The Harvest: A world music celebration and CD Release (“Wheel of Dreams”) In association with DiverseArts at

Austin, TX - On Saturday, November 27, 2010 at 8:00 pm, at Ruta Maya, Paul Klemperer, leader of My Exotic Other, and Rick Henderson, leader of Ragavatar, join forces to present, for one-night-only, a feast of musical sounds. A portion of the proceeds will go to Austin’s own DiverseArts’ cultural programming. The evening will blend Western and Indian classical traditions with modern jazz and more. Yehudit, the internationally known and classically-trained Jazz violinist from California, will be featured, along with Naga Valli, the ‘Eastern Soul’ music singer who hails from India, and other special musical guests. In keeping with the season, the theme of this event is The Harvest – as we give thanks and harvest the variety of musical traditions and talents which enhance our lives. Music nourishes us, inspires us, and feeds our souls; we’d simply ‘starve” without it....

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Austin, TX - On Saturday, November 27, 2010 at 8:00 pm, at Ruta Maya, Paul Klemperer, leader of My Exotic Other, and Rick Henderson, leader of Ragavatar, join forces to present, for one-night-only, a feast of musical sounds. A portion of the proceeds will go to Austin’s own DiverseArts’ cultural programming. The evening will blend Western and Indian classical traditions with modern jazz and more. Yehudit, the internationally known and classically-trained Jazz violinist from California, will be featured, along with Naga Valli, the ‘Eastern Soul’ music singer who hails from India, and other special musical guests. In keeping with the season, the theme of this event is The Harvest – as we give thanks and harvest the variety of musical traditions and talents which enhance our lives. Music nourishes us, inspires us, and feeds our souls; we’d simply ‘starve” without it.

Paul Klemperer and My Exotic Other
My Exotic Other was formed by locally-based award-winning saxophonist Paul Klemperer. MEO explores world music blends with the purpose of discovering new combinations and communications between the traditional and the original. Through My Exotic Other, Paul has assembled a group of musicians from various backgrounds to create joyful and often haunting music that uses sonic images to bring us all together. MEO’s latest CDs, “Tether” is a fusion of jazz and world music.

Rick Henderson and Ragavatar
Rick Henderson spent seven years under the training of the great North Indian sarode master, Ali Akbar Khan. At the Ali Akbar College of Music in San Rafael, Ca, Henderson was immersed in the ancient tradition of raga (melody) and tala (rhythm). His devotion to this music has made him one of the most highly sought after sarode players in Texas. His band, Ragavatar, offers a unique collaboration between eastern and western music styles. The concert will also celebrate his CD release of “Wheel of Dreams” featuring violin diva Yehudit.

Yehudit
Violinist Yehudit (pronounced "yeah who DEET") is making a place for herself in the forefront of the jazz mainstream, demonstrating that the electric violin, in her hands, is a convincing and innovative jazz instrument. A classically trained player with a solid grounding in the jazz idiom, her extensive professional experience encompasses ensembles as diverse as the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra and the jazz/blues band John Handy with Class. Performing on electric and acoustic five-string violins, she produces a varied sonic palette, ranging from boppish licks and wails to warm, singing melody. Her music is firmly rooted in straight-ahead jazz, spiced with blues, free improvisation, and a dash of funk. With such a busy performing schedule, Yehudit’s rare stop in Austin is one that is not to be missed.

Naga Valli
Naga Valli began studying classical Indian music at age seven. She grew up in Mumbai and performed at schools and in competitions, while studying different styles of Indian music. Building seamless bridges…an InFusion of Pop, Rock & Eastern overtones... Naga Valli likes to call her music Eastern Soul. Naga writes and sings from the heart, speaking of human elation and desperation, at times finding inspiration in the rich spiritual writings from her home India.

Tickets:
To purchase tickets, please go www.pksax.com. Costs: $7:00 in advance. $9.00 at the door. Ruta Maya is located at 3601 South Congress, 78704.

Austin is home to many organizations which work to sustain our community. The members of My Exotic Other and Ragavatar are donating $1.00 of every ticket sold to DiverseArts, a non-profit organization which works to promote and expand cultural awareness and appreciation of the arts in Austin, Texas, particularly homegrown artists. Some of DiverseArts’ cultural programming includes the Kenny Dorham’s Backyard Concert Series, the New East Arts Gallery, and the Blues Family Tree Project. For more information about DiverseArts, go to DiverseArts.org.

Please go to pksax.com to learn more about Paul Klemperer, ragavatar.com for Rick Henderson, yehudit.net for Yehudit, and nagavalli.com for Naga Valli.

For more information about the concert and/or media requests, please contact Carla L. Jackson at 512-709-8521, [email protected].

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