Friedsitar
Fresh
© 2000 Edward Francis Powell (634479604256)
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'Sitar and tabla' meet 'contrabass and jazz drum kit' with a touch of 70's rock influence on this All-Star trio's debut CD "FRESH"
tracks
- 1 Sa Dha Pa
- 2 Carrot
- 3 Thanks Milan
- 4 Bag of Fat
- 5 Smetana
- 6 Howrah
- 7 Hamiltonian Mode
- 8 By Foot
- 9 Krumlov
- 10 Chapati
- 11 Fifteen
- 12 Yaman
- 13 Dim
- 14 Bhairavi
- 15 Adamova
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FRIEDSITAR "Fresh" (1999-2000) has been praised by some as being one of the most unique, "refreshing", and beautiful recordings to emerge in the last 3 decades. Nothing quite like it exists elsewhere. The groups focus is very clear: "sitar/tabla" meets "jazz doublebass/drums", although Edward and Scott make no attempt to hide their 70's Rock roots. All songs were rehearsed then recorded LIVE in the studio with an absolute minimum of overdubbing and editing, so what you hear is REAL and ALIVE, the resulting 'humanness' of this album is uncanny. Several of the compositions were not compositions, but group improvisations (or, "spontaneous composition"). Available today are thousands of "fusion" CDs but most are not fusion at all - more like various different musics "glued" together somehow - but "FRESH" is without doubt one of the very very few albums where TRUE fusion really is captured.
Unfortunately Friedsitar only made one record, although dialogue still continues between good friends Edward Powell and Scott White. Since drummer Emil Heyrovsky has left music, and Edward's musical focus has shifted from sitar to fretless guitar, it is likely that FRESH will be remembered as being a unique and beautiful "snapshot" in time. The CD itself, truly captures this 'moment', as it was composed and recorded very spontaneously ... a few of the tracks were written there on the spot, or in the evening after a days recording.
What is rare about FRESH is that it is a fusion done by musicians who really took the time to learn very deeply the things they were fusing. This is very uncommon. Scott is a master of both rock and jazz, Eddi is a master of rock and Indian music, and Emil is a master of jazz and Indian music... so the result is 33% rock, 33% jazz, and 33% Indian music. . . of course, the mixture itself means nothing - it is the "how" which is important. Perhaps this kind of fusion is most gracefully done by musicians coming from a country like Canada - Canada itself being a nation of peaceful, playful, respectful, and beautiful cultural fusion... very FRESH indeed!
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Friedsitar - Fresh
author: Department of Virtuosity (Poland)You could read the reviews of Edward Francis Powell's solo releases in the previous Department of Virtuosity's issue and learnt that he is a sitar and tabla virtuoso. If you haven't heard of him, it can be the first opportunity of writing you a few words about a Canadian's music. "Fresh" CD was also recorded by two other instrumentalists: Scott White (contrabass) and Emil Heyrovsky (drums). The first thing I want to emphasize concerns Edward himself. He is the lead soloist who runs the melody in every piece of music and propels this Indian-influenced stuff forward. Both sitar and tabla produce many distorted tones that sound as if they'd be derived from celestial dimensions. A framework of the album is grounded on jazz/fusion instrumental solutions and improvised lines. I am pretty sure that those listeners, who are able to absorb the instrumental tribal music backed by an experimental performance, will be satisfied by "Fresh". If you haven't listened to any of Edward's solo works, "Fresh" is plenty to encourage you to try out them as well. This item has a healing effect likewise and warrants us a nice time. I assure you that a three-member combo can change your idea on classic jazz music. Summing up, if you want to be spiritually strengthened, you should acquaint with this album.