Jonathan Mayer's Page

My Role

Artist

My Discipline(s)

Music

About Me And My Work

Training:
Son of the late Indian composer and Indo-Jazz Fusions founder John Mayer, Jonathan studied sitar from Clem Alford (the first ever European sitar player), Pandit Subroto Roy Chowdhury of Senia Gharana and Ustad Wajahat Khan (direct descendent of Mia Tansen the great musician, one of the nine jewels in Moghul court of Emperor Akbar).
He also studied composition from his father and later with Andrew Downes at the Birmingham Conservatoire where he gained a B.Mus (Hons).

Who he's worked with:
Jonathan is currently one of the most versatile sitarists in the world, having studied both Indian & western music. From these traditions he has created a unique creativity towards the sitar, seeing it as a instrument and not a genre. His ability to read western notation has enabled him to work on many collaborations and the wide range of artists Jonathan has worked with reflects the diversity in his playing:
Joji Hattori, Hawkwind, Kathryn Tickell, BBC Concert Orchestra
Kumar Bose, Kavita Krishnamutri, Kuljit Bhamra, Erich Gruenburg, Rohan De Saram,
Kenny Wheeler, The Orlando Consort, John Wilson, Bombay Dub Orchestra,
Future Sounds of London, Sarah Brightman,
I Musici Fiamminghi Orchestra, Noel Gallagher, and Sir Paul McCartney.

What he's worked on:
Jonathan has worked in most genres both live and in the studio including rock, pop, British folk, Bulgarian folk, plain chant, renaissance, baroque, western contempory, jazz, jazz fusion, Hindustani classical, funk & dance. One of his main attributes is having an electric sitar which gives more flexibility in the dynamic sound world of popular music, further more Jonathan is the worlds first exponent of the newly developed 'pygmy sitar'.

What he's working on/where he's played:
Jonathan's currently involved in a number of collaborative projects:
The Teak Project - The Teak Project represents a collaboration between three of Britain's finest young improvisers. These musicians have come together simply to make their own music, unfettered by the strictures of defined categories like jazz or Hindustani classical. In doing so they have drawn from their own wealth of experiences and created a space in which to let their instruments breathe.
Raga Mela - In collaboration with SPNM, Kuljit Bhamra, the BBC Concert Orchestra, Jonathan will be performing original compositions. The brief is to write an orchestral piece while keeping the integrity of 'Rag'.
Mantra - With The Orlando Consort & Kuljit Bhamra, Mantra explores the music the Portuguese missionaries took to India in the early 16th Century.

Bach unaccompanied violin sonatas transcribed for sitar - Jonathan is currently arranging & recording selected movements from the violin sonatas by J.S Bach

The Silk Trio - Trio with Sitar, Oud & Tabla. Touring South of France summer 2009

Amorphous Androgynous - Jonathan currently plays in this superb phychedelic rock group featuring Gaz Cobain from Future Sound Of London.

Over the years Jonathan has played all over the world as a soloist and in collaboration including India, Sri Lanka, UK, Abu Dhabi, Monte Carlo, France, Germany, America, Russia, Australia & Bangladesh. And venues/festivals including Cheltenham, Glastonbury, The big chill, Kazan peace festival, Lamar tree, Spitalfields, The Royal Festival Hall, City of London & Breacon jazz.
Jonathan is also co-founder of First Hand Records.

Places I Would Like To Visit

Many collaborations

My Web link

http://www.jonathanmayer.co.uk