Mon Feb 28, 2005
current offerings
For live work in U.S., Europe and Japan, the following projects are being offered:
1) Sama' Duo or Trio
2) Duo with Ramon Lopez
3) Solo oud/sarod/guitar, with or without workshops
I am currently scheduling European and domestic dates for 2005/2006 for the above formations...hit the contact button on the left!
I am also interested in performing as a side person in other projects if it seems a good fit; I like being able to contribute to and support other artists work that I feel a strong connection to.
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Sun Jun 05, 2005
This is not your Santa Fe flamenco: duos with Ramon lopez
Purists beware...
A percussionist/drummer from Spain but based in Paris, Ramon contacted me out of the blue via the internet. As it turns out, here was someone else - in fact the only one else I know to my knowledge - who was also equally well-grounded and passionate for both the flamenco and free traditions. We exchanged CDs and vowed to somehow get together for a recording project.
In November 2002, I had an offer for a guitar concert in Erlbach Germany and supplemented the trip with a few gigs in Holland. In between, there was just enough time - two days - to meet with Ramon and do the project.
It was intense. We had never met before, much less played together, but being familiar with each others recorded work gave us a sense of what was possible - and neither of us were disappointed.
It is flamenco like its never been heard before - freed from strict compas but with a rhythmic vitality and groove that is as hard and earthy as anything you'd care to find.
Sadly, we haven't been able to get the Cd released, but we 're still hoping to do so. A few samples are included here:
Ramon Duo, number 5
what we do...
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Ramon Duo, number 7
A nice piece featuring Udu drum and various bells...
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Ramon Duo, number 9
A good representation of interplay, space, and dynamic shifts.
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Ramon Duo, number 12 (bulerias)
A series of spontaneous changing rhythmic/groove shifts with a loose bulerias underpinning.
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We still hope to find a home for this work - and we've talked of recording a new set of duos, now to reflect the oud, sarod, and fretless.
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Mon Mar 07, 2005
solo
Solo performances and workshops are always offered. Solo performances are on oud, sarod, a combination of oud and sarod, or all three instruments (oud, sarod, and guitar).
Previous solo concerts have included FMP Total Music Meeting (Berlin 1994), Zuid Nederlands Jazz Festival (Eindhoven 1995), Nickelsdorf concert season (1995, 1998), International Guitar Festival of Great Britain ( Wirral 1997), Paderborn Gitarrenfest ( Paderborn 1998), V Festival Hispanoamericano de Guitarra (Tijuana, 1998), Erlbach (2002) and elsewhere.
recent work:
SOLO TAQSIM an update on my oud work, from the June 2004 show in Santa Fe (solo sarod coming soon, but see the Sama' page for the most recent oud and sarod samples).
playlist format
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from the "Six Peaces" CD: (solo oud/guitar)
LAST HOME (oud/guitar) a minor-key alegrias, exchanging passages between oud and guitar.
playlist format
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DANCE ACROSS THE DIVIDE ( solo oud) a more active rhythmic piece for oud.
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from "Sangre Del Rio": (solo avant/flamenco)
HOMENAJE A JOE MANERI a brief completely free improvisation.
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VIENTO ROJO (solea) this modern-voiced soleá is framed by opening and closing free improvisations.
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HIJO a gentle melody, for my son.
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Fri Mar 04, 2005
more thoughts on sama' 's music approach
Improvisation remains the central unifying root. Collective improvisation in music is fairly widespread across the globe, and yet this improvisational process is only a tool to operate music, and in turn music itself is only a tool to activate hearts and uplift. If we're building sonic architectures for better hearts, then, we must go beyond scales, notes, beyond the conventional 'world-music' status quo; I wanted to absorb how different musically improvising cultures approach song form, an entire performance structure, how different improvisational processes serve to inform and shape different structures, different homes for the soul. Yet , its still a home; so how are these architectures approached?
On the other hand, on can overanalyse. Heart builds for heart, if the plans are clear, and thats what we strive for.
One plan, for example, to acheive clarity via the balance of written and open: Instant melody. Improvise a distinct theme, with the rest of the ensemble learning it in real time, and developing it as a group, as a whole or in smaller dialogues. Spontaneously inscribe a line to remember and recall on the hearts of listeners. As a group, make that line a poem to give them.
