Indian Dream 1994

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"This virtual United Nations of an ensemble has created some of the freshest, most entertaining and accessible World Fusion music ever! A heady instrumental brew distinguished by elements of African, Eastern European, Jazz, Blues, Middle Eastern, and New Age. A must have!" PJ Birosik - Music Critic - 1995 "Billed as 'World Fusion Music' Indian Dream offers more than that category suggests. I'm a sucker for cuts like 'Peace Please', with a jazzy violin solo sets against a strong Middle Eastern tabla rhythm. Then 'Poona Blues' - no kidding - mixes blues with Indian classical music. Deepak Ram's bansuri (bamboo flute) is an outstanding addition to the up-tempo and quieter Indian music tunes and moves this CD into the ranks of 'highly recommended'. Tabla, dumbak and hand-drum rhythmic pieces ('Delhi Groove', 'Drums of Peace') match Emam’s percussive ideas with those of fellow percussionist Taufiq Qureshi. A longish (11:20) 'Give Five' demonstrates another blending - this time of North Indian classical music with jazz. The quieter 'KML', 'Mantra' and 'Goodbye for Now' balance the over all fast tempo of Indian Dream. Finally, I like 'Kumaon Hills', with thunder and rain background sound effects for a Himalayan foothills flute tune. You will too." Dick Dorsett - Victory Review - April 1995

Click one the song names to listen.

1) Peace Please (Emam) Eastern Europe meets middle East in India! A masterful violin solo by Zoltan over a middle eastern groove created by Emam using dunbak, tabla, and by Taufiq on timbale. Zoltán Lantos violin Taufiq Qureshi timbale Naushad Ahmed tabla Emam tabla, dumbak Babu Lal dholak

2) Give Five (Deepak Ram) This piece brings together Jazz and North Indian Classical Music. It begins with a flute solo in the North Indian Rag Jog by Deepak Ram. Then comes a Jazzy Take Five rhythm created by Turkantam (guitar & bass) and Emam (tabla) over which Deepak states the main melody and a brilliant solo. A break follows leading to two exciting fast paced solos by Zoltan (violin) and Deepak (bansuri) over a 4/4 rhythm. Ending with a return to five. Deepak Ram bansuri Turkantam guitar, bass Emam tabla

3) Delhi Groove (Emam) A Percussion-Only piece. A familiar rhythm used throughout the world. After introducing the rhythm using various hand drums, Taufiq comes in with some very fast finger work on a small clay drum. Taufiq Qureshi percussion Naushad Ahmed tabla Emam tabla, dumbak Babu Lal dholak

4) KML (Emam) A lullaby dedicated to my dear friend Kathleen who's initials are KML. Two tracks of nylon string guitar playing the simple melodies and the twelve string guitar providing the harmony. The added voices create a dreamy effect. Turkantam 12 string guitar Emam nylon string guitar Farhad Dadyburjor keyboard (voices)

5) Oh Mata (Traditional) Instrumental interpretation of a devotional melody from India. Starts with an intro on the strings (sitar, sarod, & violin) then an upbeat rhythm on the drums (tabla, dholak, & dumbak) over which the melody is stated followed by solos on the string instruments. Zoltán Lantos violin Naushad Ahmed tabla Emam dumbak Matlub Hussain Khan sitar Sami Khan sarod Babu Lal dholak

6) Mantra (Deepak Ram) Deepak's interpretation of the way the holy scriptures are recited in India. A very peaceful flute solo with only the tanpura drone in the background. Deepak Ram bansuri

7) Poona Blues (Emam/traditional) In Poona we combined Blues with Indian Classical music. The first part is a classic style blues/jazz melody which actually seems a bit out of place! By the time you start wondering what its doing on this album, it changes to a traditional North Indian Classical presentation of a raga on the bamboo flute using the same blues scale and a seven beat rhythm cycle on the tabla. The classical part was done traditionally with only the flute and tabla performing. Then we added a guitar solo on top of it! The piece ends with a return to the Blues. Deepak Ram bansuri Taufiq Qureshi drums Turkantam guitar Emam tabla

8) Kumaon Hills (Emam, Turkantam) Kumaon Hills are part of the Himalayan Foothills in North India. Thunder and rain and then the flute. The rhythm and the melody are based on those heard throughout the Kumaon region. This is a jolly piece which takes the listener to a far away place in the mountains. Deepak Ram bansuri Zoltán Lantos violin Turkantam guitar Emam tabla

9) Drums of Peace (Emam) Ali Baba goes to South America, via India! A timbali solo by Taufiq over a middle eastern rhythm created by Emam using tabla & dumbak. Taufiq Qureshi timbale Naushad Ahmed tabla Emam tabla, dumbak Babu Lal dholak

10) Goodbye for Now (Turkantam) Using two guitar tracks (12 string and electric), Turkantam creates a quiet mood, a nice way to say goodbye. Turkantam guitars

Engineers & Studios: Farhad Dadyburjor - The Digital Domain (Bombay, India) Gandhiji - S. Kalyani Studios (Delhi, India)

Zoltan Lantos Zoltan has been playing violin since the age of seven. At the Bela Bartok Conservatory, a prestigious high school for music, Zoltan trained under Gyorgyi Repassy and became the concert master and soloist for the Budapest Youth Chamber Orchestra. Zoltan received his music degree from the Teacher's Training College of the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music in 1984. In 1985, he was awarded a music scholarship from the government of India. Between 1985 and 1994, Zoltan lived in India studying instrumental music under the guidance of Professor Debu Chaudhuri, Dean of Music Faculty at the Delhi University.

Deepak Ram Deepak and I met in January 1992 at a private concert by the grand master of bansuri, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia (Hariji), in Delhi. Deepak is a South African with Indian ancestors. He began studying bansuri and tabla in 1975, and has been a disciple of Hariji since 1981. Deepak holds a masters degree in music from the University of Durban, South Africa.

Taufiq Qureshi Taufiq is the youngest son of the legend of tabla, Ustad Alla Rakha. That makes him Zakir Hussain's youngest brother. Growing up in a musical family, Taufiq has rhythm in his blood. We met for the first time in 1982 in Bombay, where he spends most of his time in recording studios. A fantastic percussionist with any instrument at any speed!

Turkantam I met Turkantam (Matteo Sorrentino) in 1983 in Hairakhan (Maha Avatar BabajiÕs ashram in the Himalayan Foothills - North India). He is a musician from the heart who gave up a financially promising Rock & Roll career in Italy in 1981 and went to Babaji to find what he could not buy with money. From then on his musical career became about incorporating Devotional Indian music into Western styles of music. He lives in France with his lovely family.

Emam In 1991, I was awarded a Professional Development grant for the Performing Arts by the American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS). Indian Dream was conceived and created during my stay in India between 92 & 93. I have been a student of tabla since 1977. My teachers have been: Ustad Alla Rakha, Ustad Inam Ali Khan, and since 1983 Ustad Zakir Hussain. Since 1978 I have also been a disciple of Maha Avatar Babaji with whom I spent much time in India prior to his Maha Samadhi in 84. This album is dedicated to the spirits of Babaji and My Father.

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