is a Jazz quintet which has been performing in and around Germany, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal and France since its founding in 1995. The group is composed of musicians from American(USA) and European origins.
Fuasi Abdul-Khaliq plays saxophone, clarinet, flute and percussion. He comes from Los Angeles, California where he studied composition, arranging and performance in the U.G.M.A.A. Foundation (Union of God's Musicians and Artist Ascension) with "Horace Tapscott and the Pan-African Peoples Arkestra". He has also performed with such greats as Walter Bishop Jr.,Arto Tuncboyaciyan, Jimmy Garrison, Arthur Blythe, Winard Harper, Danny Harper and Eddie Blackwell. He has recorded for such record labels as Warner Electra Atlantic Records , "Sharifa and WordSong"; Downbeat Records, "At Last I am Free"; Amber Records, "Cool Strutting" Vol. 1 & 2; and Nimbus Records,"Horace Tapscott and the Pan-African Peoples Arkestra."
On piano is Bobby West who also plays synthesizer. He is an arranger and composer. His recording experience is both as a musician and producer.This list list includes names as Billy Higgins, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis and R. Kelly. Bobby also performed with a great variety of singers and musicians such as Smokey Robinson, Helen Reddy, Wilson Pickett and Dwight Trible
On drums there is Kenny Martin from New York, New York who studied at the Berkley School of Music in Boston and with such greats as Tony Williams, Jack DeJonette, Billy Cobham, and Narada Michael Walden. He is well known as being the original drummer for 13 years with the world renowned group "Defunkt". He has also toured and recorded with "Liquid Hips", Bill Bickford's "Bigfood", Bob Singleton's "Golden Gospel Singers", "Sharifa and WordSong" and with Ramesh Weeratunga's "Electric Rama".
On contrabass there is Stanislaw Michalak who comes from Lodz, Poland where he studied in the Conservatory of Classical Music. He has performed and recorded with such greats as "Kazimierz Jonkisk", on the polish Radio and at the Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw, "Hans- Joachim Roedelius", Eartha Kitt", "Sharifa and WordSong" and Herb Geller.On percussion is Nirankar Khalsa, drummer. percussionist, singer. He is a native of Chicago. Illinois. Coming from a family of African american musicians (Jazz, Blues, Gospel etc.) which traces back generations before the "known" beginnings of Jazz. His first teacher and great inspiration is his father, William Henderson Jr., a profesional drummer and percussionist (now retired). Nirankar has performed with such artist as Horace Tapscott, Billy Higgins, Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Jeanne Lee and Juno Lewis to name only a few.
Together they have created a unique sound which is identifiable from the first notes they play. Their music comes from the influences of "Blues", "Hard Bop", "Eastern", "African" and "Funk" which creates a music full of spirit, depth and energy. The CDs "Fuasi & Ensemble", "Fuasimodo Rings A Bell" and "Fuasi & Ensemble Live at Café Central in Madrid Spain",all from their "live" performances, are proof that this group is worth listening to "Live and in Living Color"
