Kane Mathis + Dan Kurfirst

Kane Mathis (kora, oud) + Dan Kurfirst(percussion)

Kane Mathis’ musical career began at age 16 playing blues clubs in Chicago for 5 before going to The Lawrence Conservatory to study Jazz and Classical guitar. Simultaneously Kane Began making trips to The Gambia, Africa to live with a family of hereditary musicians which he has done for the past 15 years. Kane holds a diploma from The Tiramang Traditional music school in The Gambia and has performed for the President of The Gambia, the American Ambassador to The Gambia, and he has appeared on Gambian National Radio and Television. In 2011 Kane became the first non-African to be endorsed by the countries National Center For Arts and Culture. Kane is also one of the leading interpreters of Ottoman classical music having studied at Istanbul’s I.T.U. conservatory before a 5 year apprenticeship with Oud virtuoso Münir Beken. Kane is regularly commissioned to create original works for dance, theater, and instrumental ensembles. Kane has created works for dance over the past 10 years with newer works focused on electronic fixed media. Kane is a 2010 Earshot Jazz album of the year winner and a recipient of the 2012 Chamber Music America grant.