Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012
 There is something about the intimate musical experience both a band and the audience get at smaller venue concerts. People are more attuned to intricacies of the grooves and melodies; there is time and interest to talk about the songs in between and give the listeners a deeper insight into how the songs came about, most of which the band has been playing consistently for so many years; band members can take the time to develop their solo voyages with such a vast variety of styles of songs that Tambura Rasa’s repertoire offers; and what better than having a venue like a cozy jazz lounge to do that in, while people sip and enjoy their glass of red wine. (more…)
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Saturday, December 17th, 2011
How does one get inspired to write a Balkan brass style composition? By hanging out with Goran Bregović and his full band, collaborating in a festival organized by the Vancouver Balkan-brass orchestra and writing about one of the most popular Balkan beverages: Turkish coffee.
It was a very rewarding experience to be a part of Goran’s Vancouver tour, driving from and to the airport, taking part in the sound check and relaxing back-stage before the Weddings and Funeral Orchestra threw one of the best shows Vancouver had seen; an event organized by Robert Benaroya’s Caravan World Rhythms at the Vogue theatre on Oct 27, 2011. Bregović’s 6-harmony Orthodox male choir was especially inspiring with their fervor for great stories, such as (more…)
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Tags: Balkan Brass, BC, Caravan World Rhythms, Goran Bregović, Guitar, Ivan Tucakov, Johnny Gallant, Mehtap Kızılırmak, Orkestar Šljivovica, Robert Benaroya, Tambura Rasa, Vancouver, Weddings and Funerals Orchestra, World Music
Friday, April 22nd, 2011
Throughout many years of combining variety of styles and composing many world fusion tunes, one always comes across different persisting influences and inspirations. Here are just a few, of the many influences that played a part in my artistic ventures.
This was a recent super impromptu side project unrelated to Tambura Rasa, and since it was a whole a lot of fun I thought I’d include it here! Live Jazz Burlesque act Pandora and the Locksmiths’s dancer Miss Fitt was preparing a number to Gogol Bordello’s “Start Wearing Purple”. They asked me to step in and sing the song for a one-time performance with Nicky Ninedoors on vocals too. It’s a blast, enjoy!  (more…)
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Tags: Balkan Music, Bijelo Dugme, Devojka sa Cardas Nogama, Djordje Balasevic, Gogol Bordello, Goran Bregović, Ivan Tucakov, Jovano Jovanke, Lipe Cvatu, Lipe Cvatu Mix, Start wearing purple, Tambura Rasa, Vancouver
Thursday, March 31st, 2011
The first inspiration to fuse middle-eastern Raks Sharqi Baladi rhythm with the Flamenco Buleria compas came about while drinking wine and hanging out after one of our shows at one of Tambura Rasa’s favourite performance venues, the Dream Cafe in Penticton, BC.
The vision for the song “Ardor Kadife” was born.
It was also one of the most difficult songs to bring to life but after many rigorous rehearsals it became one of our favourite compositions to play and explore. Structural elements such as the flamenco remate and the classical indian tihai can be heard and eventually elements of Jazz appeared in the Buleria sections of the tune.
(more…)
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Saturday, February 19th, 2011
It is only a few weeks before our new CD comes out digitally on iTunes. Accompanied by gorgeous Vancouver sunsets and the stunning full moon tonight, there’s lots of excitement around closing a chapter of music composition, writing and recording, yet opening a whole new one by putting the tunes out to all our fans both in recording and live… And.. I thought, wouldn’t it be nice to also put a couple of free ringtones with new Tambura Rasa melodies for all of you to include in your iPhones and individualize them for when your favorite person calls.. So here they are. (more…)
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Sunday, January 2nd, 2011
After many years of crafting the tunes, a rewarding recording session and excellent mixing process, this long awaited CD is about to be finished!
This album is about being in “Adsum”, as the Latin translation reveals: being in and experiencing the present. The CD was recorded straight off the floor in Mushroom studios in Vancouver, with only minor additions to spice things up. We invite you to join us in this journey of exploration of sounds and rhythms. (more…)
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Tuesday, October 26th, 2010
What a weekend has it been!
We had a spectacular time at the Breakout West Fest in Kelowna followed by an insanely dangerous, yet lucky turn of events for the band on the Coquihalla highway on our way back.
Breakout West and WCMA surely threw a party in Kelowna! There were so many fun events happening, we played two great showscases in town on friday and saturday and then had a blast prepping for and playing at the WCMAs and doing a great collaboration set with Shawn and Ariene. Meeting musicians, the staff, what a great team of people. (more…)
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Thursday, October 14th, 2010
What a fantastic journey the past five days have been… As the band congregated for the last few of hours to listen to the final raw mixes, we couldn’t believe the accomplishment and quality we’d achieved in such a short period of time. Even our awesome engineer Brock told us that this was the shortest recording he’d recorded from start to finish. The sound and feel of the album is staggering and I can’t wait to have it aim for the next step, mixing! (more…)
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Monday, October 11th, 2010
What a great day to celebrate John’s birthday today… Surrounded with friends through a fantastic day of creating music.
We laid down all the rest of the songs, then spent a few hours listening to the takes and were all pleasantly surprised as they surpassed any expectations that might have initially been set in place. The band was locked in and years of playing together really came together and showed on the recordings.
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Sunday, October 10th, 2010
Today was quite a unique experience for Tambura Rasa! The first day in the studio with the full band, Michael, John, Pepe, Trevor and myself locked in the grooves straight off the floor, delivering 4 songs.
There are not many musicians these days that get the opportunity to experience recording in this way. In many ways, it’s a privilege to enjoy the process of crafting a CD playing at the same time with the whole band. Not to mention Mushroom studio’s amazing room sound and that we are aiming to deliver a recording in a way that it was done back in the 60s and 70s, in many ways going to the roots of the way records used to be recorded… (more…)
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There is something about the intimate musical experience both a band and the audience get at smaller venue concerts. People are more attuned to intricacies of the grooves and melodies; there is time and interest to talk about the songs in between and give the listeners a deeper insight into how the songs came about, most of which the band has been playing consistently for so many years; band members can take the time to develop their solo voyages with such a vast variety of styles of songs that Tambura Rasa’s repertoire offers; and what better than having a venue like a cozy jazz lounge to do that in, while people sip and enjoy their glass of red wine. (more…)
