Tala
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Tala

| INDIE | AFM

| INDIE | AFM
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"Whistler Question"

ala Strikes Improvisational Chord
Montreal-based four-piece self-styled "improvisational organism" Tala brings its unique multi-instrumental sound to the Boot Pub on Monday April 14.
On tour since March 21, the members of Tala said although they miss home while on tour, they enjoy the freedom of the road, and the opportunity to do what they enjoy.
"Playing music every day is really what we like to do," said Steve Venkatarangam , guitarist for the band.
The band plays an original selection of an improv acid jazz,funk and reggae mix, but also peppers its repertoire with its own interpretations of obscure favorites.
"One example is we do Lowrider, but as an instrumental version on the sitar," Venkatarangam said. "It is a kind of drum and bass, funky-feel version of Lowrider." - Steve Hill


"Finding Their Rhythm"

Tala, a trio of multi-instrumentalists, bring a unique and soulful sonic groove to Neptune's in Saint John this Saturday night.The group stirs together a free and diverse mix of instrumentation, influence and musicianship.They've been on the road and taking it to the people since 2000.This band, over the course of hundreds of shows, has proven their real turf to be the high wire act that is the live stage, in an era where studio production duos are held up as gods.Forming up and operating out of Montreal, Stephen Venkatarangam (sitar, guitar) and Adrian Aitken (percussion) have their familial roots in Saint John and Fredericton.This tour also counts the original bassist from their "Fat Tala" days, Andy Britten, back in. Current steady Jon Dejardins having, according to Stephen, "Matters to attend to." Playing in support of their new album Squeaks, Bleeps and Drones, it's my bet that Tala will take full advantage of their diverse array of influence which they count as being everything from traditional Indian sitar and tabla, to reggae, to more modern forms such as house, dub and funk.For sure, music is subjective, but having caught their performance at the Evolve Festival in Antigonish, N.S. in 2003, it can certainly be said that they were a solid and noteworthy musical presence in the midst of some heavy hitters like Medeski Martin and Wood. Let's just say they truly do their own thing and they do it very well.Stephen Venkatarangam made time to talk to [here] last week, while he was in the midst of preparations for their current tour and album release bash in Montreal. This weekend constitutes a homecoming that Stephen for one, is looking forward to."It's always good to come home and play.I spent 25 years in Saint John and we all have lots of friends there, and down the way on the East Coast. I really like the city, too. People are friendly there." Touring, and playing countless shows has made it difficult for Stephen to pinpoint his favourite or standout location. "It's surprising you know.Some places we've played that you would think would have a really great turn out to be not as much fun as some of the surprises we've had on the road. Places like Sudbury, Ontario and Edmundston, N.B. were just great, with Sudbury being very unexpected. People really know a good time in that town. The shows were a lot of fun." He continues, "We're breaking into the US this trip. It'll be cool to play in Vermont and Maine, definitely very cool states to be in." He laughed about the notion that Vermont might make Canada look almost a little right wing.Possessed of East Indian heritage, Stephen Venkatarangam credits some family influence as being one of the things which led him to a life in music."My sisters all took piano lessons. My sisters doing scales were kind of like my alarm clock." His introduction into playing the sitar has somewhat accidental overtones.In a story that it is analogous to finding an old guitar in an attic or garage Stephen describes finding the sitar that would become his practical introduction to the lushly polytonal instrument."My mom had a friend whose grandfather had one. It was lying there, covered in dust and I got it cleaned up and started to play around with it.Once I got going with it for real, it took some doing just to learn how to tune it properly, which I saw as the obvious first thing to get done. There really weren't any sitar teachers in Saint John, per se but once in Montreal I started learning more about it," he laughs. "One funny thing was though, a lot of these guys (sitar teachers) didn't have phones! Eventually, though, I found a teacher who had a sitar and a phone, and went from there. Playing the sitar has helped me find more of my own voice through the guitar, too." As for the "sound" of Tala, (Hindi for rhythm) Stephen credits his bandmates' musicianship and their collective attitude as being a major factor."We're not afraid to mix it up. We try to always be evolving and trying new sounds textures and forms." I make note of the fact that many groups couldn't handle the touring schedule that Tala has maintained or don't possess the dedication it takes to hang in there.Stephen chuckles slightly and then says a little bit matter-of-factly, "We're relentless." - Here - New Brunswick's Urban Voice


"Relix Magazine"

