Date: September 23, 2015
Venue: Pioneer Works (NY)
Review by Dawoud Kringle
All non credit photos courtesy of Brooklyn Raga Massive
Pioneer Works venue is located in a desolate and largely unimpressive looking area of Brooklyn (despite being quite a beautiful space). However, on this night, the place was packed. The musicians from the Brooklyn Raga Massive, led by Sameer Gupta, convened at Pioneer Works to honor the memory of John Coltrane on his 89th birthday.
Artist: My Nada Brahma
Title: Mission to Mt. Everest
Label: Epoch Music
Genre: nu Indian jazz
CD Review by Dawoud Kringle
I love fusion, but only when it’s done right. Some fusion projects seem like hybrids that have inharmonious elements glued on to each other in some pitiful attempt to be “exotic.” But when it’s done right, there’s nothing better.
Interview by Richard Bennett
Photo courtesy of Arun Ramamurthy
The excellent violinist Arun Ramamurthy combines Carnatic music with jazz in his eponymously titled Arun Ramamurthy Trio. He lives in Brooklyn with wife, violinist Trina Basu and their baby son. When I offered him a baseball ticket in exchange for an interview, he quickly agreed. We sat in section 202 in the bleachers at Yankee Stadium on a sunny day. Arun was wearing a Don Mattingly Throwback Jersey. I bought Arun a hot dog and a beer and between innings we talked.
Richard Bennett (RB): In your ideal band, would you rather hire Questlove or Zakir Hussein?
Artist: Richard Bennett and Dhanashree Pandit Rai
Title: Mumbai Masala
Label: Times Music
Genre: nu Indian music/Indian jazz/West meets East?
CD Review by Dawoud Kringle
Pianist / composer Richard Bennet is one of the forefront musicians who are blending Indian raga with jazz. He released several groundbreaking recordings (including New York City Swara, Raga & Blues, Rhapsody in Yaman, etc.), and performed at Lincoln Center Out of Doors, The Guggenheim Museum, BAMcafe, Brooklyn Museum of Art, and NJPAC. He has toured the world with various jazz and blues ensembles.
Date: Saturday, April 2, 2011
Venue: Asia Society
Reviewed by William Harvey
On April 2nd, 2011, Tirtha performed at the Asia Society in Manhattan to promote the release of their new self titled album, Tirtha. The trio consists of Indian musicians including American born pianist- composer Vijay Iyer, guitarist-composer Prasanna from South India, and classically trained tabla player Nitin Mitta, also Indian born. The performance, which was to precede an intense two-week tour of Europe, was enthusiastically received by a full house of concertgoers.
