Anjuman (Indian/Afro-Cuban Ensemble)

While strumming his bass and smoking a fat Cuban cigar at the Indian Chai house in Seattle, Phii Georgas, a.k.a. Mr. Gorgeous thought to himself “if only taste could be translated into a musical metaphor”…meanwhile half way around the world Brandon McIntosh was at the feet of his guru learning the time honored tradition of Indian classical music… Miraculously at that same moment in Cuba, Seth Littlefield was playing congas with a group of street musicians celebrating the birthday of Fidel Castro. As fate would have it, the three would soon become known as Anjuman: Indian/Afro-Cuban Ensemble.

Individual Bios:

Brandon McIntosh is a celebrated sarodist and disciple of Pandit Buddhadev Dasgupta of the Senia-Shahajahanpur Gharana. Brandon has performed throughout India, Japan, Canada, and the United States. He has performed with grammy nominated sitarist Gaurav Mazumdar, tabla virtuoso Yogesh Samsi and award winning kathak dancer Sujata Banerjee, as well as others. He has a masters degree in Music Composition from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and is a visiting student at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy in Kolkata, India. Over the last decade he has spent many of those years of living in Kolkata studying in the traditional guru-shishya parampara approach to learning Indian classical music with his guru. He is now based in Seattle, but regularly travels to India for performances and talim.

Phil Georgas, described by a fellow musician as the primordial bass player, has been playing bass since the day he could lift one out of the case. His playing reflects a pure and unconditional love of low notes with influences that cover a wide spectrum, from rock/jazz and Latin fusion through all styles of pop and landing on straight ahead punk. Phil has shared the stage with The Ramones, Five for Fighting and most recently served a two year stint with The Brandi Carlile Band. Phil is also a blossoming sarod player who has traveled to India with Brandon to study under the guidance of Pandit Buddhadev Das Gupta. In Anjuman Phil plays Latin bass patterns within the framework of North Indian Classical rhythmic cycles translating his knowledge of improvisation in raga to fretless bass.

Seth Littlefield received his B.M. in percussion performance at Central Washington University where he studied with both Dr. Andrew Spencer and Garey Williams. Seth has won numerous soloist awards at festivals internationally and performed at both IAJE and MENC conventions. Seth has also studied privately in Cuba with Chuck Silverman, Raul "Lali" Brito, and Miguel Fernandez. Other teachers in the U.S. include: Mark Ivester, Steve Smith, and Steve Houghton. Seth performs a variety of styles from jazz and hip-hop to Afro-Cuban and fusion. He also was the drummer for The Brandi Carlile Band in 2005.