Zai- in Chinese means: to exist.
Circle: is the continuation-the complete. Whole. It is also literally the act of playing together in a circle-to continually change, collaborate, and shift with the musicians in the circle.

"The goal is not to force change in others but rather to listen, learn, and appreciate what we all bring to the equation and to collaborate with each other to create something new". KeLan 6/09

Zai Circle was formed in March of 2009 with the idea of recording a conversation that would look deeply at the theme of "remembrance" -not in a sad or melancholy way, but rather in an acknowledgment of our ancestors and experiences that have brought us to the present and given us the courage to move into the future. We recorded over 3 hours of music with 8 musicians from 5 countries; US, Senegal, Japan, France, and Iran.

2009 has been a busy year for Zai Circle with a major concert in June at Museum of History and Industry in Seattle, again featuring an international cast, this time from Mongolia, Israel, and the Philippines. Fall for Zai Circle introduces the “Dialogues of Here and Now” series of 4 concerts with a diverse range of performers including: music, spoken word, poetry, and visual images, with one live CD planed for an early 2010 release. KeLan will end the year, (and start 2010), in China hosting musical conversations with local traditional Chinese musicians, dancers, and artists-a nice way to set the stage for a full year of new dialogues and directions. Stay Tuned!