The word "galitcha" means "tapestry" and Galitcha is most certainly that. It's perhaps the only Indian music band to feature a white tabla player and a white harmonium player/vocalist.

The tabla (and dhol) player is Shawn Mativetsky, a percussion instructor at McGill University and a disciple of Pandit Sharda Sahai. The harmonium player, and second vocalist, is Chris MacLean, a folk singer-songwriter from Wakefield QC whose splendid range and versatility – and convincing pronunciation of Punjabi - is showcased to full effect on the intricate Indian melodies. MacLean also plays guitar and dulcimer. The third band-member is jazz flute and sax player, Linsey Wellman, a graduate of the Carlton University jazz performance program, whose other projects include the calypso group Kobo Town and the Sun Ra tribute Rakestar.

Rounding out the group is group leader Kujlit Sodhi (Cool-jeet Soe-dee). Born into a musical family in Amritsar in the Punjab region of India and raised in Montreal, Sodhi began studying voice in his teens with teachers at Sikh temples - home to some of the most superbly trained Indian musicians in the world, if you know to look. He was inspired to pursue music full-time by a chance encounter with the late great, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, for whom he became a favourite North American "jamming buddy."

This harworking band has literally played all over the world, playing gigs at the Festival au Désert in Timbouctou, Mali and Festival de Rabat and International Festival de Tetouan in Morrocco. In fact, it is Galitcha's live performance that has earned the group some of its most enthusiastic acclaim. Coleman Barkin of New York City's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts called their show there "an evening of love," adding "Galitcha is that rare blending of superb musicianship and emotional connection ." Paul Emile Comeau of Penguin Eggs, named Galitcha one of the top 10 live acts of 2003.

Since 1996 Kuljit Sodhi, Galitcha's lead singer, composer and percussionist has been building an ensemble which integrates music with a strong North Indian footprint overlaid with influences from western folk and jazz and instrumentation from around the world. From heartfelt devotional and love songs, to compelling lively dance tunes, Galitcha (meaning tapestry) takes audiences on a musical journey from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other. The songs are mainly sung in Punjabi, Urdu and Hindi with explanations in English and/or French. Vocalists Kuljit Sodhi also on East Indian dholki drum and Chris MacLean also on guitar, the accordion-like harmonium, Appalachian dulcimer and a one-stringed banjo called gopichand; Linsey Wellman on saxophones and flutes; and Shawn Mativetsky on East Indian tabla drum, dhol (barrel drum) and percussion; create a culturally diverse Canadian sound. But Galitcha's performances are not just about the music. There is an inspiring sense of devotion - to the muse, to each other, to the audience - which is consistently part of their presence on and off stage