Permission Music
WDR Big Band Köln, Charlie Mariano, Karnataka College of Percussion, Mike Herting :
Sketches of Bangalore (2001)***°
Another super project from the Karnataka College of Percussion who gained attention in Germany after an incredible recording with the German Krautrock (later ethno prog jazzrock) group Embryo during their travel in India (on Embryo's "Reise").
Karnataka College of Percussion (KCP),from Bangalore, India, is in fact a changing group of young musicians who received a professional intensive training in percussion instruments and South Indian vocal music. The group often was involved in recordings with very open project with professional musicians from the West (David Rothenberg,..and now this project) and the Middle East (Okay Temiz from Turkey). Most of these projects were Indojazz Fusion, like this one too.
On this project the WDR Big Band plays along as if they always did. Together with Charlie Mariano, alto sax, they succeed to go beyond usual Big Band Jazz. In fact it's the first time a Big Band and an Indian Ensemble ever played together. And it works really very well, very energetically. Several tracks are more quiet and Indian mood. Mostly both worlds are melted perfectly into a big ensemble for Indojazz fusion. Only on the last two tracks either one kind of music takes the lead. I personally preferred the perfect combination from the first 50 minutes of the cd, expecially the title track and the Indian singing combinations of Indian and Jazzy percussion on several other tracks.
More information on the separate groups at the following links.
WDR BIG BAND KÖLN :
CHARLIE MARIANO :
KARNATAKA COLLEGE OF PERCUSSION :
with the Turkish percussionist Okay Temiz see further down.
Contact Ramesh Shotham who did another Indo Jazz project on Permission music with Dave King,
Simla House Inc. Ray Spiegel Ensemble : Sum and Kali (US,1997)***°
I listened and enjoyed this release already a few times before I got myself settled down for a review. It can be categorized under the "Indojazz" genre, with on some tracks a bit extra direct attention to the interesting percussion. Most basic rhythms however are in relaxed modes. It starts as classical Indian raga, then continues with the second track in a relaxed unpretentious Indojazz style. The percussion at first is only just fitting, and it's not until a bit further on that there is an extra attention to more creative sounds with the percussion, especially with the tabla, with the additional high tones. In the next track, "Double Bhakti", and especially a bit further into the title track we can hear even better the individual style and fine craftsmanship of the leader of the band, the Japanese American percussionist, Ray Spiegel. In "Sum and Kali" the melodic creativity of the percussion is at its most surprising. "Colaba Blues" before that is an interesting original blues / jazz crossover combination still with the continuation of the Indian music flair, especially in the melody line of the violin and flute. "Ashes on the beach at Puri" uses some Jamaican ? like rhythms, with reggae rhythm guitar and a relaxed basic rhythm foundation / layer with a jazzy openness for improvisation for the Indian sarod, and a few other instruments. Also "Three point Five" with droning harmonium and tanpura builds up a beautiful percussive tension. The last track, a song, "Kali Ma" is an interpretation of a traditional song that in style could have derived as much from a medieval / Indian or Middle eastern source as from a creation of a similar shared experience. Many participants make this track a perfect crossover, with world, jazz, and Indian elements and can be appreciated from a jazz fusion, psychedelic trance progressive, world music and even other interest point of view. One of the most outstanding, energetic tracks, with some sax solo at the end too.
The album is a fine listening experience. It became finalist in the Crossroad Music Awards: 1998 Contemporary World Category.
Ray Spiegel's biography :
"Ray Spiegel was trained in the Punjab Gharana (style) of tabla playing for over 20 years by the late master of the tabla Ustad Alla Rakha. He has also received training from Ustad Zakir Hussain. He has performed and recorded in the U.S. and India as both accompanist and soloist, appearing with such well known musicians and vocalists such as: Alla Rakha, Ravi Shankar (Sitar), Sultan Khan (Sarangi), Aashish Khan (Sarode), Buddhadev Das Gupta (Sarode), Vidyadhar Vyas (Vocalist), Manilal Nag (Sitar), Ragunath Seth (Bansuri flute) and Barun Kumar Pal (Hindustani Guitar).
Outside the realm of traditional Indian Classical Music, Ray leads his group, the Ray Spiegel Ensemble, composes and records film and television soundtracks, and performs with many various artists including The Grateful Dead (Shakedown Street), Patty Smyth (Never Enough/Greatest Hits featuring scandal), Noirin Ni Riain (Celtic Soul), Mickey Hart/Diga Rhythm Band, Zakir Hussain and the Rhythm Experience, Robert Bly, Najma, Bhagavan Das, Gabrielle Roth, Shankar (violin), Bon Jovi,Paul Winter, Danilo Perez, Mike Diamond (Beastie Boys), Karl Berger, and Bill Cosby. Ray is also the founder of Simla House, an independent record label."
