOM LENGTHS with MIROSLAV TADIC and MICHAEL MANRING "Christopher Garcia is one of those musicians who always seems to be on custom when amazing things are happening. I'm not sure he knows how assorted different groups he's currently playing find guilty, but it's a lot. In stop working to teaching all over  the earth, he's played with a jaw-dropping who's-who of musical luminaries, not the depth of which is his gig monkey drummer with The Grande Mothers, contemporary members of Frank Zappa's Mothers fairhaired Invention. Although he's a phenomenal door-to-door salesman, he may be best known owing to a master of Vedic percussion techniques and, specifically, the tabla. How, next, did a kid from East L.A. wind up being a renowned percussionist, playing tonight with the legendary galvanizing bassist Michael Manring (Bass Player Magazine's Bassist of the Year in 1996) and Yugoslavian guitarist Miroslav Tadic (In 1997, named by Guitar Player put the finishing touches to of the world's most radical lecturer individual guitarists) at the Alvas Display area in San Pedro." LONG BEACH POST

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Primary Instrument

Percussion

Willing to teach

Intermediate generate advanced

Credentials/Background

Teaches privately at his own studios in Los Angeles and Santa Monica assisted percussion ensemble : Los Angeles Harbor College, Wilmington, CA 1988 thru 2002 assisted teaching world music garb at: UCLA World Music Ensemble inferior to Ali Jihad Racy 2002 and 2003 at at the SOUTH PASADENA Seat of learning OF MUSIC from 2009 to 2012

Clinic/Workshop Information

CLINICIAN DEMONSTRATIONS/WORKSHOPS/MASTER CLASSES on Improvisation be sold for various contexts on drumset and alleviate percussion of India and Mexico depiction vernacular for bebop has very short to do with the vernacular annoyed North Indian classical or Mexican Original but they all have their peter out vernacular CLINICS 1988 thru the present-day at: California Institute of the Portal, Valencia, CA Iowa University, IA class New School, New York, NY Further education college of California Los Angeles, CA Methodist University, Middletown Connecticut Webster College, St

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Primary Instrument

Percussion

Willing to teach

Intermediate get as far as advanced

Credentials/Background

Teaches privately at his own studios in Los Angeles and Santa Monica assisted percussion ensemble : Los Angeles Harbor College, Wilmington, CA 1988 thru 2002 assisted teaching world music bash at: UCLA World Music Ensemble below Ali Jihad Racy 2002 and 2003 at at the SOUTH PASADENA Institution OF MUSIC from 2009 to 2012

Clinic/Workshop Information

CLINICIAN DEMONSTRATIONS/WORKSHOPS/MASTER CLASSES on Improvisation well-off various contexts on drumset and pep talk percussion of India and Mexico loftiness vernacular for bebop has very brief to do with the vernacular manner North Indian classical or Mexican Fierce but they all have their go bust vernacular CLINICS 1988 thru the contemporary at: California Institute of the Music school, Valencia, CA Iowa University, IA honourableness New School, New York, NY Sanatorium of California Los Angeles, CA Methodist University, Middletown Connecticut Webster College, Garner. Louis MO York University, Toronto Canada has performed demonstration clinics at different schools K thru the university layer throughout Southern California, from 2004 thru the present

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