Ga-Na-Si-Ta

Bio:

Ga-Na-Si-Ta is a Cherokee term meaning "dogwood." Ga-Na-Si-Ta’s sound derives from an eclectic mix of musical influences such as jazz, funk, blues, reggae, Latin, indigenous tribal, and "jam" music, to name just a few. The band's sound found its origins during Matt Galaher and Joey Jaccard's journey across the outback of Australia, which began as part of their studies in anthropology and art (respectively) and evolved into something more profound. Through the musical influences mentioned above, their experiences with aboriginal "dreamtime" ritual songs & performances, and their studies of the didjeridoo, they developed a knowledge of music’s healing abilities, its capacity for spiritual cultivation, and its ability to serve as a tool for cultural exchange & the transgenerational transmission of culture. Ga-Na-Si-Ta was born out of the combination of Matt & Joey's developing indigenous musical style with Keeny and Will's more structured, traditional, composed, progressive-Western influenced styles of music. The didjeridoo & drums remain key components of Ga-Na-Si-Ta's sound, serving as the natural roots propelling the powerful & pulsating music that has become their trademark sound. Ga-Na-Si-Ta seeks to explore music that lives only during the moments in which it is played & heard. The energy and vibe this creates sets the stage for the sound that is produced on any particular night. Ga-Na-Si-Ta thrives on the metaphysical dynamic of spontaneous musical creation and interpretation. That's the way we like it! Ga-Na-Si-Ta find their inspiration in the styles of traditional peoples & cultures from all corners of the globe. The last four years of playing together have given them a unique knowledge, experience, and consciousness of music’s universal vibrations, resulting in a sound that transcends all cultural boundaries & regional styles. Ga-Na-Si-Ta have found their own niche in pan-global sounds, seeking to establish themselves in modern music by offering something fresh and satisfying to Western audiences, many of whom have told us they were spiritually, socially, and sensorally starved for something different from the many similar "cookie-cutter" bands that seem to dominate popular music. Ga-Na-Si-Ta's audiences are an indispensable part of the music, as Ga-Na-Si-Ta channels the energy and atmosphere created by everyone present at the performance. It is music meant to speak to the soul, eluding time and space, quenching the thirstiest of spirits, giving pulse to the most desicated musical veins, and flow to sclerotic cultural bloodstreams. When the music starts pumping, you can feel it take life in your heart, spreading quickly through the body, and before you know it you’re dancing without control or concern, smiles beaming from every face, lighting up the room like the sun. Everyone can feel its warm embrace. Ga-Na-Si-Ta's music manifests pure euphoric sensations in all who hear it, which is why Ga-Na-Si-Ta continues to attract larger and more vibrant audiences with every performance. A Ga-Na-Si-Ta show is a spiritual, physical, transformational experience not to be missed! The current lineup was forged through the last four years, living in the Dogwood Valley of East TN. Yearly, they organize a grassroots, outdoor festival in Kingston, TN called Boombutywah, which brings around 400 music lovers to the Dogwood Valley. Some of the music that has influenced Ga-Na-Si-Ta: Grateful Dead, Medeski-Martin & Wood, Herbie Hancock, old jazz standards, The Beatles, Doc Watson, Paul Simon, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Phish, String Cheese Incident, STS9, latin and world music, and reggae music to name a few.