Taal Tantra

Taal Tantra - The Story

Pandit Ravi Shankar had already left for his hotel after a successful concert at the Museum Island Berlin, when Tanmoy Bose - one of Ravi Shankar‘s tabla players - decided to stay and check out the local Berlin club scene. Destiny took its course and Tanmoy Bose met and jammed with four exceptional musicians who are all deeply rooted in Berlin‘s jazz scene.
Five months later, the four Berliners were invited to India to play a five week tour with Tanmoy’s Taal Tantra. This project was even documented by Katharina Suckale in her documentary “In the Rhythm of a city”.

Taal Tantra - The Music

Taal Tantra is a very ambitious project which uniquely combines classical/traditional Indian music with European jazz. Due to the success of this project, two greatly received follow-up tours in India have taken place and in the meantime a very close friendship between the tabla virtuoso and the Berliners has evolved.

The Music
TAAL TANTRA defines music that transcends boundaries of specific styles and produces music and sounds of defining world music at its best. Indian ragas supported by jazz chords and complex time cycles take the listener to a journey of ecstasy. Percussive syllable recitation, usage of vedic mantras, traditional and folk songs add dimension to the uniquely designed performance.

The individual solos by the master musicians create an ambience of surprise and ultimate listening pleasures. The vibration of gongs, chimes, ocean drums, thunder drums weave a design of divine atmosphere. In one word, TAAL TANTRA is the perfect definition for contemporary sounds and music.

The constant urge to develop new directions and create global sounds through music has made this project dear to many ardent music lovers throughout the world. In Tanmoy’s own words, “TAAL TANTRA for me is the medium to experiment and express our understanding of new ideas and sounds.” Some of the best known musicians have collaborated with this project.

The musicians

Tanmoy Bose
Tanmoy Bose is one of the finest tabla players in the world of Indian Classical Music. His long association with some ot the greatest names in Indian Music has given him a firm and definite standing as a performing musician.
He has toured extensively with USTAD AMJAD ALI KHAN and PANDIT RAVI SHANKAR, but also with great musicians of western pop music such as George Harrison and Sting, and collaborates intensively with Ravi Shankar‘s daughter, Anoushka Shankar. He has been a participating musician in two of PANDIT RAVI SHANKAR’s Grammy winning projects - “Live at Carnegie” and “Concerts for George”. His creativity has left his mark in WORLD MUSIC project TAAL TANTRA. His role as a music director for ballets and feature film has earned him praise.
www.tanmoybose.com

Andreas Weiser
Musician and composer from Berlin. Has worked as a composer for radio, television and feature films and performs as a percussionist in various international jazz- and world music bands. Recordings and performances with Elefanten, Xiame, Materia, Shank,Taal Tantra, Berlin Big Band, Jorge Degas, Jazzanova, Tanmoy Bose, Subhankar Banerjiee, Bocato, Mia, Dona Zefinha, Jesse Millener....
www.weiserarts.com

Kai Brückner
guitar player and composer- studies at the Hochschule der Künste in New York instruction under John Abercrombie, Mike Stern and Wayne Krantz, among others. International Jazz Workshop in Banff, Canada (Kenny Werner, Dave Holland, Dave Douglas among others). Compositions for film music. Tours in the
US and Canada with drummer Jerry Granelli, in Germany and Europe and in India with tabla player Tanmoy Bose. Goethe Institute Tour to Africa with Yakou Tribe.

Max Hughes - bass
- studies of classical and modern music – advanced studies with Oscar Stagnaro, Paul Amrod, Whit Browne, dem Komponisten John Bavicchi, Jimmy Cheatham, Hal Crook, and legendary Oscar Sala. Active Freelancing and Studio work in Europe, Latin-America and the U.S.A. with/for among others: Alcatel, Friedrichstadt Palast Berlin, BMW, KPMG, Marleaux Guitars, New York Broadway Ensemble, Telescope Film, etc. and artists such as Chaka Khan, Tanmoy Bose, Toni Braxton, John-Paul Bourelly, Ack van Rooyen, Jocelyn B.Smith etc.

Tilmann Dehnhard studied flute and saxophone at Hochschule der Künste Berlin.
Musical collaborations with Sam Rivers, Evan Parker, Alexander von Schlippenbach, Terumasa Hino and others. Tilmann Dehnhard works as a freelance musician and composer. He lives in Berlin. Beginning of 1998 Tilmann Dehnhard formed his new quintet for a series of concerts at Bauhaus-Archiv Berlin. Within the sparse set up of tenor saxophone, trumpet, contrabass and drums, Dehnhard’s compositions create a seldom heard
music that moves on in waves, expressing virility and coolness in a silent way.