TALA ARTISTS

Ty Burhoe was born in Massachusetts USA, and was raised in Chicago. From the age of six, Ty's training in the arts was supported by his father Brian Burhoe, a performing classical musician. His studies included violin, trombone, guitar, and voice, as well as an intensive focus on sculpting and painting. He had a deep love for the outdoors and the many faceted arts of fishing, camping, and outdoor survival, which kept him immersed in nature for most of his younger years. In high school Ty became involved in Gymnastics and by age 18 was sought after by several universities as a competitive gymnast. However, Ty had also been working as a lakes and grounds manager for a Forest Preserve over the previous 10 years and took a scholarship to become a Wildlife Biologist at the University of Montana. For the next several years, Ty worked as a Wildlife Biologist for BLM, Forest Service, Fish and Game Service, and the Border Grizzly Project. Throughout this period Ty learned the arts of tracking and collaring Grizzly Bears, repopulation research for the beaver in NW Montana, and other skills related to protecting the Osprey, Mountain Lion, and back-country survival. During that time Ty began an apprenticeship with a Native American Cree Elder (medicine man). His apprenticeship continued for over 11 years, and included a wide array of ceremonies ranging from Sweat Lodge and Pipe to Vision Quest and Sundance. The experiences and ceremonies born from that time continue to be a deeply transforming force in his life.

In his early 20's Ty moved to the mountains of Boulder, Colorado to raise his son as a single father and complete a college degree in Cognitive Studies, Counseling, and Martial Arts (Aikido) at the Naropa University. His mentor and main Aikido teacher, Bob Wing, helped him develop an inclusive attitude towards all of his many interests, and music naturally arose. Ty felt that his weakest talent was rhythm and with the help of his first drum teacher, Geoff Johns, he happened across the tabla while listening to the band Shakti. Ty was already in an Afro-Cuban dance band and in a Balinese ensemble but after hearing the sound of the tabla, there was no mistaking the connection. It was the perfect combination of melody and intense rhythm. For the next year Ty learned tabla basics from Geoff Johns, tabla composition from Jeffery Rodgers (student of Ustad Alla Rakha & Zakir Hussain), and instrumental accompaniment from sarode player David Trasoff (disciple of the great Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and the one responsible for arranging Ty's first meeting with Zakir).

In 1990, Ty was introduced to the great tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain and it was love at first sight. Ty would drive 1,400 miles on a regular basis for his one hour lessons, then turn around, and drive home. Over the next five years, Ty lived in an old mountain cabin continuing his Native American studies, deepening his tabla practice, and raising his son Shaun. Ty began recording and performing right from the beginning out of sheer enthusiasm, and any artistic situation was free game, poetics, dance, parties, restaurants, and music of any kind. Ty was blessed to meet his main Gurubai (co-student), Dr. Michael Lewis, in 1991. Michael had been a tabla student of Zakir Hussain and Alla Rakha since the 1970's. Whenever Ty was in California studying, Michael invited him into his home and generously shared his knowledge of tabla and openhearted vision of music. In 1994 Ty began producing concerts so that he could host Zakir in his home town, Boulder CO. Ty learned concert production on his own, in other words "the school of hard knocks" (it is a very difficult business.) Despite many losses, he continued producing world music concerts for other artists as well as Zakir, because of his desire to be surrounded with the music he loved as well as to learn all the subtle details of the business. So finally in 2004, after 11 years of producing, Ty opened "Tala Records". This home-spun company is focused on producing CDs, projects and tours presented by the many artists with whom Ty is involved.

There are a couple of other key teachers that Ty has had the honor of studying and playing with. The brilliant improvisational pianist, Art Lande, has been one of Ty's dearest and most profound influences. They have worked together since 1992, exploring the nature of improvisation, expression and collaboration. Ustad Sultan Khan accepted Ty as a student of sarangi (a beautiful 38-stringed, bowed instrument) in 1994 and their relationship has had a deep impact upon his understanding of not only Indian Classical music, but of the deeper spiritual experience of sound (Nada). Ty has had the honor of playing Sarangi to accompany many tabla solo concerts including; Pandit Anindo Chatterjee, Anaradha Pal and Katak dance with his own Guru, Zakir Hussain, and Antonia Minnecola. Another important figure in Ty's training has been Pandit Anindo Chatterjee. Ty began producing and hosting Mr. Chatterjee around 1998 and (with his Gugru's permission) spent some intensive time studying tabla over several years.