This is all in the hope to acheive a more direct delivery. It's about more than setting Rumi to new age ethereal pads, its about activating hearts on conscious, subconscious, emotional, spiritual and physical levels, inshallah, if we do our work right.
While purely instrumental music can carry the substream that can activate the heart, there is the additional powerful timbral current of the voice itself, and the direct river of information transmitted via text. The total combination is a step towards the optimization and intensification of the delivery medium I'm seeking.
To that end, I am looking for a singer familiar with Arabic muwwal and Hindi-Pakisatani Qawwali traditions to join us on occasions, to deliver and help choose Sufi texts in whatever languages the singer is able: English, Arabic, Spanish, Hindi, Urdu, Persian.
Inshallah, this will be a grooving, high-spirited, spritiual positive uplift dance meditation healing party experience.
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Sama' duo
As Jeremy is still based in Cleveland, in Cleveland, Jefferson and I carry on in a duo format, with our regular gig at the Travel Bugand whatever else creeps up. Its a great way for the material to evolve and develop, and some nice things are coming out of it:
BARAKAH
a happy tune, 'blessings' in Arabic.Live from the Travel Bug.
playlist format
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ALAP AND IMPROV
in rag Ahir Bhairav, from a January rehearsal here at the house.
playlist format
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In keeping with the opennness ive described elsewhere on the site, I'll post additional versions as they occur. It will also be interesing to compare forthcoming duo versions of Trio pieces with the Trio samples in the entry below.
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Sama' Trio
The new version of the trio welcomes Jefferson Voorhees on Pakawaj and drums, and puts a different take on the group - a bit more subtle, intense. This new lineup premiered at the High Mayhem festival sat oct 9, and had some successful follow up gigs on oct 23 and 24; - see below for samples.
The direction evolves a bit: the Sama' Trio's spiritually -oriented take on transcultural music foregoes the conventional 'world-music' status quo: instead of apeing scales and notes, the group reaches into the deeper architectures of form, process and method used in musical traditions from India and the Middle East. from this , the Trio forges a common heart of sound via both ancient and cutting-edge improvisational techniques: Middle Eastern maqams may develop as ragas; Arabic modes with a Turkish melodic aesthetic float through on rhythms from India, d'n'b , funk and bhangra; new ragas blossom with the modern touch of quarter tone composition; and its all nestled within forms based on Persian ensemble or Indian classical work. ideally we aim for a heart-bending improvisational experience of unity in diversity!...
Jefferson Voorhees resides in Albuquerque and is one of the regions most versatile and sought after percussionists. His resume includes such projects as the Tom Guralnick Trio, Bayou Seco, Stove, and Out of Context, among many others. His time spent in India studying music and percussion (as well as his performances with Iraqi oudist Rahim Alhaj) adds some particularly unique qualifcations for the project, allowing this group to be a perfect vehicle for Jefferson's unerring, distinct musicality and and intense focus.
mp3 samples:
GOD'S MIRRORS
A lively Turkish-inspired piece in 7, from the High Mayhem performance.
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FALL IN BLOOM
A slower piece, with moments of abrupt drama. Based loosely on the Marwa that, but closer to the Sohini approach.
playlist format
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TAOS OPENING IMPROV
A nice range of paces and textures.
playlist format
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LAST HEART
with sarod, with a theme in a 15 beat cycle (pancham sawari), In rag Jaunpuri.
playlist format
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For those new to this project - or for those who've been following its development - what follows is a description of the music, and a bit of the philosophy and approach behind it:
More...
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Mon Feb 28, 2005
2004
For context, a bit of what happened late last year:
High Mayhem 2004
High Mayhem 2004! october 8-10
three days of the region's best possible cutting edge music, organized by the indefatigable Max and Carlos. If you see them, bless them and shower them with large donations of karma and cash. Im serious - they do this with sweat and love and earn our undying respect and loyalty for it. help them out.
