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Fusion of rhythms
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"Piya Bavari" and "Global Spirit", two recently released albums, blend Indian and Western rhythms to create some soothing tunes.
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THE EAST and West are varied in their form of music. But what happens when these styles are combined? It becomes fusion, a form of music, which is fast gaining popularity around the world.
Otherwise known as World Music, fusion often borrows its influences from the traditional and folk music of various countries, be it the African Samba or the Latin beat. In India, there are but just a handful of `desi' fusion artistes. Mantra gained popularity through "Jantar Mantar", then the Colonial Cousins with "Krishna" and "Sa Ni Dha Pa" and Noble Savages, whose only claim to fame was "I'm An Indian".
However, Indian music has influenced quite a few international artistes. Kula Shaker sang "Govinda' in a very strange accent, while Madonna was seen sporting an "Om" in the music video of "Frozen" and Code Red collaborated with the diva, Asha Bhosle.
Just when we are beginning to feel the need for some earthy music, a couple of albums have hit the shelves. "Piya Bavari' (Times Music; Rs.55) is an album conceptualised by Abhijit Pohankar, a professional classical keyboard player, a disciple of santoor maestro Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma.
The idea is to combine Hindustani ragas with keyboard accomplishments to produce a unique musical effect.
The vocals are by Abhijit's father, Pt. Ajay Pohankar, who impresses with his professional and mature sound and has written many of the lyrics. The title track is extremely hummable mainly due to the tabla rhythms. "Kin Bairan" is noteworthy, for its mellow pace and good keyboard sounds. It ends with an opera-style vocal rendition, which sounds terrific.
The highlight of the album is "Rang De", a very up-beat, feel-good song. Despite the low pitch beats, this one begins with soothing strains on the guitar and proceeds to some speedy music and makes you want to rewind and give it a second hearing.
The album provides some refreshing Indian music, but with a modern touch.
Global Spirit by Karunesh (Times Music, Rs. 100)
What happens when a graphic designer born in Germany lands up in India on his spiritual journey around the world? What happens if he is interested in music? He makes a fusion album, which has Indian influences.
"Global Spirit" by Karunesh is perhaps among the best of Indian fusion today. The sounds of the sitar, tabla and violin blend wonderfully with that of the bass and keyboards. "Call of the Tribes" and "Punjab" are upbeat while "Earth song" and "Solitude" are mellower.
A. VISHNU
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