100 Fields – Each One Was a Jewel

100 Fields
If ever I did a Zeitgeist Orchestra recording without knowing it fully at the time then it was definitely ‘100 Fields’. This record is now available (hear some) but here’s my story of where, who, what and why…
Somehow, somewhere I was drawn to black gospel music as manifest in America during a time where [...]

VIDEO : Bismillah Khan the great Shennai player dies

I got a phone call yesterday from Greece to tell me that the great Shennai player from India, Ustad Bismillah Khan, had died of a heart attack. His health had been bad for a while and his playing had naturally reached it’s peak a few years ago.
The gentle genius of Bismillah Khan is perhaps single [...]

Newspaper Article: When Hoodies Attack (ElectroRaga)

southmancreporter-electroraga attack
Originally uploaded by drongomala.
One of the local newspapers caught on to our little drama at the ElectroRaga dawn gig in Chorlton, Manchester.
Feel free to leave comments on their site….already the rights and wrongs of what we did is being debated….
The article is replete with misquotes and made up bits – [...]

ElectroRaga VIDEO : Malkauns (midnight) 23/7/06 Red Light Area, Manchester

Malkauns is a dark brooding raga. PLayed late night. (see my article ‘Robert Johnson, The Cross Roads and Malkauns)
This gig like the rest wasn’t agreed…..thing is it wasn’t the authorities we were worried about it was the lawless…..this one was in the red light district of Manchester. Watch out for a cameo by Mick Jagger.

ElectroRaga VIDEO : Yaman-Kalyan (evening) 22/07/06 St Anns Square

Yaman Kalyan is an evening raga. We conspired to slip into St Ann’s square and quickly setup as we didn’t have permission to play. We hadn’t counted on the security guards for the stalls nearby – our generator was freaking them out as a fire hazard and me out becuase it wasn’t in the [...]

ElectroRaga VIDEO : Multani (afternoon) 22/07/06 Castlefield

The afternoon concert on the banks of a river….well Castlefield canal in this case…
Bismillah Khan and Ravi Shankar were the dons that I took inspiration from in this raga. Make sure you check out the extra cam footage which has better quality sound and some close up views..
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3 – extra cam footage [...]

ElectroRaga VIDEO : Bhairavi (dawn) 22/7/06 Chorlton Water Park

The dawn concert…in a water park outside manchester….a blend of clubbers, the curious and some psychopaths are all drawn to the lake at 5 on a Saturday morning…..
Part 1 of 3
Part 2 of 3
Part 3 of 3 Malkauns encore and fight
Bhairavi Part 1
Bhairavi Part 2
Malkauns Encore (and fight)
drongomala
www.flyingmountainrecords.com

ElectroRaga – from dawn till dusk and then some..

Phew…..just woken up from Saturday’s all dayer – 4 outdoor concerts in Manchester during the Futuresonic festival. The plan was to improv with people we’d never played with before – in locations and times to suit the ragas we’d be jamming on. It was to be :

Dawn (5am) Chorlton Water Park – Bhairavi raga
Afternoon (3pm) [...]

Flying Mountain Present ELECTRORAGA:22nd Jul Manchester

Flying Mountain present ElectroRaga in Manchester.

4 outdoors shows in one day – from dawn till dusk.
Saturday 22nd July.

5am (Chorlton Water Park)
3pm (Castlefield Visitors Centre)
8:50 (St Ann’s Square)
Midnight (Behind Picadilly Station – Portugal Street)

Full details from the website.
It should be something special.
Drongomala
www.flyingmountainrecords.com

Birmingham O Birmingham

A quick note just to big up the lyrical warriors and poetic messengers that stepped down from Birmingham to be part of the Zeitgesit Orchestra for Friday nights show with Broad Minded.
Wasif (The What Supreme – verbalist) and Tom (Sensei C – verbalist/clarinet) play out as the duo HLI (Headlighter Islanders) but like proper [...]