Zingaia

Zingaia draws its name from the ancient Greek gypsy tribe known as Zingari paired with Gaia, the Greek Goddess of Earth, a fusion devised by multi-instrumentalists and visual artists Katlyn and Michael Breene to express the core drive of their collaborative work. The married couple, active together since the early ’90s, sought an artistic platform to address the sexualization prevalent in mainstream culture alongside its omission from numerous spiritual traditions. Michael’s established command of jazz, funk, country, and rock & roll found a natural counterpart in Katlyn’s abilities as a painter, sculptor, and dancer. On Sequoia Records the project released its first album, Beneath the Veil, in 1997, presenting an unconventional mix of seductive atmospheres. Three years afterward came Dancers of Twilight, which included guest contributions from vocalist and percussionist Abbi Spinner. Their third record, Soles of the Earth (2004), sustained the group’s engagement with worldbeat rhythms and trance pulses.