In the last ten years, Ty has begun touring more frequently with various artists and is on the road up to 70% of the year. He is also the North American tour assistant for his teacher, Zakir Hussain; a versatile job involving concert production; stage management; sound board engineering; light design and operation; repairing/maintaining instruments, playing tamboura; managing the artists and much more. Ty also designs specialized hand drums, percussion racks and instrument tour cases for various artists including Zakir Hussain, Anindo Chatterjee, Vikku Vinayakram etc.. Ty has also been developing rhythm and sound workshops which include elements of "Nada Yoga" as well as relationship development, nueralogical theraputics and musical training. He offers these workshops in most of the countries he tour in; Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Costa Rica, Mexico, Italy, Holland, Spain etc. In his infrequent spare time, Ty designs custom tunable frame drums, special drum kits used by Zakir Hussain for Shakti, Planet Drum, Global Drum Project, Charels Loyd, Bela Fleck etc... as well as his own Jazz related collaborations. Ty currently lives part time in Boulder Colorado, part time in Maui Hawaii and part time in Kochi Japan.

Kai Eckhardt was born on June 15, 1961 in Mainz, Germany. Being the son of a German mother and a Liberian father, he was raised in Germany and West Africa. He began to study the bass guitar at age 15 and went on to establish himself as a well known and respected musician. Kai left Germany in 1983 to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston. While still in school, he became a member of the Bob Moses Group and Tiger's Baku. At the same time, Boston served as a home base for the launching of various international tours. It was during this period that his special talent first received international recognition. Kai was the bassist for: Steve Smith's Vital Information, Alphonse Mouzon, Randy Brecker and Stanley Clarke. In 1987, Kai graduated from Berklee with honors and was offered a teaching position at the college. In the same year, Gary Burton recommended him to guitarist John Mc Laughlin. Kai joined the John Mc Laughlin Trio, which featured percussionist Trilok Gurtu, in December of 1988. The Trio toured extensively throughout the world and recorded two albums. The acclaimed Live at the Royal Festival Hall, recorded 1989 in London, documented a new direction in Mc Laughlin's music. This recording has been described by many as historic for its outstanding musicianship and unique stylistic blend. Between 1990 and 1993, Kai 's focus shifted towards composition. After a period of study, he began to write for a variety of different musical settings. Some of his work as a composer and arranger is currently being performed by the vocal ensemble SoVoSo, formerly known as Bobby McFerrins's Voicestra.

In 1994, the government of the United States granted Kai the status of a U.S. resident, based on his extraordinary abilities as an artist. He then went on to work with Billy Cobham's International Quartet, Touring the U.S. and Canada.

Meanwhile, Kai's career as a recording artist and live performer has continued to develop in a multicultural direction. The Aziza Mustafa Zadeh recording project brought together the folk music of eastern Europe with jazz. This 1995 release for Sony Germany features Kai along with Al Di Meola, Bill Evans and Omar Hakim. The production was followed by a successful tour, and the album reached the #1 position in the German jazz charts.

In the summer of 1995, Kai performed in Europe with the New York based band Steps Ahead and received a jazz award from Sony records. The year 1996 began with the Vibe Tribe tour of Germany, which included Patrice Rushen, Larry Williams and Teri Lynne Carrington. In the same year, Kai recorded 'Native Dreamer' with Brazilian percussionist Dudu Tucci. Another 1996 project combines Spanish, Indian and North American music. The Colorado based band Curandero recorded their second album with Kai E. and Bela Fleck. Shortly after he joined the band 'Glimpse', lead by percussionist and three time Downbeat poll winner Trilok Gurtu. Over a period of two years he performed with this ensemble worldwide. This formation produced two albums, one in 1998 and one in 1999. In November 1999 he completed the recording of his debut album for the British Naim label. Featured artists are Zakir Hussain and Courtney Pine.

