Ma Dharma Kavisha
(Kavisha Mazzella)
Born in London, England, to an Italian father and Anglo- Burmese mother and migrating to Australia in the early sixties, Kavisha comes from a musical family. Her maternal Grandmother played old folk tunes on banjo and sang in the church choir , her Mother plays guitar and sings and was her first guitar teacher and her paternal Uncle is a singer of the Neopolitan Bel Canto tradition. Born amongst a family of singers , it was her destiny to sing. Whilst studying fine art at Claremont Art School, Kavisha started playing at a local winebar to pay for her paints and got carried away by music. In 1987 she met up with John Reed and formed Rich 'N' Famous. They were joined by Lee Buddle, Gary Burke, Rueben Kooperman and Peter Grayling in Fremantle. In 1993 she migrated to Melbourne embarking on her solo career.
Kavisha is a multi award winning singer songwriter & storyteller who enjoys exploring musical boundaries.Well known in the Australian Folk festival scene for her original songs which slide smoothly from heartbreaking passion to dreamy high notes. Her rich sound is reminiscent of Portuguese Fado Queen Marriza, fused with the social commentary of Luka Bloom. While it has been said " she sings with the voice of a heartbroken angel", her performances are also comic and uplifting. She makes passionate, life-affirming music which is an energetic fusion of her own original music in which you can also hear echoes of Italian folk traditions tinged with Country, Celtic and Gypsy styles. She enjoys collaborating with many musicians, most recently Irine Vela and Peter Vadiveloo. She is passionate about human rights and often takes part in projects highlighting refugee,multicultural and indigenous issues.
She has been exploring her musical heritage Italian Folk Roots music since the late 80's and is one of Australia's finest exponents of the Italian Folksong Tradition. She also sings from time to time with her brother Giri Antonio Mazzella in the Commedia Academy of Australia's The Black Nonnas Music Theatre and with i Viaggiatori (the Travellers) Italian Folk Band. She also leads the Melbourne Italian Women's Choir "La Voce Della Luna".
Kavisha has performed at International music festivals that include Australia-Ireland Festival Dublin, Cork Arts Festival Ireland, Edinburgh Fringe Festival Scotland, Calgary Folk Festival Canada, European Union Broadcasters Festival Miscolc Hungary, Femme Funk Festival New Caledonia. In July 2011 Kavisha has been invited to EthnoHistria Festival in Slovenia EU.
Awards and nominations include the
- Australia Day Honour, Order of Australia (AM) in 2011 for services to Music, Indigenous, Multicultural and Refugees Issues
- WAMIA (West Australia Music Industry Award) 1990 Songwriting Prize for "Wedding Sheets"
- WAMIA 1992 Songwriting Prize for " Little Sister"
- WAMIA 1993 Outstanding Female Vocalist
- GREENROOM AWARD 1996 Musical Direction of "Emma Celebrazione" by Graham Pitts
- ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Award) 1998 for Best World Music Album of the year "Fisherman's Daughter"
- Australian World Music Awards Thredbo 2000
- Italian Government award Italia Nel Mondo Award 2000
- ARIA nomination 2003 for Best World Release "Silver Hook Tango"
- Port Fairy Artist of the Year 2004
- Victorian Multicultural Commission Excellence Award 2008
Contact Details
- address
- Melbourne VIC
- PO Box 44
- Coburg VIC 3058
- Australia
- phones
- Mobile: 0412-893-355
- Skype: kavishamazzlla
- Skype: kavishamazzella
- kavisha
kavisha.com
- blog
- Kavisha Mazzella
- discography
- 1990 : Flowers In The Desert : I Papaveri
- 1991 : Best Song In The World : Rich'n Famous
- 1995 : Mermaids In The Well
- 1997 : Stepping Out : La Voce Della Luna, Italian Women's Choir
- 1997 : Three Sheilas with Judy Small & Bronwyn Calcutt
- 1998 : Fisherman's Daughter
- 1999 : Live At The Melbourne Concert Hall with the Melbourne Millenium Chorus
- 2000 : Canberra, Cork, Calgary...Live
- 2001 : Luna E.P., Concert for East Timor with the Melbourne Millenium Chorus
- 2001 : Concert for East Timor with the Melbourne Millenium Chorus
- 2002 : Flight Concert for Refugees with the Melbourne Millenium Chorus
- 2003 : Silver Hook Tango
- 2005 : Azadi - Songs of Liberation with the Melbourne Millenium Chorus
- 2006 : Mare Profundo with the Melbourne Millenium Chorus
- 2007 : Luna Yarra with La Voce Della Luna
- 2010 : Suitcase Serenata with I Viaggiatori
- 2011 : Love & Sorrow
- videography
- 1993 : Three clips from her movie The Joys of the Women feat. Le Gioie Delle Donne Italian Women's Choir
- 2008 : Love and Justice A women's anthem sung by 400 women of Victoria, Australia to mark the centenary of Suffrage - finally getting the Vote in Australia after 19 attempts in Parliament. Composed and conducted by Kavisha.
- SBS RocKwiz: Kavisha - Invisible Indivisible
- SBS RocKwiz: Kavisha & Mick Thomas - Don't You Want Me Baby
- Kavisha sings Amour
- Kavisha and Gerry O'Beirne - Meet Me Tonight
- Bella Caio by Kavisha Mazzella & The Bella Caio Trio
- Interview
