RUDRESH MAHANTHAPPA — Samdhi (2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In his liner notes to Samdhi, saxophonist and composer Rudresh Mahanthappa states flat-out that his earliest jazz influences were Grover Washington Jr., David Sanborn, the Brecker Brothers, and the Yellowjackets. What those acts had in common was their direct expression of emotion in melodic forms; their use of electric instruments; and their use of soul, R&B, and funk. Mahanthappa's exploration of jazz eventually expanded to the tradition, from bop to modal to free and post-bop along the way. That said, he's also pointed the way in his journey by adding elements of the Carnatic tradition of South Indian classical music into his playing and compositions. "Samdhi" is a Sanskrit word that translates as "twilight," but its meaning extends to a spiritual context, to the phase that exists between when one age is destroyed and another is born. On this album, Mahanthappa -- who in recent years has also become fascinated with the electronic sounds of dance music as well as hip-hop -- has seamlessly woven together all of his musical interests. This is an electro-acoustic band, whose members include former M-Base guitarist David Gilmore, electric bassist Rich Brown, drummer Damion Reid, and Indian percussionist "Anand" Anantha Krishnan. Mahanthappa plays alto and works loops, sonic processing, and samples via a laptop as well. Samdhi is full of beautifully written tunes, dicey, sophisticated improvisation, and abundant grooves. What's immediately apparent upon listening is how tight and communicative this meld of new jazz, Indian music, and electronic fare really is. While tunes like "Playing with Stones" and "Breakfastlunchanddinnner" get deep into the soulful expression and funkiness of '70s and early-'80s jazz (the latter with a knockout solo by Gilmore), these tunes also have moments when Indian music and its modal spaciousness play a role, too. In "Killer," the swerving, tight-turn head is pure Indian polychromatic invention. And halfway in, Mahanthappa processes his own saxophone solo and doubles it tonally. "Still-Gas" even more effectively marries Indian music to jazz improvisation, even as Gilmore and Brown vamp on forward-looking funk. The ballad "For All the Ladies," with its subdued but rumbling percussion by Krishnan and Reid, is dynamic, melodically rich, and emotionally abundant. Mahanthappa's electric band is completely thrilling throughout Samdhi, playing more as an ensemble than as a soloist's backing group. Ironically, it is their precision that makes this blur of styles a many-colored and textured thing that feels whole and specific as jazz. Fusion? Indeed. But despite the ugly tinge that word has in relation to jazz, it is redefined here because fusion has never sounded like this before.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-

A new dimension in the fusion of electro-acoustic jazz and Indian music from the alto saxophonist of the year 2011 (Downbeat Crtitics Poll). ACT
Tracklist :
1    Parakram #1    2:26
Composed By - Rudresh Mahanthappa
2    Killer    6:16
Composed By - Rudresh Mahanthappa
3    Richard’S Game    2:07
Composed By - Rich Brown
4    Playing With Stones    8:01
Composed By - Rudresh Mahanthappa
5    Rune    3:10
Composed By - David Gilmore
6    Breakfastlunchanddinnner    7:29
Composed By - Rudresh Mahanthappa
7    Parakram #2    5:18
Composed By - Rudresh Mahanthappa
8    Ahhh    8:21
Composed By - Rudresh Mahanthappa
9    Meeting Of The Skins    3:33
Composed By – Anantha Krishnan / Damion Reid
10    Still-Gas    9:00
Composed By - Rudresh Mahanthappa
11    For My Lady    1:56
Composed By - Rudresh Mahanthappa
12    For All The Ladies    7:36
Composed By - Rudresh Mahanthappa
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Liner Notes, Producer – Rudresh Mahanthappa
Cover – Tony Cragg
Drums – Damion Reid
Electric Bass – Rich Brown
Electric Guitar – David Gilmore
Kanjira, Mridangam – "Anand" Anantha Krishnan

RUDRESH MAHANTHAPPA — Bird Calls (2015) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Inspired by his love of the music of legendary jazz saxophonist Charlie "Bird" Parker, Rudresh Mahanthappa pays homage to the late bebop innovator on 2015's Bird Calls. It was purportedly while breaking down Parker's performance on "Donna Lee" to help a student learn the infamously difficult song that saxophonist Mahanthappa came up with the concept of a different way to interpret Parker's music. Taken in small, easily digestible bites, Mahanthappa began to hear Parker's architectural bop motifs less as swinging, blues-based jazz and more as modern classical or even avant-garde music. Combining his own creative approach to jazz with Indian raga, funk, post-bop, and other eclectic stylistic elements, Mahanthappa wrote pieces loosely based on Parker's songs or parts of solos. For example, "Both Hands" reworks Parker's "Dexterity" into a roiling, machine-gun stream of sound, and "Talin Is Thinking" turns Parker's classic bluesy ballad "Parker's Mood" into a frenetic spiritual jazz workout. Furthermore, just as Parker was often backed by a quintet featuring a trumpeter like the great Dizzy Gillespie, Mahanthappa takes the same approach, bringing with him 2014 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trumpet Competition third-place winner Adam O'Farrill along with pianist Matt Mitchell, bassist François Moutin, and drummer Rudy Royston. Only 20 years old at the time of recording, O'Farrill (the son of pianist Arturo O'Farrill and the grandson of legendary Cuban percussionist, and Parker associate, Chico O'Farrill) is an immensely gifted trumpeter with a robust, rounded tone and lithe improvisational style. Joining with the other members of Mahanthappa's quintet, he brings an intensity and buoyant creativity to Bird Calls that effectively updates the classic Parker/Gillespie partnership. For his end, Mahanthappa, a brilliantly capable improviser blessed with a fluid, harmonically engaging approach to jazz, blazes his way through these songs, which are at once accessible yet boundlessly inventive. Ultimately, with Bird Calls, Mahanthappa has crafted an exuberant, expressive album that's as fresh and surprising as the music Parker originally recorded. Matt Collar

A contemporary perspective on one of the founding fathers of modern jazz: Charlie "Bird" Parker. In an intelligent and multifaceted way, Mahanthappa uses influences from Parker's work as a foundation for his compositions and improvisations. ACT
Tracklist :
1    Bird Calls #1    2:50
2    On The DL    8:01
3    Bird Calls #2    1:09
4    Chillin'    8:03
5    Bird Calls #3    2:14
6    Talin Is Thinking    6:53
7    Both Hands    4:47
8    Bird Calls #4    2:12
9    Gopuram    7:37
10    Maybe Later    7:02
11    Bird Calls #5    1:39
12    Sure Why Not?    7:49
13    Man, Thanks For Coming    1:38
Credits:
Rudresh Mahanthappa - Alto Saxophone
Adam O'Farrill - Trumpet
Matt Mitchell - Piano
François Moutin - Acoustic Bass
Rudy Royston - Drums