Eliyahu Sills Downloads

A native of Boston, Eliyahu Sills has been studying and performing music for over 20 years. In the early 1990s, he studied the upright bass in at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City.  Deeply influenced by teachers Makanda Ken McIntyre, Arnie Lawrence and Reggie... Learn More »

A native of Boston, Eliyahu Sills has been studying and performing music for over 20 years.

In the early 1990s, he studied the upright bass in at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City.  Deeply influenced by teachers Makanda Ken McIntyre, Arnie Lawrence and Reggie Workman, the bassist who played with John Coltrain and Art Blakely, Eliyahu began performing as a sideman and bandleader in renowned jazz clubs such as The Village Gate and Small's.

In the years that followed, Eliyahu fell in love with the flute and applied the musical theory that he learned through his jazz studies to teach himself this most ancient of instruments.  After falling under the spell of the Sufi music of Turkey, he became a devoted student of both the nay, the reed flute of the Middle East, and the bansuri, the bamboo flute of India.  He has since continued to study and perform these magical instruments under the guidance of masters Steve Gorn and his teacher G.S. Sachdev, to whom he is a devoted student.

In April, Eliyahu returned from a 4-month pilgimage to Turkey in search of a local living master to take him in and teach him the nuances of the nay.  During his journey, he fell in love with Istanbul and had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study under masters Neyzen Omer Erdogdular and Neyzen Ahmet Kaya.

Eliyahu's mastery of musical styles spans the globe.  He has performed and recorded vibrant sacred music of the Middle East with Za'atar, West African folk music with the Palm Wine Boys, soul roots reggae with the Original Intentions, Latin-tinged jazz with Sparlha Swa, bluegrass-inspired beats with Ilene Adar, and revolutionary Hip-hop with Rebels Advocate.

He loves performing for and teaching music to young people. He produced and performed bass and flute on Mitzvah Magic, a fun filled journey through morning prayers and songs, and has taught at The Mosaic Project.

He has recently been in the studio recording with the JP Cutler Band for their new EP scheduled for release in Fall 2006 and appeared live with Jason Ranjit Parmar on KPFA's Discreet Music Archives with Jane Heaven.  Eliyahu now plays public and private concerts throughout the the United States and is completeing work on his newest CD, Eliyahu & the Sounds of Qadim.
« Hide Description