1.
Voices Of The Past (Conway) 0.29
This 12 beat rhythm
cycle (divided as 7 + 5) of vocal percussion ("spoken bols") sets a
mysterious atmosphere to be taken up later.
Baluji Shrivastav, Chris
Conway, Linda Shanovitch, Gerry Hunt, Clive Bell - voices 2.
Rendezvous With Rama (Conway) 4.12
This Chris Conway
composition is based on Punjabi folk rhythms, with hints of jazz and maybe a touch
of reggae. It has one of those melodies you find yourself humming from the first
time you hear it. Sitar, voice, tin whistle, soprano sax and tabla, all get windows
to shine.
Baluji Shrivastav - sitar, pakhavaj
Chris Conway -
keyboards, tin whistle, sampled bass, percussion
Linda Shanovitch - voice
Ustad
Faiyaz Khan - tabla
Gerry Hunt - soprano saxophone 3.
Nartaki (Girl Dancer) (Shrivastav) 3.49
This is based
on Raag Misratalang though it is also very close to Raag Misrajog. It is a pentatonic
scale the notes of which are SA GA GAflat MA PA NI Niflat SA. The time cycle is
tintaal (16 beats) and the combinations are composed keeping in mind North and
South Indian dance patterns.
Baluji Shrivastav - sitar, tabla, voice,
pakhavaj
Chris Conway - synthesizer
Linda Shanovitch - voice
Clive Bell
- bamboo flute, voice 4.
Little Blue Bird (Shanovitch) 4.08
This was originally
a song depicting a bird of peace struggling against the forces of destruction.
Baluji
Shrivastav - darbuka, pakhavaj
Chris Conway - keyboards, sampled bass
Linda
Shanovitch - voice
Ustad Faiyaz Khan - tabla
Gerry Hunt - soprano saxophone,
classical guitar
Clive Bell - bamboo flute 5.
Seven Steps To The Sun (Conway) 3.42
Another beautiful
Chris Conway melody, full of twists and turns around a hypnotic 7/8 rhythm. The
wonderful singing of Indian classical vocalist Kishori Amonkar inspired this composition.
Baluji Shrivastav - pakhavaj, dilruba
Chris Conway - keyboards, acoustic
9 string guitar, piano, sampled bass, mandozither, percussion
Linda Shanovitch
- voice
Ustad Faiyaz Khan - tabla
Gerry Hunt - tenor saxophone
Clive
Bell - bamboo flute
6.
Bulbulblues (Shrivastav) 4.12
Based on Taal Kaherva
(8 beats) and Raag Bairag-kauns pentatonic scale - SA, GA-flat, MA, Ma-sharp,
PA, NI-flat, SA. Everyone gathered around Baluji as he started playing his bulbul-tarang.
Chris then brought out his mandozither. Baluji came up with the melody on the
spot and this wonderful free-blowing improvisation around it followed, played
on unique combination of instruments!
Baluji Shrivastav - bulbultarang
Chris
Conway - mandozither
Ustad Faiyaz Khan - tabla
Gerry Hunt - tenor saxophone
Clive
Bell - bamboo flute
7.
Saraswati (Shanovitch) 2.33
This is an invocation
to the Goddess of creative thought. The words translated into Sanskrit by Baluji
are
Pale as the moon
Graceful as a swan
All the Arts conspire to please
Saraswati
Goddess of the Sweet Word
Goddess of the Song
Goddess of
Science and Learning
Pale as the moon
Graceful as a swan
Upon a Lotus
she does rest
Goddess Saraswati Baluji
Shrivastav - voices, dilruba
Chris Conway - keyboards, piano, mandozither,
natavungam, chordal arrangement
Linda Shanovitch - voices
Gerry Hunt - classical
guitar, chordal arrangement 8.
Ila's Dance (Conway) 4.07
This sunny, irresistible
melody by Chris is played out over a frenetic rhythm. Typically Re-Orient and
Chris Conway, this piece seamlessly displays so many influences - the Indian Folk
rhythm, with a touch of Brazilian samba, jazz, a wonderfully intense rock-influenced
electric guitar solo, and the theme ending on a classical Indian tihai. (A phrase
that repeats three times to end on the first beat of the bar) Chris is a big fan
of Indian folk/pop diva Ila Arun. Ila's Dance is dedicated to her.
Baluji
Shrivastav - dilruba, naal, ghatam
Chris Conway - keyboards, electric 9 string
guitar, piano, sampled bass, percussion
Linda Shanovitch - voice
Ustad Faiyaz
Khan - tabla
Gerry Hunt - soprano saxophone, percussion
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9.