BAND FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY
An extremely interesting quartet that puts its own slant on what it says is “an ever-thriving, Canadian jamband community,” guitarist, vocalist and sitar player Steve Venkatarangam says Tala draws its influences “from every genre… including Miles Davis, Marc Ribot, Ravi Shankar, Gong, King Crimson and Jimi Hendrix.” The eclecticism of these influences is manifested in the band’s self-titled album, from the slow funky grind of “Yukiko” to the more sophisticated “Cycles.” The latter has complex counterpoint vocals and a subtle, electronic backdrop. There’s an acid jazz slant to “Indigo,” while elsewhere they slip in the odd Eastern influence as well as move into jazz and funk territory. Vocally they are also interesting, as they use the voice more as an instrument for added textures. This is a band that relies heavily on subtlety and mood. Its unpredictable music slowly draws the listener in and this is most notable in the album’s highlight “7-11,” a polished song with a nice groove and some delicate guitar work.The band records all its shows and spreads them around freely at shows and on the internet. Venkatarangam says that the big negative to touring in Canada is that “some drives are over 20 hours.” Tala hopes to start playing in the U.S. before the end of the year. “Playing in the States will give us a lot more gigs with a lot less driving,” says Venkatarangam

By Mick Skidmore

WWW.RELIX.COM
- Mick Skidmore


"Echo Weekly"

TALA TURNS IT OUT
Tala lead man Steve Venkatarangam talks to
me during some mid–tour recharging at his
parent’s house in St. John, New Brunswick.
His band, based in Montreal, is very much a
road band. They play a brand of music that is
best heard live. It only makes sense that they
play a lot of live shows. Tala played over 100
shows in 2002 from Vancouver to Halifax and
has already been there and back again this
year. Venkatarangam’s visit with his family will
be a brief one — he arrived there straight from
the Spring Shaker in St. Andrew’s, NB, a two
day festival in the heart of the vital East Coast
Music scene. Very soon he will be on the road
again as Tala make their way to Kitchener for
their weekend show at the Circus Room." The Maritimes are becoming both a leaping
point and an incubator for a silently growing
trend in Canadian music — the singular
reliance on the live musical moment. This is
where a jamband like Tala thrives. “I think
people are looking for new music,”
Venkatarangam tells me. “The great thing
about this scene is that everybody is bringing in
their own music and everybody’s got their own
spin on it. The East Coast has a great thing
started there and I think it’s starting to spread
across the country.
“The locations of New Brunswick and Nova
Scotia are pretty close compared to other
areas. There are people travelling around to
see shows and getting to know each other
while watching the same bands. Now the
network is increasing and starting to expand
into Ontario and out West.”
Tala (Hindi for “meter or rhythm”) has evolved
enormously over the years. They began as Fat
Tala in ’97 and have gone through numerous
membership changes to get to the unit that
they are now. Nick Grimwood plucks the bass,
Adrian Aitken hits the drums, Ryan Smith plays
guitar and Venkatarangam sings and plays
guitar and sitar. The sitar and the other Eastern
sounds that Venkatarangam brings from his
Indian heritage are what set Tala’s jams apart
from the live offerings of their counterparts.
“I’ve been studying a lot of sitar in Montreal
when I’m not touring. I’m learning classical
Indian music and I’m getting better at guitar
because of it. It’s a whole new way of playing,
you play down the neck rather than up it. It’s
really changing my sound and the band’s
sound as well. It’s a nice thing to add into
improvised music.”
Canadian jambands are drawing in bigger
crowds then ever — a fact that can be attributed
to the general resurgence of rock, the stubborn
consistency of the bands’ endless tours, and a
branding furthered by news–making American
phenomenons like Bonnaroo (a huge sold–out
festival that has been franchised in only its
second year of existence) and Phish (a recent
Rolling Stone cover headlined “The Biggest
Jamband in America” sure dropped the phrase
on the public). This has led to a scene of
bands that are finally proud to be a part of it. In
years past, bands would deny the label
‘jamband’ and now they seem to embrace it —
this self–awareness and consequent
confidence has made every Can–jam band
infinitely more effective.
Tala has no qualms with being a jamband —
in fact, no track on their self–titled debut is
shorter than five minutes — except the
meta–titled, “2:22.” Long interludes of a fun
funk/reggae groove are predominant
throughout the release and the vocals are far
and few between. A definitive Can–jam cd.
The Montreal quartet has no problems selling
their style on the open–minded and laid–back
Easterners. What about the chic hipsters in
their hometown?
“We get a few gigs in Montreal but mostly
we’ve been touring out west and a little through
the east and now we’re just beginning to get
into Ontario,” Venkatarangam answers.
“They’re really receptive to all kinds of music
there. In Montreal the way people watch music
— they actual sit there and watch and
appreciate it, not really a dancing crowd...they
start to clap when things pick up so you know
they’re paying close attention and there’s still a
lot of interaction. If they don’t like it, it’s because
we don’t sing enough and they’re like, ‘is this
an instrumental band?’”
There really is nothing like well–played live
music and no band plays it live better than a
jamband. Tala certainly has the road–cred to
have established a deep, multi–layered and
multi–influenced live show. Jump on the
bandwagon!
- Mike Knoll


