Ahmed Rafik Gipsy Ragga CD

Indian music is a living tradition intimately linked to love of nature, travels and meetings they induce.The common concept to the Indian music is the raga, the Sanskrit for "passion", "color", "attachment"...The album Gipsy Ragga is the fruit of an encounter between different musical cultures, which came up to the realization, in 2004, of a CD and a DVD, recorded at the Soleil de la Butte and at the Studio Galerie A5 in Montmartre.The contemporary chants in this album are all from Jaipur in Rajasthan (North India).Pushed by his father and his brother, Rafiq Ahmed has been formed following traditional education rules. Supported by his teacher Likayat Ali Khan, his learning of music has been enriched with masters like Padam Shree and Gulam Mustafa Khan.He played with famous Indian musicians as Pankaj Udhas, Anup Jalopa, Chandan Das, Pinaz Masani, Talat Aziz, Asha Bhosle and others.He regularly participates to many prestigious festivals and multiplies musical collaborations.In 1992, he performs in solo in the city of Abroud for a ballet.During 2003, he gave several concerts in Paris : at Soleil de la Butte in Montmartre, at the summer celebration in the Goutte d'Or neighborhood, in the European Social Forum in la Villette.Finally, he gave an exceptional representation in Berlin.Nomad musicians since many generations and representatives of Indian musical traditions, Rafiq Ahmed and Shiva Carpaye are brilliant musicians using very old instruments : saranghi, accompaniment instrument for all North Indian music ; tabla, percussive instrument ; and harmonium supporting the chants.Together, they provide a very subtle, ethnic, and spiritual music particularly captivating by its beautiful melodies and very physical rhythms.They unite their echoes in modern improvisations.This album is an unseen voyagebeyond Orient's plains and mountains handing overan inspired music charged in emotion.If you like percussions, rhythm, captivating chants,this album will seduce you.