JAFFNA features Roger Mgrdichian (oud, saz, cumbus), Raji Malik (guitar, sarod), Branavan Ganesan (tabla, kanjira), and Joe Tayoun (dumbek, riq, cajon). The easy description of their music points to the geographical heritage of the musicians, but that's really just a starting point. Along with the strong Mid-East and Indian flavor come unmistakable flamenco, rock, Balkan and jazz influences, the result of jamming in and around the vibrant Philadelphia world music scene of the 1990s.

Jaffna, named after the home town in Sri Lanka of tabla player Branavan Ganesan, has had many incarnations over the years, but its roots lie in the Indian and Middle Eastern backgrounds of its members. Ganesan's background includes studies of Hindustani and Carnatic music traditions; Raji Malik (guitar and sarod) has studied Hindustani music and is an accomplished rock musician; Roger Mgrdichian (oud, saz) has played Armenian, Turkish and Arabic traditional music for years, often alongside Joseph Tayoun (dumbek, riq) whose family's Middle East Restaurant in Philadelphia was the initial meeting ground for these, as well as many other world and folk musicians in the early 1990's.

Jaffna has recorded two CDs: Acoustic Allies (1996) and Mandala (2004). Both are available by contacting us via email. Mandala is also offered through CD Baby which features a wonderful selection of traditional and world fusion music.