"Pique Magazine"

GET INTO THE MONTREAL GROOVE WITH TALA, AT THE BOOT

Strap yourself into your comfiest dancing gear and board the Boot Express on Monday night for a dynamic roller coaster ride through groove, funk, acid jazz, reggae and East Indian rhythms.
Tala, a Montreal-based quartet put on a jam spread like no other and they're back by popular demand for one night only on their third West Coast tour since forming in 2000.
Unlike a lot of jam bands that don't like to use vocals within their improvisation, Tala love to sing. Cheeky, quirky lyrics and dual harmonies abound on songs like Weirder Than Me and Fat Gat.
"I've always loved bands with vocals, it really gives people something to lock onto. A lot of bands we are influenced by had singers. We think the harmonies create a real feel-good atmosphere," said Venkatarangam.
Some fans of Tala border on the obsessive. It's not uncommon to see a collection of tape recorders and MP3s lying about the stage during the funky foursome's set and these recordings are freely traded by fans on a number of internet web sites. It's a common occurence that Venkatarangam says the band strongly encourages.
"It's a crucial thing for us having people share our shows because it's the perfect way for our music to spread. We can't afford to tour a lot of places just yet so this helps immeasurably. Every show is different anyweay and totally different to our studio album in sound."
The studio album he mentions, their self-titled debut, is quite hard to find. The first printing, available only at the merch table at their gigs, sold out in no time. Subsequent printings are walking out the door just as fast. So what is it about their sound that keeps many first-timers coming back for more?
"Every live performance is unique as the band combines intricate structure with free flowing improvisation, which keeps the listener in awe and leaves them wanting more," offered manager Ben Reiman.
Add to that the signature East Indian style of guitarist-sitarist-vocalist Venkatrangam intertwined with the highly intense beats of drummer Adrian Aitken and fans are left screaming for encores. Backed by the progressive funk stylings of Nick Grimwood, Tala is tight unit of pure groove from around the globe.
Tala has been keeping upa an average of at least 100 shows a year, playing several festivals and showcases in 2002, including the Come Together Music Festival in Durham,Ont. and the Molson Canadian House Party with DJ Fatboy Slim in Banff.
In that time they have created quite a stir in the jamband scene, one they hope will continue to take them touring and expanding their fan base all over the continent. They have plans to hit the U.S. this fall.
"The more we tour, the tighter we get as a unit," said Venkatarangam. "The crowd helps a lot with our development because if they know we're doing something a litte different, we'll feed off their enthusiasm."
Get out to a Tala show and blow your boogie shoes off with beats and grooves that'll make you dance all night long.

- Dana Mitchell


Discography

Bleeps, Squeaks and Drones - released 2006
Tala (Self-Titled) - released 2002

Photos

Bio

There have been multiple descriptions for this mutating yet always engaging group. From dub and funk bass with creative dance beats to catchy melodies, quirky lyrics, atmospheric guitar leads and sitar freak-outs: the band pushes the envelope of pop sensibility. The trio uses a combination of structure and chaos to create a variety of moods not often seen in a live act. “Making it danceable and still interesting, is something we set out to accomplish each night” says Venkatarangam.

Extensive touring, along with encouraging fans to trade recordings of live shows has allowed Tala to bypass the mainstream while maintaining a loyal and ever-growing fan base. Touring from one end of North America to the other, the band is no stranger to playing over a hundred shows in a year. "We're definitely a touring band, and it's playing live and connecting with the crowd that keeps us going," says Aitken. Maintaining this touring schedule has brought the band significant media attention, including an article in the July 2003 issue of Relix Magazine. From the Molson Canadian Rocks concert with Fat Boy Slim, to the Evolve festival with Medeski Martin & Wood, the group has shared the stage with many great bands over the course of its travels.

The band was formed in October of 2000 in Montreal. The group is led by Stephen Venkatarangam (guitar/sitar/synthesizer/flute/vocals) and he is supported by a variety of musicians from across Canada.

Tala, the East Indian word for rhythm, is known not only for their daring improvisations, but also for the band's live energy and the considerable attention and detail put into the songwriting. All three members share much of these songwriting duties. This democratic approach gives the band its diverse yet homogeneous sound as each member brings to the table his unique experiences and influences. "Throwing instruments together that normally wouldn't mix and making them work is what we do best," adds Venkatarangam.

Tala is currently promoting their second studio album “Bleeps Squeaks and Drones”, released January of 2006. Their self-titled debut CD (2002) received international acclaim in underground and college radio stations. For people who have not yet seen the band and are looking for a cutting edge sound, this group from Montreal is guaranteed to deliver.

http://www.myspace.com/talatheband