D'cana - Earthtone (2013)

Our goal is to write and arrange music that opens the ears of our audience and widens the perspective of what it means to perform improvised Jazz and World music. We strive to explore and bring together the sounds of both the traditional and the modern in the use of traditional ethnic instruments (such as the Middle Eastern Oud, Greek Bouzouki, Indian Tabla, African Djembe, and the Indian Harmonium) as well as utilizing modern electronics; and in the combination of traditional melodies and rhythms of the old world with modern harmonic and musical forms.

d'Cana is:

KAREN PORKKA
■ voice / soprano saxophone / harmonium / melodica / rain stick

GEORGE KOUFOGIANNAKIS
■ oud / bouzouki / guitar / banjo / synth guitar / fretless guitar

RON CEILIN
■ fretless and fretted bass / clave

JOHN NEELIN
■ drumset / frame drum / doumbek / congas / bongos / djembe / timbales / tabla / cajon / shakers and bells / palmas

Over the last few years, members of this ensemble have:

■ performed with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra (New Zealand), The Parkers, BEAMS, Mile Zero Dance, The Shumka Dancers, Maritime Jazz Orchestra, Edmonton’s The Craft, CalArts African and Percussion Ensembles, Southern Lights Jazz Choir (New Zealand), and the LCM Large Latin Ensemble (United Kingdom), with special guest artists such as Ben Vereen, Lenny Pickett, Rajaton, Steven Reineke, Randy Brecker, and The Canadian Tenors.

■ performed at Jazz Music Festivals across Canada and appearances at JunoFest Canada, UNIFEST Music Festival, South Country Fair, Saskatoon Centennial Celebration Drum Festival, Edmonton Fringe Festival, Christchurch International Jazz Festival, and Western Canadian Ukrainian Music Festivals.

■ been nominated for World Recording of the Year at the 2010 “Western Canadian Music Awards”, nominated for World Solo Artist of the Year at the 2009 “Canadian Folk Music Awards”, were semi-finalists in the 2010 “International Songwriting Competition” - Jazz Category, and were co-winners of the “Dig Your Roots – Creative Jazz” cross-Canada project.

■ participated in “All the Way In” with Rhiannon – a vocal improvisation workshop with one of the vocal improvisation masters and 16 singers from around the world, Bobby McFerrin's Vocal Improvisation workshop, and the Banff Centre Vocal Jazz program with Sheila Jordan and Jay Clayton.

■ been featured artists on JazzWorldQuest.com, Diane Donovan’s “Voices in Jazz”, and on internet music station “Radio Art”, based in Athens, Greece. 
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