Drummer, composer, and master sonic collagist Adam Rudolph assembled 40 celebrated musicians from his Go: Organic Orchestra and the Brooklyn Raga Massive. The result, now available on all formats, is an epic, milestone recording called Ragmala – A Garden of Ragas. Beyond category, “Ragamala” is one of those musical projects that’s better heard than described....
Genres and categories are cool when you’re trying to sell something. But some of our most compelling musical artists don’t pay attention to the imperatives of the marketplace. They make what they make, and the grand bazaar of culture must sort out where to file the “product.” Ian Faquini (guitar) and Paula Santoro (voice), native Brazilians, explore the traditional...
A French-Moroccan chanteuse who sings in English, French and Berber, Hindi Zahra sounds exactly like herself — which is to say unlike anyone else. Backed by as few instruments as she can get away with — a guitar, some bongos — Hindi fills the soundscape with her peculiarly seductive voice, a thin airy tone that suggests...
Aside from the usual side-effects of hypnotic music — tapping toes, pumping heads, swaying shoulders — one of the interesting results of listening to the Cambodian Space Project is the onset of what feels vaguely like a psychoactive hallucination. They’ve got a delightful weirdness factor (at least to unseasoned Western ears). You feel transported. But...
An Open Letter to Councilmember Hugo Soto-MartinezDear Councilmember Soto-Martinez,
The man you replaced, Mitch O’Farrell, was perceived by many as a cynical politician who placed the desires of wealthy real-estate developers over the concerns of the people he was supposed to represent. Sensitive to any perception of impropriety, you’ve made it a point to not accept…
The “letter” in question was written as a heartfelt Christmas greeting nearly 600 years ago by the early-Renaissance painter Fra Angelico. Inspired by this ancient missive, the French drummer Raphael Pannier has composed a suite of thoroughly modern music exploring the themes of universal brotherhood and divinity. He’s joined on the recording by, among others,...
