Jonathan Mayer
Son of the late Indian composer and Indo-Jazz Fusions founder John Mayer, Jonathan studied sitar from Clem Alford, Pandit Subroto Roy Chowdhury, both of Senia Gharana, and Ustad Wajahat Khan of Imdadkhani Gharana. He also studied composition from his father and later with Andrew Downes at the Birmingham Conservatoire where he gained a B.Mus (Hons). Jonathan is currently one of the most versatile sitarists in the world, having studied both Indian & western music. From these traditions he has created a unique creativity towards the sitar, seeing it as a instrument and not a genre. His ability to read western notation has enabled him to work on many collaborations and the wide range of artists Jonathan has worked with reflects the diversity in his playing: Paul Weller, Kathryn Tickell, BBC Concert Orchestra, Docklands Sinfonia, The London Philharmonic Orchestra, The Plzen Philharmonia, Kavita Krishnamutri, Kuljit Bhamra, Erich Gruenburg, Rohan De Saram, Kenny Wheeler, The Orlando Consort, John Wilson, Bombay Dub Orchestra, Future Sounds of London, Sarah Brightman, Noel Gallagher, and Sir Paul McCartney.
Over the years Jonathan has played all over the world as a soloist and in collaboration including India, Sri Lanka, UK, Abu Dhabi, Monte Carlo, France, Germany, America, Russia, Australia & Bangladesh. And venues/festivals including Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, Glastonbury, The big chill, Kazan peace festival, Lamar tree Festival, Konzerthaus (Berlin), Spitalfields, The Royal Festival Hall, City of London Festival, Breacon jazz and a private performance at 10 Downing Street.
One of his main attributes is having an electric sitar which gives more flexibility in the dynamic sound world of popular music, further more Jonathan is the worlds first exponent of the newly developed ‘pygmy sitar’.
Jonathan is also co-founder of First Hand Records Ltd.
