Jadu

Jadu means magic in Hindi, and the magic is crafted by the talented hands of five extraordinary musicians: Pete Stacey, soprano sax & flute, Rajesh David, vocals & harmonium, Kelly Smith, tabla, Paul Uden, guitar and Bryan Smith, tamboura.
Nourished by the landscape and silence of West Wales, their music is inspired by the restless waves of the Irish Sea, the ancient cliffs of Cardigan Bay and the mists swirling in the valleys of the Cambrian Mountains.

Each of them brings something different to the creative melting pot that forms the music of Jadu. Pete's musical soul is steeped in jazz, he makes the sax and flute sing so lyrically. A native of Swansea, he has studied classical Indian music and composed for both Nishat Khan and Hariprasad Chaurasia, and he plays regularly with Dance India Wales.
Rajesh's heart is so full of devotion that it spills over into his voiceand takes the listener on an unforgettable journey. Born in Mumbai, both parents skilled in classical Indian music, he has studied the power of sound and mantra and taken it to a new level.
Kelly, from West Wales, has a passion for tabla and a power and clarity to his performance that creates dynamic, exciting music. Kelly is also a member of Tarang, the UK National Indian Music Ensemble and has studied Tabla with Sanju Sahai & Samir Chaturgee. Kelly is currently studing with Kousic Sen.
Paul's guitar shimmers, sparkles like light on water, creating a river of sound. His multiple influences range from funk to jazz, mento to son and he has built a style that is unique. Bryan brings the richness of his musical journey of fifty years, spanning rock, folk and R&B. He's an innovative singer/songwriter and has played Indian devotional music since the early eighties.

Paul, Pete & Kelly have been playing together since 2005, Rajesh and Bryan joined them in 2009 and the music gained in depth and creativity. Jadu (formerly Magick Carpet) have played at The Big Chill, The Square Festival, Wales Millennium Centre, and many venues in West Wales. In August 2011 they performed at Sharq Taronalari International Music Festival in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Jadu create their music during practice sessions; one person arrives with a theme, a concept, a pattern of notes, such as Rajesh's experience watching the sun set into the Irish sea that resulted in Aberaeron Sunset, or Paul's experience crossing a river in Morocco that lead to Boragrag. Then they will play with it, each band member adding their own flavour to the piece until the whole becomes a rich banquet of sound that is both moving and transcendent. Their music expresses the synthesis of cultures that is a key aspect of the 21st century.