Forest River (Shrivastav) 6.40
This melody draws
on Baluji's extensive knowledge of Indian folk styles as it follows the path of
the river Ganges from the Himalayas, through the western region of Uttar Pradesh
till it reaches Benares in the east.
Baluji Shrivastav - sitar,
ghupi, swarmandal, percussion
Chris Conway - electric 9 string guitar, bells,
water
Linda Shanovitch - voice
Clive Bell - bamboo flute 10.
Leela (Shanovitch) 6.01
The name Leela in Sanskrit
means "the drama of the cosmos". It is the name Baluji and Linda have
chosen for their daughter. This piece is based upon a Kathak dance tihai (repeating
rhythmic pattern) which is in taal tintaal (16 beats).
Baluji Shrivastav
- sitar, darbuka, pakhavaj
Chris Conway - electric piano, tin whistle, sampled
bass
Linda Shanovitch - voice
Gerry Hunt - oud, classical guitar
Clive
Bell - bamboo flute 11.
Pushpanjali (Offering of Flowers) (Shrivastav) 5.33
This
is based on two Raags Kirvani and Hemavati and two taals - one of 18 beats (sounding
deceptively like Dadra of 6 beats as it is 6x3 ), and Ashtamangal in 11 beats.
Baluji
Shrivastav - sitar, voice, swarmandal
Chris Conway - keyboards
Linda
Shanovitch - vocal
Ustad Faiyaz Khan - tabla
Gerry Hunt - violin, tanpura
Clive
Bell - bamboo flute 12.
Shifting Sands (Conway/Shrivastav/Hunt/Bell) 5.20
On
the final day of recording the group gathered to do improvisations. It was noted
that there was an oud, a darbuka, and a ney in the room so an Arabic-feel improvisation
was suggested. Shifting Sands was the result, played out over a 9/8 rhythm with
Baluji's wonderfully spirited darbuka, and Chris's evocative piano.
Baluji
Shrivastav - darbuka
Chris Conway - piano, sampled bass
Gerry Hunt - oud
Clive
Bell - ney 13.
Gathering Spirits (Conway/Shrivastav/Shanovitch/Hunt/Bell/Khan)
4.00
Late at night the group realised that Ustad Faiyaz Khan would be leaving
them to resume his tour with Hariprasad Chaurasia in the morning, and that they
had one last chance to play with him for a while. So everyone made themselves
comfortable in the studio and created this gem on the spot. The lateness of the
hour gave a peaceful atmosphere to the improvisation. Chris added some of his
more delicate exotic instruments later.
Baluji Shrivastav - sitar
Chris
Conway - acoustic 9 string guitar, voice, kalimba, hammer dulcimer, mandozither,
percussion
Linda Shanovitch - voice
Ustad Faiyaz Khan - tabla
Gerry Hunt
- tenor saxophone
Clive Bell - bamboo flute 14.
Life Is For Living (Conway) 4.21
A fast and furious
Turkish/Balkan inspired piece from Chris Conway in 5/4 time, with also quite a
medieval feel to it. There are delightful solos on violin, voice, low D whistle
and ghupi, then a wonderful percussion finale from Ustad Faiyaz Khan and Baluji
Shrivastav, before the rousing, life-affirming melody returns. Chris occasionally
plays two tin whistles in harmony at once, a trick that always goes down a storm
at Re-Orient concerts.
Baluji Shrivastav - ghatam, ghupi
Chris
Conway - tin whistles, low D whistle, electric piano, sampled bass, voice
Linda
Shanovitch - voice
Ustad Faiyaz Khan - tabla
Gerry Hunt - violin
Clive
Bell - bamboo flute 15.
Voices Of The Future (Conway/Shrivastav/Shanovitch/Hunt/Bell)
3.17
The mysterious chanting voices from the start of the album return. Over
the initial germ of Chris's suggested vocal rhythm, the five improvising voices
and synthesizer were added all together in one go. The suggestion of medieval
feel co-exists with the feeling of outer space. Baluji's Indian vocal gymnastics,
Linda's "sorceress" and Chris's soulful tones all can be heard in the
weave, bringing the album to a cosmic conclusion.
Chris Conway
- voices, synthesizer
Baluji Shrivastav, Linda Shanovitch, Gerry Hunt, Clive
Bell - voices Produced
by Chris Conway
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