AYRA

AYRA’S Buddhist meaning is spiritual warrior and these two have definitely been musical warriors in their respective fields of music. JANETTE MASON – Keyboards – Composer Janette is a pianist, composer, arranger, producer and performer. She toured extensively throughout the 90s with artists such as Oasis, Pulp and Robert Wyatt and was musical director for Jonathan Ross. She is a sought after arranger and producer and has contributed tracks to Ian Shaw’s Drawn To All Things, and Lea DeLaria’s, The Live Smoke Sessions, which reached the Grammy Ballot. JULIET ROBERTS - Vocals – Composer Blessed with a beautiful and powerful voice, Juliet Roberts is undoubtedly one of the world’s most highly regarded R’n’B and jazz singer songwriters. Widely remembered for her work in the late 80s as lead vocalist with the hugely successful soul-jazz band Working Week, she has been a radio and TV presenter and had a string of top ten hits and has toured word wide with award winning Denys Baptists and Jazz Jamaica All Stars. YOLANDA CHARLES - Bass Yolanda started her career playing for Jimmy Sommerville ( The Communards) and quickly became the bass foundation of various groups in the burgeoning ‘acid’ jazz scene of the early 90s including Raw Stylus and Urban Species, swiftly securing her reputation as the ‘ go to’ bass player resulting in a remarkable career as a session musician for the next 30 year. NICOLAS PY – Drums Hailing from a remote town in northeast France, Nicolas Py began drumming professionally from age 14. He spanned the genres : funk, metal, jazz. Nicolas drums for indie-rock band Spector, pop angel Gia Ford, bass legend Yolanda Charles, soul singer Tony Momrelle, and blues musicians Lachy Doley and Felix Rabin. He is also an original member of funk-rock band Second Brain. SHANTI – Trumpet, cello and percussion Shanti is a versatile multi-instrumentalist and composer. His professional career took off whilst attending the Guildhall School of Music and Drama when he was the featured soloist with Kenny Wheeler on the CD ‘Walk Softly’. He has played for such bands as Alex Wilson, Tim Garland, Monica Vasconcelos, Snowboy, John Etheridge’s Zappatistas, the Brand New Heavies, Friendly Fires, Courtney Pine and Salsa Celtica.