About us
Taali Khali (Arabic: تالي خالي) (Hindi: ताली खाली) is simply yet profoundly defined as sound (Taali) and silence (Khali).
These two fundamental musical ingredients, derived from Arabic and Hindi terminology, yet represented phonetically in order to respectfully welcome musical cultures from around the world, is the quintessence of this ensemble.
Hailed as “a sound you haven’t heard before…the warmth of a sunrise over the cold expanse of the universe” (24/7 Valencia, the English Speaking Connection), Taali Khali presents original compositions and traditional repertoire from India and the Middle East, with influences from Spain and the African diaspora.
A unique and diverse instrumentation, the ensemble features the Tabla and percussion maestro from India, Chaitanya Natu , Syrian Qanoun virtuoso Omran Adrah.
Welcomed are all listeners, as sonic travelers, on this journey throughout these assorted and beautiful cultures through the epic rhythms, perplexing harmonies, and soothing melodies of Taali Khali.
Omran Adrah
Qanoun
Omran Adrah is a Qanoun player/composer from Damascus (Syria). He is a graduate from the Higher Institute of Music in Damascus and has a master’s degree in Contemporary Performance and Production from Berklee College of Music in Spain.
Although he is deeply rooted in Arabic and Turkish music, Omran’s unique style is based on many different traditions, such as flamenco, Latin jazz, and classical music.
His enchanting music takes the listener on an exciting journey towards a crossroads where East and West intersect in beautiful and surprising ways, with an intention to convey self-reflection and spiritual enhancement through his music.
Omran has performed with other world-renowned orchestras such as Prague Orchestra, Armenian Orchestra, and Syrian National Symphony. He Continues his career in Spain by performing a series of concerts at different musical venues in Spain and presenting his music through many projects that he’s working on, in addition to collaborating with other groups such as Ataxía “greek folklore” and Ensemble Alfonsi “medieval music” as well as other artists.
In 2017 he won the third prize in the international festival of ethnic culture in Astana (Kazakhstan) for his performance of Kazakh folk music.
Chaitanya Natu
Tabla / Percussion
Chaitanya Natu is a percussionist from India who started playing tabla at the age of six in a musical family. He completed a Master of Music in contemporary performance and production at Berklee College of Music in 2021, where he researched combining African polyrhythms, flamenco, and Middle Eastern rhythms with Indian tala.
He holds an Advanced Diploma in Music from Bhartiya Vidyapeeth and a Master of Music in tabla from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya (2018). Academically, he earned a Master’s in Computer Applications from Pune University (2019) and a Master’s in Digital Marketing from IEM Business School, Valencia (2023).
Chaitanya has performed at various festivals in India, including a Guinness World Record event by “Art of Living” in 2012. He has played percussion in devotional and folklore music and joined ensembles in Spain, exploring genres like Indo-Flamenco Jazz, traditional folk, Sufi-Electronic, Middle-Eastern, and Indian Classical Music.
He worked on projects blending batucada with the folk instrument “tasha” from Maharashtra, India. He has collaborated with artists like Gilberto Gil, Kanishk Seth, and Mateo Falgas. He performs Indian classical music with Dr. Rajnandini in Barcelona.
Currently residing in Valencia, Chaitanya works as a web developer, collaborates with bands like Taali-Khali and Umpah, teaches Indian rhythm internationally, and creates his own music.
Sergio Martinez
Sergio Martínez, Madrid, Spain, 1977.
He is one of the most influential and international Flamenco percussionists today.
After more than 20 years touring around the world with some of the most important Flamenco artists, Sergio moved to Boston where he graduated from Berklee College of Music and Berklee Global Jazz Institute, studying drums and percussion with Jamey Haddad, Casey Scheuerell, Mike Rinquist, Ralph Peterson and many other percussion masters. Afterwards transferred to Valencia, where he got his Masters Degree at Berklee College of Music Valencia Campus where he is currently part of the Faculty team, teaching Flamenco Percussion and ensembles.
Some of his collaborations include artists like Paul Simon, Al di Meola, El Cigala, José Mercé, Niña Pastori, Jorge Pardo, Pepe de Lucía, Ballet nacional de España, some of the most important Flamenco dancers, such as Mario Maya, Merche Esmeralda, Antonio Canales or Rocío Molina to name a few. He includes collaborations with references in the contemporary Jazz world such as Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, Terri Lyne Carrington, Ben Street, Joe Lovano, and George Garzone among many others.
Sergio has recorded in more than 50 albums and is a band leader of his own projects too.
He is very involved in the community, designing and working on creative/educational projects in disadvantaged areas, in different places of the world.
Since 2018 he is a member of the Al di Meola Acoustic Quartet and Perico Sambeat Flamenco Quartet.
Kris Ramakrishna
Kris Ramakrishna is a Swiss/Indian guitarist, composer/arranger, and educator based in Valencia, Spain. Beginning lessons on the guitar at the early age of 5, his unique and sought-after sound is in direct correlation with his diverse ancestry, taking influences from European and Indian classical, Jazz/Blues, as well as incorporating musical vocabulary from his studies with legendary Palestinian composer and Oud player Simon Shaheen, and disciple of Paco de Lucia, flamenco guitarist Ruben Diaz.
Between the ages of 16 and 17, Ramakrishna, in affiliation with the Berklee Clinics at Umbria Jazz, was given the opportunity with students from around the world to perform at the Umbria Jazz Festival ’13 and ’14, one of the largest Jazz festivals in Europe. After meeting Paco de Lucia in 2012, Kris pursued a more in depth understanding of Flamenco harmony, resulting in the bestowment of the final composition grant by the Contemporary Flamenco Guitar Studio in Malaga, Spain.
Holding a bachelors in Jazz composition and arranging from Berklee College of Music, as well as a Masters in contemporary performance and production from Berklee Valencia, Kris has performed internationally, as a soloist, and with various ensembles. Kris Ramakrishna aims to celebrate the differences and similarities between these musical dialects in order to establish a unity between these incredible cultures.