Jump to Balkan Horses Band Kottarashky Najma Akhtar
| BALKAN HORSES BAND | CONTACT: Part 1 & 2 |
|
|
UNESCO’s proclaiming the year of 2000 as the International Year of Culture and Peace inspired AQUA STORM Music and Performing Arts Agency to be the initiator of the idea of creation of a Balkan Cultural Project in the field of Ethno and World Music. Nine of the most distinguished Ethno, Rock, Jazz, Ambience and New Age composers and performers participated in the Balkan Horses Band International orchestra.' Buy digital copy of "Contact: Part 1"  |
| KOTTARASHKY | OPA HEY! |
|
|
Kottarashky is a 21st-century digital master musician with his hands sunk deep in the past. In his music, vintage Balkan field recordings, classic jazz and blues, psychedelic sounds, club beats and extraordinary, archetypal Gypsy voices, guttural shouts and lyrical laments are all molded and thrown into new shapes. The songs of his debut album, Opa Hey! hit you like a panoramic puzzle of sounds collected and put together from a night's walk through the streets of Sofia. Buy digital copy  |
| NAJMA | FARIYAAD |
|
|
"Najma has been recognised by her work as a pioneer in using subtle jazz arrangements with the traditional South Asian vocal ghazal style. Following her unique and distinctive sound, Najma has inspired a new generation of musicians and composers to move into the fusion genre. Along with her fusion of subtle jazz nuances, Najma also performs Pakistani/Indian semi-classical, folk, sufi, bollywood, Indian underground, trance, along with the odd English song" ~ BBC. Fariyaad is a magical meeting place of musical styles including jazz, Indian music and mediterrenean elements. Buy digital copy  |
| NAJMA & GARY LUCAS | RISHTE |
|
|
"Akhtar who sang with Robert Plant and Jimmy Page on their 1994 MTV Unledded special sounds perfectly a home in Skip James "Special Rider Blues", while Lucas makes the Mississippi Ghosts dance. ~ Rolling Stone - Davis Fricke's Picks. Najma Akhtar born in the UK, is an English singer of South Asian ancestry. Her unique and distinctive style ranges from fusions of jazz with Indian ghazals and bhajans (love songs and spiritual songs), Indian semi-classical vocals and the occasional Bollywood hit. Gary Lucas is an American guitarist, a Grammy-nominated songwriter, and an international recording artist with over a dozen solo albums to date as well as a soundtrack composer for film and television. He has been described as 'one of the best and most original guitarists in America ' a ' legendary leftfield guitarist' and one of 'the most innovative and challenging guitarists playing today.' Buy digital copy  Buy hard copy 
|
| NAJMA | QAREEB |
|
|
"Najma Akhtar's Qareeb is the work of a musician who senses that, these days, she can remember the ancient, honor the everyday and sing to several continents at the same time." ~ The New York Times. A radical yet subtle slant on an old, old story: when East meets West. Soprano sax with Indian violin, tablas with bass, keyboard with santoor, voice on voice. This is the recording which first brought Najma to international attention. A few of the accolades: "More than just a passing fad for jaded ears." ~ The Independent, "This is a fabulous record." ~ NME, "50 recommended Albums of 1987" ~ Q, "Vinyl Finals of 1987" ~ NME Buy digital copy  |
| NAJMA | FORBIDDEN KISS |
|
|
"Forbidden Kiss is musical and cultural fusion of the first order." ~ Billboard. The songs are originally written for the movies by S.D. Burman and rearranged in a unique way, prserving the bollywood feel, yet including a fresh and personal touch. Buy digital copy  |
| NAJMA | VIVID |
|
|
The Asian British Vocalist Returns with a Long Awaited New Set of Pop Possibilities that Marry Urdu and Arabic Rhythms with Modal Tunings and Western Classical Melodies. This is her Fifth Album and is Highlighted by the Tablas and Trance Beats Along with Bollywood Strings and Synths. She Has Been Heard on Recordings from Robert Plant, Jah Wobble, Apache Indian and Philip Glass in the Past. Buy digital copy  |
| NAJMA | ATISH |
|
|
"Pukar, Najma's follow-up to her world music breakthrough "Atish", is every bit as enchanting and splendid as its predecessor, displaying her ability to make Indian music accessible for Western audiences without diluting its essence." ~ All Music Guide Atish is immaculate music." ~ The Guardian Buy digital copy |