Im performing in three groups, and no guitar - only oud and sarod:
MJane, with vocalist Molly Sturges and ensemble , friday night 8 pm;
a newly revised Sama' Trio ( my own), Saturday at 3.00 pm; and
Out of Context, with J. A. Deane and ensemble., Sunday at 8.00.
Time allowing, i will update on the blog.
All shows are at the Paramount. Go to their site at http://www.highmayhem.org ...
More Sama' Trio gigs:
Jeremy returns in two weeks for two area performances:
23.10.2004 Taos , NM 7.30 PM Mabel Dodge Lujan House
10$ in advance/12 at the door 10 for 18 and under
Info and reservations: Prima Surya Productions 758-1251
24.10.2004 Out ch'Yonda Art Space
929 4th Street, SW - , NM - 10 blocks south of Central on 4th
3.00 pm admission 10$
more info / more directions - call 385-5634
08.04
3x3x3:
This is interesting series ive developed, and i imagine the solo work will begin to take a similar approach, utilizing all three instruments. This particular series is called 3x3x3, and pairs me up for three different concerts using the three instruments with three different percussionists ( a different percussionist each concert.
The intial inquiries have been strong and there a lot more percussionists whove expressed an interest, so Im hoping the series can be extended.
Heres what we have so far:
Sundays in August: 3x3x3
Maison & Thé
821 Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Tel: 505-992-0972
5 pm
by Donation
Aug 15: Jeremiah Glauser
Aug 22: Jefferson Voorhees
Aug 29: Shawn Woodyard
06.04
sama unveils :
the project finally arrives for an inital series of three gigs:
details:
Friday June 4 - Albuquerque
Out ch'Yonda Art Space
929 4th Street, SW - , NM - 10 blocks south of Central on 4th
8:15 pm admission 10$
more info / more directions - call 385-5634
Saturday June 5 - Santa Fe
Tribes Coffeehouse
139 West San Francisco( behind "Origins", in the courtyard)
Santa Fe
7.30 pm 10$
Sunday June 6 - Taos
Taos Inn / Adobe Bar
125 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, Taos
6.00 pm
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workshop: Thanking the Gift - Spiritual Responsibility in the Artistic Process
For the first time, a workshop/concert combination can be offered.
Whether struggling through blocks or honing continuous refinements, artists of all disciplines live in a dynamic, perpetual process of improving and defining their work. Understanding the components of that process - and their interrelationships - is crucial to the process s success and the efficacy of one s talent.
If talent is a God-given gift , then how do we honor and give thanks to it? What are the relationships and behaviors between the Gift (the intangible talent), the Giver (divine source), the Gifted or Receiver (the artist) and the Gift Manifested ( the artwork?)
In this spiritually-oriented workshop/presentation/concert, Mustafa Stefan Dill helps identify these components and clarify the dynamics of their relationships. From this foundation, concepts and techniques are explored to help deepen one s awareness of the Divine latent in every artist s work - and to strengthen both one s connection and responsibility to that Source.
Available in either one or two day formats, the two-day format offers the opportunity for a collaborative presentation/concert/showing by the participants at the end of the second day.
Some areas that will be explored include:
1) Identifying the metaphysical components of the artistic path;
2) God in Heart, God in Art: exploring the components relationships, including:
*The personal voice and the divine: the fallacy of art as personal expression or catharsis
*Two common blocks: inspiration but no vision; vision but no inspiration
*Connectedness
3) The responsibility of the Divine Gift
4) Putting the Gift in service: spiritual, social, or political mandate?
5) other areas as time and interest allow.
Activities include communal breathing exercises, guided meditations and other focussing techniques. Participants are encouraged to bring instruments, drawing or painting materials, computers, or whatever portable artistic media they are working in. Comfortable clothing is encouraged.
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the projects
This section details the principal musical projects I 'm involved in currently, or have been:
ACOUSTIC SOLO performances and workshops; the hard-hitting freewheeling electric TRIO; its jazz/groove descendant, LOVE UNFOLD THE SUN; the new world music elctronica/Sufi project, SAMA; and various SPECIAL PROJECTS, such as the Ramon Lopez Duo.
Click on the appropiate categories for details on each of these; audio samples will be available on each of the pages shortly.
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