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An award-winning musician, composer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist equally
accomplished on tabla, congas, percussion, esraj, guitar, and
keyboards, Benjy Wertheimer has toured and recorded with such artists as Krishna Das,
Deva Premal and Miten, Jai Uttal, Walter Becker of Steely Dan, virtuoso
guitarist Michael Mandrell, and renowned bamboo flute master G. S. Sachdev.
He has also opened for such well-known artists as Carlos Santana,
Paul Winter, and Narada Michael Walden. Benjy is a founding member of the internationally
acclaimed world fusion ensemble, Ancient Future.
Beginning his musical studies at age 5, starting with piano and later
violin and flamenco guitar, Benjy received training in Keyboard
Improvisation at the University of Colorado and in Composition and
Ethnomusicology at the University of Washington. In addition, he has studied
Indian classical music for over 25 years with some of the greatest
masters of that tradition including Alla Rakha, Zakir Hussain, Ali Akbar
Khan and Z. M. Dagar, and was, along with the Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart,
a contributing composer and member of the Zakir Hussain Rhythm Experience.
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Photo by Doug Byers
For over five years, Benjy scored music for the internationally syndicated
NBC series, Santa Barbara. He has also recorded music for several
international clients including Master Card and The Nature Company.
His CD Circle of Fire reached #1 on the international
New Age radio charts in 2002.
Benjy also tours and performs
with his wife Heather
Wertheimer
as the group
Shantala.
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