AMRITA

Kayla Milmine earned a Bachelor of Applied Music in jazz performance from Concordia University in Montreal, before moving to Toronto in 2014. She has toured, recorded, and performed over the past 15 years as a soprano saxophonist.

Kayla loves the new and under-explored sonic possibilities that only the soprano saxophone can offer. Her unique approach has the edginess and brashness of Anthony Braxton and Roscoe Mitchell yet also a warmth and thoughtfulness reminiscent of Steve Lacy. In 2019, Milmine released a solo album called ‘Straight Horn Magick’; a mixture of field recordings and solo soprano saxophone improvisations, followed by another solo album she released in 2022 called ‘Moods of Yellow’. She plays regularly in trio form with vocalist/dancer Susanna Hood, and pianist Tania Gill, and in duo form with pianist Diane Roblin in their project called ‘Ladyfinger’. In February 2019, she was invited to record with celebrated bassist, William Parker in a chamber-improv sextet in NY, where she often travels to study with mentor/collaborator, Sam Newsome. She is a co-founder of the Women From Space Festival in Toronto.

Anita Katakkar studied tabla in Toronto with composer and musician Ritesh Das from 1999-2009. Since then she has studied in California, Kolkata and Toronto with the celebrated tabla maestro of the Lucknow tradition, Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri.

With Indo-Scottish roots, Anita’s music represents a link between her heritage and community. Anita is a composer and musician with a focus on North Indian tabla. Her career began with the Toronto Tabla Ensemble from 2001 to 2009. After this, she formed a solo project under her nickname “Rakkatak” (her last name spelled backwards), which allowed her to present tabla compositions using a palette of rhythm, melody, and ambient textures alongside Toronto musicians. Through Rakkatak, Anita released an EP and 3 full length albums, with the latest being Char Taal and a Raga Rainbow, released in 2021. The Rakkatak song "Heliosphere”, is the opening to CBC Radio's "Big City Small World" hosted by Errol Nazareth. Rakkatak songs have achieved #1 and #2 spots on the National International earshot charts for community and campus radio.