Mandala Tribe

Decoding Raga’s with an itching electro-acoustic sound and spiritual touch

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Mandala Tribe

Shashwathi Jagadish • vocals (India, The Netherlands)
Heiko Dijker • tabla, beats (The Netherlands)
Stefan Schmid • keys, electronics (Germany, The Netherlands)
Mark Lotz • flute, bansuri, fx (Germany, The Netherlands)

as guest on special occasions
Sharat Shrivastawa • violin (India)
Igor Bezget • guitar, fx (Slovenia)

Mandala Tribe is a synergetic combination in electronic music with Jazz and Indian music. Music where keys, tabla, vocals, and flutes intertwine organically with electronic elements. Firmly rooted in Indian classical music, the ensemble offers a contemporary spiritual sound that reimagines tradition. Decoding Raga’s in dynamic beats, harmony and with an itching electro-acoustic sound and spiritual touch.

At the heart of Mandala Tribe is the voice of Shashwathi Jagadish, a young Indian Carnatic vocalist. She is joined by Heiko Dijker (tabla, beats), Mark Lotz (flute, bansuri, fx), and Stefan Schmid (keys, electronics) — three world music pioneers with experience in projects such as Zuco 103, Chris Potter Tentet, and New Cool Collective. Together, they explore the rhythmic and melodic beauty of Indian raga through their unique dynamic interplay that highlights improvisation and a distinctive electro-acoustic palette.

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Mandala Tribe’s music is an engaging exploration of spiritual improvisation where East and West meet in a empathic embrace. Having performed at major festivals across the Netherlands, including the November Music, BIMhuis, Music Meeting, and Amsterdam Jazz Festival, the ensemble has proven its ability to captivate audiences with its nuanced sound.

This year marks an exciting milestone for Mandala Tribe with the release of their debut album — a testament to the vibrant musical journey they’ve embarked on and an invitation to listeners to experience their blend of traditions and innovation.

Press:

Mandala Tribe … a relief between all the pre-composed music that was heard this day. Firmly played tabla, a beautiful lyrically-played flute, compelling beats, and deep-moving Moog parties revealed the encounter of jazz, world and electronics. Exactly what the Music Meeting Festival represents. (Mixedworldmusic.com).

Band Members

Shashwathi Jagadish

vocals

Shashwathi, a Carnatic musician from Chennai, was only five years old when she was inspired to start singing by her grandmother. She was later trained by multiple Gurus for 20 years in Chennai. She holds a Masters Degree in Music from the University of Madras and is also trained in western Classical music completing the 8th Grade in Western Vocals from The Trinity College of London. At the age of 15, she was awarded the title “Sangeetha Bhaskara” from the Gnanaskandan Trust in Chennai. Shashwathi currently resides in The Hague and is currently collaborating and performing concerts with artists in the Netherlands such as Kalpana Raghuraman, Denden Karadeniz, Tim Kliphuis and Rutger Muller and to name a few. While in Chennai, she has performed at numerous temples and Sabhas all over Chennai, Bangalore, Mysore and Mumbai. Shashwathi made her movie debut for the Maestro Illayaraja for the Telugu movie Gaayam 2 and has sung backing vocals for renowned music directors like A R Rahman, Sharreth, Vijay Antony, Imman, Ramesh Vinayakam, Vishal Chandrashekar and many others.

Heiko Dijker

tabla, electronics

Heiko Dijker is an Amsterdam based tablaplayer, composer whose playing is marked by enthusiasm and energy, depth of knowledge and rhythmic poetry. After years of traditional training in India, living in a small clay hut and doing saintly practice in the Himalaya, he continued to learn with grandmaster Faiyaz Khan in the Guru-Shisya (Master-Disciple) system. Currently Heiko has joined his traditional skills with his electronic production and composition, and has produced several albums. Heiko has worked with artists like Shankar Mahadevan, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Meeta Pandit, Purbayan Chatterjee, Saskia Laroo, Melissa Etheridge, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Lavinia Meijer, Rembrandt Frerichs and Ravichandra Kulur.

Mark Lotz

flutes, bansuri, fx

Mark Lotz is solist who's performances draws listeners in, taking them on a journey of discovery and often seek out surprising settings, challenging conventions. Praised as “one of the world’s top jazz flute players” (Los Angeles Jazz Scene Magazine, USA), Lotz has released 21 albums. His music has received significant industry attention, with extensive radio play and features worldwide. Lotz has collaborated with: Conga legend Miguel ‘Angá’ Diaz, Indian Underground star Najma Akthar, Soloists from Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba, Moldovan viola virtuoso Anatol Steffanet, Romanian accordion icon Petar Ralchev, Tibetan songbird Namgyal Lhamo, Senegalese Fula vocalist Omar Ka. In jazz he has worked with international luminaries such as Chris Potter, Don Byron, David Tronzo, Thomas Strønen, NYC Latin legend Eddie Martinez, and Istanbul’s avant-garde group Islak Köpek. In the Netherlands, his collaborations include Theo Loevendie, Ernst Reijseger, Han Bennink, Jesse van Ruller.

Stefan Schmid

keyboards, synthesizers

Pianist, composer, producer in settings ranging from Jazz, Electronic, Pop, Afro Cuban/Salsa, Bossa, Rock, Punk, House, DnB, Techno, Lounge, Free Form Impro. Part of the New Cool Colllective and New Cool Collective Big Band, Caro Emerald and his Guerilla sleaze Duo Hygiene. Together with Lilian Vieira and Stefan Kruger forms the band Zuco 103. He winner of the Silveren Harp, the Edison award and nominated for the BBC World Music Awards in 2003. Part of the faculty of The Royal Conservatory, The Hague for the Art Of Sound.