Kali Fasteau

Kali Fasteau – born Zusaan Kali Fasteau in Newark, New Jersey on March 9, 1947 – was a multi-instrumentalist and composer who appeared on over 20 albums during her career. She was born into a musical family and spent her childhood in New York and Paris, France. Since a young age, she studied soprano voice, piano, cello, flute, percussion, and many exotic instruments. In the late 1960s, she immersed herself in the free jazz scene after earning her bachelor’s degree in anthropology and Master of Arts degree in world music. She spent time integrating herself into the New York and San Francisco jazz scenes before she left the U.S. in 1972 in order to explore and play different music from around the world. She visited 16 countries in 13 years, performing with many iconic musicians including Sun Ra (in Amsterdam) and Archie Shepp (in Italy). Kali Fasteau met and married saxophonist and clarinetist Donald Rafael Garrett forming the group the Sea Ensemble. The duo released three albums including We Move Together (1974). After her life changing journey around the world, she resettled in New York and began recording music that was inspired and influenced by her travels. Starting her own label – Flying Note Records – she released a series of cassette-only albums beginning with 1986’s Bliss. By the end of the 1980s, her albums were issued on compact disc. Over the course of her career, she also performed with Rashied Ali, Oliver Lake, Johnny Dyani, William Parker, Jeanne Lee, and others. Kali Fasteau died on November 20, 2020 in her home in Monroe, New York.

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