Rakkatak

Rakkatak merges rhythms and melodies influenced by classical Indian music with a pop music aesthetic. Rakkatak started as Anita Katakkar‘s solo project, out of her need to highlight and share the subtle beauty of tabla, in a non-traditional way. Having lived in multicultural Toronto all her life, Anita’s diverse taste in music ranging from folk to reggae to rock to ambient electronica is reflected in Rakkatak’s self titled CD; an album conceived in studio. From there, the band Rakkatak was formed and its evolution continued with the release of their second album “Open” produced by Anita and fellow band member Oriana Barbato. They have just finished producing their third album “Small Pieces”, released on April 24 2016 at the Burdock in Toronto.

Featuring tabla player Anita Katakkar, bassist Oriana Barbato and sitarist Rex Van der Spuy this band’s multi-faceted creativity and eclectic musicianship combust on stage to create a unique, coloured and intoxicating vibe.

With Indian/Scottish roots in multicultural Toronto, Anita Katakkar‘s music represents a link between her heritage and community. In Toronto, she studied tabla with composer and musician Ritesh Das and in California and Kolkata with the pre-eminent exponent of the Lucknow style tabla, Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri. Anita has performed, toured internationally and recorded with the Toronto Tabla Ensemble and Jeff Martin and has toured nationally with The Tea Party. She has shared the stage with legendary Kathak dancer Chitresh Das, flamenco dancer Esmeralda Enrique, sitar virtuoso Anwar Khurshid, Canadian/Armenian guitarist Levon Ichkhanian and Paris based singer/songwriter Melissa Laveaux.

Rex van der Spuy has been playing sitar since 1989, and has studied John Campana, Irshad Khan and Sahana Banerjee. He performs a style Indian Classical music which is deeply rooted in tradition while featuring a contemporary and personal approach. Rex has performed and given lecture demonstrations in Canada, Brazil, South Africa, and India and makes occasional radio appearances. Featured performances include: Toronto Indian Consulate General’s Independence Day celebrations (1996), Prime Minister of Western Cape Province’s Tourism Initiative Launch (2006), Cape Farm House Summer Concert Series (2007), Kirstenbosch Winter Concert Series (2007), Residency at Obz Theater, Cape Town (with Zaria and Firefly, 2007), Residency at Café Taste (Toronto, 2008) and other collaborative performances with South African bands Hot Water and Imaginarium. He produced the 2007 CD Valley of Dreams, a CD of original compositions, and his sitar playing has been featured on Firefly’s CD Someday (2007) and Zaria’s In The Garden (2008). Rex currently divides his time between Toronto, Cape Town and India.

Oriana Barbato‘s signature style doesn’t come from market trends. This Chilean bassist goes well beyond pop by adding her knowledge of world music and downright technique to her bass playing. Oriana’s versatility, work ethic, and stage presence have brought her to venues across North America and Europe, where she was last seen opening with latin/flamenco fusion act TaKiLo for La Troba Kung Fu. She has also shared the stage with world-renowned musicians such as Qawwali master Shahid Ali Khan and Warwick endorsed bass prodigy Jorge Campos as well as opening for Canadian acts Bif Naked and Nomadic Massive. Oriana is also a sound artist and has composed music for short films. Her work has been exhibited at various art galleries in North, South America and Europe.