Dawoud

The musical offerings you are enjoying were honed through years of hard work.

My musical journey began when I picked up the guitar shortly after Jimi Hendrix died; and began sitar on my 18th birthday.

After touring the Midwest US with a few rock bands, I moved to New York City in 1983.

My achievements since then include:

Building a home recording studio.

Countless sessions and live performances.

Teaching; privately, and with the Bronx School of Music and Art, and the Harlem School of the Arts.

Toured the US and Europe as a bandleader (Paris, Milan, Zurich, Copenhagen, etc.).

Received radio airplay in the US, Europe, Russia, and Indonesia.



The release of my next CD, and further Tours of the US and Europe are being planned.



Discography of self produced solo recordings:

"Life Experience" (out of print)

"Rainy Afternoon Meditation" (out of print)

"Dawoud & the New Culture Ensemble" (out of print)

"The Tao of Mystic Jaz" (available online)

"Renegade Sufi"



A sample of the recordings I played on as a sideman:

"The World is a Hustle", "Social Drug" - Lauryn Hill

"She Who Bleeds" - Shelley Nichole

"Fakir" Celt Islam Soundsystem

"Natural High" - Sena

"Evidence of Things Not Seen" - Marshall Jones

"Burning" - Musa Ricci

"Breath" - Kena Custage

"African Rain" Jojo Kao

"Interpreter of Desires", - Analoge Fakir

"Blessed Mustapha" Khaleed Muhammad



Credits with theater / dance include:

"Aerial Dance" (Dha-Fusion Productions)

"The Brothers Karamazov" (Frost / Friedman Productions).

"Windows," (Leon Azul Productions).

"When I Pray" Adia Whittaker / Ase Dance Company

"It's Wake Up Time" (Bilal Family Productions).

"The Answer" (Najiullah Productions).

"Indigenous Woman" (Muhayyideen Wisdom Theater Productions).



Credits with film scoring include:

"Sleep" (Rahi Arman Prod.)

"RAM" (One Life Productions. dir. Edwin Porres)

"Sukoon" (dir. Fareen Butt)

"Intoxicating Rhymes & Sobering Wine" (dir. Majid Beemtaha)

"One Voice; Our Youth" (dir. Muhammad Stewart)

"Beyond Baklava" (Sunshine Star productions)

"Where There's a Will, There's a Way" (Sunshine Star productions)



Radio stations that feature my music include:

M3 Radio - New York City, WBAI - New York City, WPAT - New York City, Galaxie Radio Ontario,Canada, WNWK - New York City, WFMU - Jersey City, NJ, All That Jazz Radio - Malaga, Spain, WTUL - Baton Rouge, LA, Radio Voce Spazio - San Michele Italy, RCV 99FM - Lille, France, Radio Novosibrisk - Novosibrisk Russia, Radiopolaze Italio - Milano Italy, 91.7fm WHUS, Storrs, CN Worldbeat on KOOP -FM, Austin TX, and other radio stations throughout the US, Europe, Russia, Poland, and Indonesia.

A large number of internet radio stations are also presenting my music.



My Teachers include:

Jeff Slatnick (former student of Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan), Michael Harrison (Pandit Pran Nath, LaMonte Young), Kelvyn Bell (Lester Bowie, Roland Shannon Jackson, Kelvynator), Ustad Shaid Parvez Khan, Dr. Yusef Lateef, Pat Martino.



A few of the people I'd recorded and / or performed with:



Lauryn Hill, Yewande, Pamela West, Body Temple, Kelvyn Bell (Kelvynator, Lester Bowie,Arthur Blythe, Roland Shannon Jackson), Dean Bowman, Jessie "Cheese" Hameen (Brother Jesse played with everybody!), Abdou Mboup (Pharaoh Saunders, Joe Zawinul, etc.), Marie Alphonzo(Zap Mama), The Mysterious Tremendum Ensemble, Ravish Momin, Ustad Muzallim Hussain,

Jojo Kao (Fela Kuti), Akim Funk Buddha & Dha-Fusion, Steve Swell, Daniel Carter, Sabir Matin, Sayyd Abdul Khabir (Duke Ellington, Count Basie), Bob Cunningham (played with everyone!), Rahn Burton (Rahsaan Roland Kirk),

Larajji, Junni Booth (Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Elvin Jones,Larry Young), Tony Jones (Stevie Wonder, Patti LaBelle, etc), Harry Whittaker, Mansoor Scott, Shelly Nichole's Blak Bushe, Tonya Ridgely, and many others.



I am available for performances, recordings, tours, commissions for compositions (for musical events, theater, film, dance, etc.), music instruction, and diverse events where beautiful and powerful music is needed (including meditation, yoga, martial arts classes, or whatever we can imagine!). Contact me at dawoud@renegadesufi.com or renegadesufi@gmail.com.



What truly interests me is creating for the listener a unique and transformational experience. It is vitally important to me that I serve my audience in this way.



And now you are part of my audience too! I'm happy to have you here!



Dawoud performing a solo improvisation on the theme to his composition "Will to Power" (from his upcoming CD). The entire performance, as well as a full concert and interviews, will be available on DVD soon.