Kai is currently Touring with the Band Garajmahal featuring Fareed Haque, Eric Levy and Alan Hertz. In March of 2001 he played a series of concerts with Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain, featuring the music of saxophonist George Brooks, joined by Mandolin player Mike Marshall.

Bill Douglas is a bassoonist-pianist-composer who has toured and recorded for thirty years with clarinetist Richard Stoltzman. As a bassoonist, he has played with the Toronto and New Haven Symphonies, and has recorded three RCA albums with Peter Serkin and Tashi. As a jazz pianist, Bill has toured and recorded with vibraphonist Gary Burton and bassist Eddie Gomez. In 1994, SOCAN, the Canadian equivalent of ASCAP and BMI, presented him with their classical composer of the year award. His compositions have been performed by major orchestras and chamber groups around the world. Bill's CDs can be heard in virtually every country and appears not only in the record bins, but on radio, in television and in a wide range of therapeutic environments. His music has become immensely popular in places such as Spain, Japan, Canada and across much of the US. He has been teaching at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado for twenty-eight years. He has recorded twelve albums of his music on the Hearts of Space label.

Steve Smith was originally drawn to the drums by hearing marching bands in parades as a child in his native Massachusetts. At age nine, in 1963, Smith began studying the instrument in earnest with local teacher Bill Flanagan, who played in big bands in the swing era. Smith's early inspiration at this time was drawn from the great drumming stars of the big bands such as Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson and Kenny Clarke, among others. After high school, Smith began studying music at the famed Berklee College of Music in Boston in 1972. There he received valuable instruction from such renowned teachers as Gary Chaffee and Alan Dawson. His drumming influences at this time came to include such notables as Tony Williams, Billy Cobham, Lenny White and Steve Gadd. In 1974 Smith's professional career began in full, at 19 years old, with his tenure in the Lin Biviano Big Band, which he toured and recorded with for the next two years. At that same time he also performed with bebopper Buddy DeFranco and was a member of free-jazz group The Fringe featuring George Garzone. In 1976, Smith began his association with jazz fusion by joining violinist Jean Luc Ponty and recording the album "Enigmatic Ocean" (Atlantic 1977), which also featured guitarist Allan Holdsworth. However, it was while touring with rocker Ronnie Montrose a year later that Smith was asked to join the popular rock band Journey which brought his playing to the attention of a young rock audience. With Journey, Smith toured around the world and recorded many successful albums including the immensely popular "Escape" (Columbia 1981) and "Frontiers" (Columbia 1983), both of which garnered the band many Top 40 hits. Over the past 15 years, Smith has played on many hits with such diverse artists as Mariah Carey, Bryan Adams, Zucchero, Claudio Baglioni, Tommy Shaw/Jack Blades, Ray Price, and Savage Garden. Smith began leading his own fusion band Vital Information (currently featuring Tom Coster on Hammond B-3, Frank Gambale on guitar and Baron Browne on bass) in 1983 while still a member of Journey. His explosive solos and intricate timekeeping served to gain him much acclaim from sources such as Modern Drummer Magazine, whose readers voted him the #1 All-Around Drummer five years in a row. Other high profile jazz touring and/or recording gigs that have filled the drummer's schedule include such artists as Ahmad Jamal, Jeff Berlin, Michael Manring, Stanley Clarke, Randy Brecker, Zakir Hussain and the Buddy Rich Big Band, with whom he has performed in many tribute concerts to the late drumming idol. He also rejoined Journey for a short time in 1996 to record the reunion album "Trial By Fire" (Columbia 1996). In 1998, Smith began producing and playing on a series of driving electric jazz albums for the Tone Center label with a revolving cast of talented players such as Frank Gambale, Stu Hamm, Tom Coster, Larry Coryell, Jerry Goodman, Howard Levy, Steve Marcus, Scott Henderson and Victor Wooten to name a few. In 2001 Modern Drummer Magazine named Steve as one of the Top 25 Drummer of All Time, in 2002 he as voted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame and finally in 2003 his Hudson Music DVD "Steve Smith Drumset Technique - History of the U.S. Beat" was voted #1 Educational DVD of 2003. Also in 2003 Steve Smith and Buddy's Buddies - the Buddy Rich alumni quintet - released two CDs on the Tone Center label.