Simla House
Ray Spiegel Ensemble : Raga Jazz (US,2004)****'
Ray Spiegel Ensemble is Ray Spiegel, tabla & drums, John Benitez, acoustic bass, Tani Tabbal, drums, Barun Kumar Pal, on the sitar-like sounding Indian slide guitar (see picture left), with Ramesh Misra for 4 tracks on the violin-like sarangi (see picture right), Melanie Richeson on tampura, Stan Scott on harmonium and guitar on 5 tracks, and Ted Orr, guitar on “Night Vision”.
First of all I must say you can often hardly hear much difference between what is generally recognised as the sound of the sitar and its specific raga style, and the 'Indian slide guitar' playing of Barun Kumar Pal. The “jazz” part in the music is essentially most of the percussion (by Ray Spiegel & Tani Tabbal), with acoustic bass drive, where as the acoustic guitar (Stan Scott) follows, more quietly, this jazzy approach, and the Indian raga remains having its own working fundament (played by the tanpura, Indian slide guitar, sarangi, and partly the tabla). A track like “Barun’s Boogie” has much more percussion than usual in any Indian Fusion music, with even some slightly repetitive (Indo)jazz-fusion percussion solo, which works in a very groovy way, without loosing the raga leading theme by Barun Pal. “Dream Time” is similar. I seem to hear very, very quietly also some electric guitar mixed in it too. “El Camino Alto” is a more jazzy composition by acoustic bass player John Benitez, with a raga improvisation (by Ray & Barun) on top, and with a longer bass solo, with Indian tabla and tanpura. On “Night Vision” it is mostly Ramesh Misra leading on the sarangi, with secondly Barun on slide guitar and John Benitez on bass. Last track, “The Cosmic Causeway” has some heavy rhythmic groove beat sections, almost like dance music, still complex enough to get attention on many more levels of experience. A splendid, and highly recommended release.
A solo record of Indian slide guitarist Barun Kumar Pal is reviewed on next page.
Heaven On Earth Music Terracotta (UK,2003)*°°'
Both musicians have worked together in London for about 25 years. John Altman arranged music before from Bjork, Tina Turner, Rod Stewart and George Michael. Craig Pruess is an American with residence in UK, worked with the East African Conservatoire in Kenya, with MIT in US, and has arranged records for Cliff Richard, and for Bollywood director Anu Malik, arranged Indo-Fusion tracks for Massive Attack and Bond and played sitar with Manic Street Preachers, Gareth Gates, and the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
A reason why they were able to work with such big names possibly, one suspects is at least in the realm of technical perfection, and perhaps to give a recognisable or predictable character to an original sound. Terracotta has such recognisable aspects and such an approach that a mainstream public would easily accept.
Although I’m highly sceptical about the use of keyboards, and to just anything that comes close to what sounds like sample-like effects, every element here is implied with such perfection in production, the few mainstream aspects are, within all variation, completely forgivable.
On the quietest first track, “Cantour”, the soprano sax and sitar with violin leads the melodic part. The rich sitar sound is performed with some echo and additional keyboards, which make this instrument sound more mellower as usual. In that way it makes the approach in this -still pleasant- track, closer to a more New Age Jazz Fusion style. But, as I mentioned before, this aspect that here and there is integrated into the complete music score, of such a more superficial mood inspiration, still is done in balance with all other aspects. There’s plenty of acoustic contribution that the whole score works pretty well, and might even becomes better with various listen.
It is especially after the second track, that the dynamic elements are building up. “Dance With Shiva” with some percussion in between Indian and North African, with the sarangi (an Indian violin-like instrument) and an Arab-like orchestra (conducted by D.P.Bannerjee, and played by the London Session Orchestra), combined with sitar and some soprano sax, is much more what I hoped to expect from a product which they themselves called “Indo African Jazz Fusion”, - a true original combination-. Also a track like “Massai Sonata” has African elements, greatly mixed in and produced, besides with sitar, with some African percussion & kalimba, and another good example of this fusion style. A couple of, mostly short, tracks in between are again closer to the more superficial synthesizer mood creations and inspirations, New Age documentary styled, with still good ideas, like on “Lover’s Kiss”, where we hear a good combination of keyboards with guitar keyboard, and with an attractive variety of percussion mixed in. These two tracks were used before for a film, released by channel 4 television, mastered by Keith Gould.
The filmic mood on the last series is slowly changed, from “Whispers”, into the final 16 minute track, showing the abilities of the duo to make their fusion style come another dynamic height, leaving the mainstream aspect in the background, with an Indian element (by Craig) as well as the jazz fusion element (by Altman) in its rightful place, combined with Indian Fusion violin and vocals (by Nawazish Ali Khan) and very dynamic percussion (by Khuljit Bhamra).
A good CD with good production, and with enough complexity making it possible that repeated listens are even more rewarding.
