from Satabdi Express:
Funky A-rab
Baba
dave cipriani
810 W. 32nd st
baltimore, md 21211
email:
dave at davecipriani dot com (you have to type it yourself, I am getting lots of spam!)
Dave Cipriani: Indian slide guitar, classical & electric guitar, vocals
John Palmer: Upright Bass
Chris Lerch: Drums & percussion
Named after a famous train in India, Satabdi Express is the brainchild of guitarist/
songwriter/composer Dave Cipriani. Satabdi Express creates an original blend of Indian Music, Jazz and Americana, playing original compositions and choice covers. The music brings in American influences such as country blues, folk and funk, with occasional hints of Middle Eastern and flamenco sounds as well. A set of music by Satabdi Express would include several originals by Cipriani, then maybe some modal jazz standards, a Django Reinhardt tune, a Ravi Shankar piece, or other unusual songs reinterpreted for Indian guitar.
Dave Cipriani has received awards from the Maryland State Arts Council and the Baltimore Office of Promotions and the Arts, in part for his work with Satabdi Express. Dave studied classical guitar at St. Mary’s College of Maryland with Scott Horton, and also studied jazz privately for a year and a half with the late jazz guitar legend Charlie Byrd, who joined Cipriani for his final college recital. After that he attended master class with renowned classical guitar virtuoso Christopher Parkening. He led several bands after college, combining his knowledge with the singer-songwriter and rock traditions.
In 1998 Dave began studying Hindustani or North Indian Classical Music, on slide guitar, first with sitar Maestro Jay Kishor, then in 2003 with Indian slide guitar master Pandit Barun Kumar Pal, one of the senior most disciples of Ravi Shankar. Cipriani traveled to India in 2004, 2005 and 2007 to study with Pal, and plays a custom handmade 20-string guitar that was commissioned from one of the top luthiers of India.
Rounding out Satabdi Express are John Palmer on upright bass and Chris Lerch on drums.
John Palmer has been performing in the D.C. /Baltimore area for the past 18 years, playing mainly jazz but also, bluegrass, country, big band swing, rhythm and blues, blues, rock and roll, soul, (and now Indian music.) John’ studied at the University of Maryland, College Park, including studies with Victor Dvoskin, Tom Baldwin, Paul Wingo, John Previti, and Scott Giambuso.
Chris Lerch has played drums for many groups in the Baltimore area, including the Charm City Klesmer Band, Flo, the Michael Raitzik Band, and the Faith & Doubt Orchestra & Revue, another project of Dave Cipriani.