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| About : PREM JOSHUA & BAND Worldwide private and public concerts 2007/2008 ( For tour itinerary, dates and further information, please visit : www.premjoshua.com ) |
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Prem Joshua & Band -- Live Most record firms and music magazines still send their journalists furtively into the big cities of America and England in order to detect the 'next big thing in pop music.' Totally unimpressed and undaunted by this however, in the cities of India, a beautiful and powerful world music scene has been developing which is as rich in ethnic as it is in global influences. Prem Joshua's international band - formed in the chaotic witches cauldron of a teeming Indian metropolis - is one part of this living scene, and today stands out as the best selling world music band of India. The music of Prem Joshua fascinates because despite its contemporary experimental quality, it still succeeds in keeping alive the wild spontaneity and meditative 'let-go' of its cultural roots. This musical masala of Indian classical, jazz, ethno and trance music is so capably and mischievously blended, that it is equally enjoyed in both East and West -- toppling as it does so, all other current musical genres. Already with the first note of the concert, one can feel that one is in the presence of true exponents of one of the freshest world music experiments available between Berlin and Bombay. With originality, virtuosity and playfulness, the international band - with confidence yet at the same time respect -- weave together an organic musical carpet of the kind that had been up to now considered 'culturally impossible'. One hears Indian temple chants with reminiscences of urban jazz; sufi poems set to reggae rhythms; unfettered and complex Indian classical music on sitar and tabla; then still again, the soaring notes of the bamboo flute over driving trance loops sending the listener effortlessly spinning into dervish-like heights of ecstasy. For this timely interpretation of the music traditions of the East, Prem Joshua has been especially honored in India. His music seems to touch the mood of the moment and one hears his music everywhere from the Himalayas to Bombay and the beaches of Goa. The foremost Indian newspaper - the Times of India - has celebrated him as the new 'Guru of World Fusion Music'. His band have played live at the MTV studios and the program was broadcast on MTV itself. He was voted No#1 in the 'Best Indian TV and film music' category for 2006. In addition, the UK's "BBC" nominated him for their 'World music listeners award.' The band have been traveling the globe for years. On big and small concert stages, they quench the thirst of a growing international music fan base, who seek a world music which is danceable, touches the heart and at the same time has enough substance, skill and 'bite' to please intellectually. Today on the stages of India, tomorrow on a flight to a festival in England, the band live in the Here and Now of the Global Village. and so too, does their music. Prem Joshua (D) : sitar, bamboo flutes, dilruba, soprano sax, vocals Raul Sengupta (India) : tabla, darbukka, cajon, percussion, vocals Chintan Relenberg (D) : keyboards, loops, laptops, percussion, vocals Satgyan Fukuda : (Japan): bass, percussion www.premjoshua.com  Prem Joshua, multi-instrumentalist and composer, is one of the pioneers of the world fusion music scene. Born in Germany, Joshua's real home is India, where over the last 30 years he has studied music with several masters, especially the sitar, the bamboo flute and vocals. With 15 CD releases under his own name he has clearly created his own unique sound, which can roughly be described as 'Indo-Global Music'. Raul Sengupta, the Indian rhythm phenomenon from Calcutta lives in Germany and is a band member since two years. The disciple of Tabla Maestro Pandit Shankar Gosh creates groove-magic on the tablas, but also masters the oriental darbukka, the Peruvian kajon, the congas and a large assortment of ethnic percussions. Chintan Relenberg is another strong pillar of the international quartet, who sets a clear counterpart to the ethnic rhythms and sounds of the band by adding elements of Urban Lounge, Trance, Chill Out and Jazz. Chintan is a wizard on loops and keyboards but also is a singer and percussionist. Satgyan Fukuda, bass player from Tokyo, made himself a name as one of the finest Reggae and Jazz bass players of Japan. Recently he joined the band and with his laid-back bass adds just the right groovy low end to Joshua's unusual sound. Interview with Prem Joshua & Band : 1) Could you outline what kind of music you play? Prem Joshua : Our music is deeply rooted in the ancient Indian raga music and its fascinating rhythms -- at the same time it is very contemporary as our musical spectrum includes elements of Jazz, Funk, Lounge, Chill Out and Trance. This way we create our very own and unique "Indian-Global" sound. Over the last 30 years I have lived in India for altogether 12 years, spending my time diving deeper into the complexity of Indian music. During this time this band was formed in an Indian metropolis. Although studying Indian classical music I was never interested in just copying it. Our passion and fun starts exactly at the point where Eastern and Western cultures meet -- or even clash. From here music is being re-defined, fresh experiments are happening, exploring the free space beyond the borders of traditions, still respecting the depth of century-old musical wisdom. 2) Is this your definition of world music? Satgyan Fukuda : Exactly! It is a musical merger of different cultures, a celebration of our differences, a break-through into new musical dimensions. Over the last 15 years our band has always been an international phenomenon. For example, I come from Japan, other musicians come from India, Iran, Morocco, USA, Singapore, Germany. The fascination and our creative potential is fueled by the differences of our cultural backgrounds. No matter whether we play in Jakarta, Dubai, Tel Aviv, Bombay or Paris -- our audiences can feel this fascination. In this sense world music also has a political aspect to me: while politicians and religions spread fear -- world music embraces other cultures! It is like a new international language! Those with ears understand! 