About Eric Alabaster
“... Alabaster plays with awareness and quiet potency." “...knows how to step outside the box and do more than keep time. World/jazz ace Alabaster just likes pushing the limits and pushing the buttons and he does so here in a grand, world wide, world wise style. Turning the mixmaster on for his world fusion, he combines elements from his travels into a seamless web that grabs your ear and fills it with things you just can’t quite put your finger on..."
Chris Spector from MidwestRecord
Eric has been playing professionally since his early teens. He is a drummer, composer, and tabla player based in New York where he was born. Besides being a performer he is also a music educator. He has played on Broadway on Cruises and traveled throughout the United States, the Caribbean, Europe and South Asia. He has composed and arranged for theater and played on radio and T.V.
Some of the artists Eric has worked with: In television with the guitarist Eddie Bourjolly of the Hatian Jazz group Mozayik. He toured New England with guitarist Marc Ribot; performed and recorded with saxaphonist Roy Nathanson and trumpeter Duane Eubanks: performed with trombonist Roswell Rudd; perfomed with singers ustad Fidah Hussain, Hassan Tzadik and Nazakit Ali as well as Tarannum Naz and Muni Begum; and with sitarists Prasanna Kumar and Anjana Roy.
Eric's teachers: composition with the legendary Jimmy Heath; Drumming with Dominic Moio, student of the late great Alan Dawson; Elliot Zygmund, Akira Tana and James Preiss; Desi Rhythms and Tabla with Ustad Mulazim Hussain, radio and T.V artist Islamabad, Pakistani; also with Kurshid Hassan of Lahore. Eric has a M.A. in Music from Queens College.
Paghel Meshugah - The Loco Love Band
Duane Eubanks is highly esteemed as one of the most gifted trumpet players in jazz today. Duane was born into a gifted musical family steeped in the Jazz tradition. A listing those he has played with reads like a who's who of Jazz: Dave Holland, Frank Foster, Oliver Lake, Illinois Jacquet, Jason Linder, Lionel Hampton, Benny Golson, Bobby Watson, Mickey Roker, James Moody, Donald Byrd, Terell Stafford, Tim WarfieldJr., Antonio Hart, Mulgrew Miller, Robin Eubanks Elvin Jones, Louis Hayes, Curtis Fuller and John Hicks. His most recent recording as leader is Second Take on TCB Records.
Listen to his solo on the recording of 3-6-9, (and all the pieces) you will be transformed and transported to a wonderful place. Duanes's lyrical playing with the Paghel Meshugah group brings unparalleled joy and excitement to the group's music..
Emma Alabaster: Emma brings her natural musicality to this group. The world is just starting to hear what this talented young lady has to offer. She is a composer and singer as well as talented bassist. Emma has played with musicians such as: jazz pianist John Esposito,Thurman Barker, Mike DeMiccopoets, Janine Pommy Vega, Mikhail Horowitz, and dancer Amii Legendre.
She has performed at schools, prisons, restaurants, parties, clubs, and concert halls.
Emma's CD, In the Third Generation the Daughters are Free: scheduled to be released shortly, is a suite of Emma's original music and poetry.
Emma received her B.A. in Music from Bard College. Emma attended Laguardia High School for Music and Art and Performing Arts where she began her study of the upright bass and performed with the Senior Chorus at such venues as Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Hall, most notably with Hugh Masekela.
Sean Sonderegger: Talented multi-reed player Sean Sonderegger began playing the Saxophone at age 11. Originally from Los Angeles, Sonderegger, now in his mid 20’s, is one of the most distinctive young tenor players to hit the Brooklyn Jazz scene.
His music reflects an interest in the eclectic while still paying homage to the jazz tradition. He studied with Harold Land, Billy Higgins, and Buddy Colette. He has performed with The Jazz Passengers, Angie Stone, Terri Lynne Carrington, The Last Poets, John Zorn, Anthony Coleman, Brad Jones, Dianne Reeves, George Schuller, Edsel Gomez, Roy Nathanson, and Andy Laster. Sean is also a member of Bill Ware’s Octet, an auxiliary member of various Roy Nathanson projects, and is featured on Roy Nathanson’s soon to be released album on ENJA Records “Subway Moon”.
Anjana Roy: Hailing from Delhi, India, Anjana's sitar playing add a wonderful timbre to the recording and in live performances. Eric and Anjana often perform as a duo. Recordings are in the works.
These great musicians can often be found performing with the group:
Roy Nathanson has a varied career as a saxophonist, composer, band-leader, actor and teacher. He is leader of the internationally acclaimed Jazz Passengers. Roy has composed for T.V., film and radio. Roy's sideman credits include recording and touring with The Lounge Lizards: working with Marc Ribot: Charles Earland and with the Shirelles.
Besides his outstanding work on the recording with Eric, Roy often graces live performances of Paghel Meshugah with his unique musical wit, intelligence and humor. Roy performs with the group, as his schedule permits.