jazz raga biography

Lee Torchia came to New York as an actress, and was introduced to the Indian Raga Singer, Pandit Pran Nath, and his Disciples, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela and the composer of “In C”, Terry Riley. For the next twenty years, she studied Raga with Guruji, traveling to India with him many times, teaching and performing with him in Europe, and becoming his Initiated Disciple in January, 1996.

Giving up the pursuit of Broadway, she continued to perform jazz with many of New York’s finest, including Walter Bishop, Jr., Slide Hampton, Muhal Richard Abrahms, Armen Donelian, and others. She developed a fusion style, Jazz Raga, which premiered at the Village Gate. Receiving a Grant from the National Endowment of the Arts to study with Helen Merrill led to recording a CD, “Loverman” with jazz legends, bassist Milt Hinton, drummer Mel Lewis, saxophonist Ricky Ford and the composer and pianist, Roger Ram Ramirez.

Lee lives in New York City and performs at Universities and festivals.

Her next recording will be a Raga, and will be available in early 2009.

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