3) In your music you create a bridge between polar opposites that may have seemed incompatible up to now. On one side the melodic-meditative character of traditional Indian instruments -- on the other side dance floor beats and groove loops -- resulting in quite a unique sound. Please comment. Chintan Relenberg : Unfortunately such musical allocations like "meditative" or "dance floor" rather tend to create wrong and limited ideas about our music. But whoever has experienced our concert immediately throws these limited ideas overboard. Our music is the prove that the listening treat of Indian classical music or sufi poetry can also be danceable! To us there is no either-or! Why only choose fragments? Music may speak to us on all levels, it can be wild and ecstatic, it may stir deep feelings, it should be intelligent, and it may create silence. These "border crossings" happen to us naturally and with ease. 4) How does one actually learn Indian music? Raul Sengupta : Since many years I have been learning in my hometown Calcutta with one of the most respected masters in the field of Indian rhythms, the famous tabla virtuoso Shankar Ghosh. This is really "old school"! The master teaches himself, he plays, the student repeats -- this way the ancient musical heritage is being directly passed on to the next generation. After years of practice and study one reaches at concert level -- but learning never stops, such is the complexity of Indian music. One life span is not enough to exhaust the full depth of this art form. 5) How come a German musician becomes a star in India but remains relatively unknown at home? Prem Joshua : Indians have a strong and intuitive feeling for their own music. If a non-Indian plays their music well and catches its very soul -- and at the same time interprets it in a new and cosmopolitan way -- then modern Indians experience their own culture from a more global viewpoint. I believe this is the reason for our success in India and this recognition by the Indians touches me deeply. Hardly any other country on this planet is going through such dramatic changes like India. The country experiences an enormous economical boom and the social structures change like never before. Our music is reflecting these changes but still remains connected with the ancient yet timeless roots. But also in Europe and the USA we have an ever-growing and passionate fan-base, mainly in the world music, yoga an free-dance scenes. Press Voices : "Prem Joshua is the new guru of World Fusion Music " (Times Of India, New Delhi, India) "Prem Joshua's music has the rare quality to transform any music club into a temple." (G. Myers, dj, musician and journalist, New York, USA) "The English writer Rudyard Kipling's probably most famous statement is: 'The East is East and the West is West and the twins shall never meet.' Think twice before you agree! Multi-instrumentalist and composer Prem Joshua finally proves us the contrary. In his music the polarities of East and West don't only meet, they dance together!" (S. Wadwani, L'Officiel, Paris, France) "Is Prem Joshua an Asian musician playing to the West or a Western musician playing to Asians? It does not really matter as one thing is for sure: he is the new sensation of the world music scene! His music captures both the true spirit of the Indian classical tradition and the hypnotic laid-backness of urban jazz and lounge." (C.H. Loh, The Edge Magazine, Malaysia) "Prem Joshua's music is one of the greatest contributions to Indian music in this decade. Surprisingly this credit goes to a Non-Indian artist!" (Manoj Varma, musicologist and journalist, Australia) "Prem Joshua &Band masterfully blend the roots of Indian raga-music and the fiery rhythms of the Orient with modern energetic grooves and elements of contemporary Lounge and Jazz -- a musical 'masala' that certainly won't just treat your ears but will get you up to dance" (San Francisco City Journal, USA) "Prem Joshua and his international band are a unique phenomenon in the field of World Music. In a refreshing way they create new bridges between the musical cultures of Asia and the West." (KGS Magazin, Berlin) "Indian music lovers as well as fans of 'Ambient' and 'Lounge' got a special treat with this concert of Prem Joshua. Definitely one of the most interesting discoveries of this summer's live performances in the city!" (L'Espresso, local section for Verona, Italy) "Purists may scoff at Prem Joshua's combination of classical Indian music and funky European electronica, but that's why purists tend not to be much fun to hang around with. Prem Joshua, on the other hand, is probably lots of fun to hang around with, at least if his albums are any indication. All of Prem Joshua's projects offer a lovely balance between euphoria and contemplation, and puts it all to a booty-moving beat. Highly recommended." (Rick Anderson, All Music Guide, USA) Discography : Prem Joshua - Tales of a Dancing River (1993), New Earth Records, USA Prem Joshua - Hamsafar (1994), New Earth Records, USA Prem Joshua - Desert Visions (1995), New Earth Records,> USA Prem Joshua - Secret of the Wind (1996), New Earth Records, USA Prem Joshua & Hamsafar - Lifeprints (1997), Re Nudo, Italy Prem Joshua - Mudra (1998), Silenzio/Medial, Germany Prem Joshua - Sky Kisses Earth (1999), Silenzio/Medial, Germany Prem Joshua - Dance of Shakti (2000), Silenzio/Medial, Germany Prem Joshua & Manish Vyas - Water Down the Ganges (2001), Silenzio/Medial, Germany Prem Joshua & Maneesh de Moor - Shiva Moon (2002), Silenzio/Medial, Germany Prem Joshua - Dakini Lounge - Prem Joshua remixed (2003), White Swan Records, USA Prem Joshua - Yatri (2004), Silenzio/Medial, Germany Prem Joshua - Taranga (2005), Silenzio/Medial, Germany Prem Joshua & Chintan - Ahir (2006), Silenzio/Medial, Germany Coming soon : Prem Joshua & Band - Live - All Roads Lead to Om (2007), Silenzio/Medial, Germany All CDs also released by White Swan Records, USA and Music Today, India Some of the 'milestones' over the last years : 2005: Live Concert at MTV, Bombay, India, broadcast on the MTV music channel 2005: Siddhivinayak Music Festival, Bombay, India 2005: Several concerts for CNBC-CNN TV channel 2006: Kuala Lumpur, Concert for the President of Malaysia 2006: First Prize for "Best TV-Film Music 2006" in India 2007: Big Chill Festival, UK |
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