Khamira

Adolygiadau o 'Khamira' / Reviews of Khamira

 

"An inspiring album. As pensive and melodically arresting as it is rhythmically energising, it offers heartening documentation of the continuing potential of both world-ranging and poetic sensibilities in jazz today... An album to place close to Shakti's Natural Elements - and I can't think of much higher praise than that"- Jazz Journal **** 

 

"Exhilarating and mesmeric, the eponymous debut release from seven-piece Khamira fuses Welsh folk, jazz and rock with Indian classical music.Blurring the edges of genres and cultures here feels entirely organic, summoning the seminal ’70s fusion experiments of John McLaughlin and Miles Davis,  as well as finding a modern-day crossover connection with artists such as Dwiki Dharmawhan and Dewa Budjana. Particularly impressive is the versatility of Suhail Yusuf Khan’s stringed sarangi in partnering so melodically with Tomos Williams’ trumpet and Aditya Balani’s electric guitar; and the incisive, often rapid top-note resonances of Vishal Nagar’s tabla accentuate the rhythmic grooves of Dave Jones (piano), Aidan Thorne (electric bass) and Mark O’Connor (drums)....fifty-five minutes of extensive, instrumental splendour" - AP Reviews 

"the septet creates music that's by turns, experimental, traditional, familiar, and otherworldly...Vibrant, colourful and excitingly different..." - RnR Magazine **** 

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"This début album impresses with its mix of excellent original compositions and skilful arrangements of traditional Welsh and Indian material. But it’s the quality of the playing that really makes the album stand out, everybody performs well to create a cohesive and distinctive group sound, but the individual contributions also sparkle and there are great solos from both the Welsh and Indian contingents throughout the album...When the full band plays the music is almost symphonic in scale and one can understand where the comparisons with Metheny come from, the sound is similarly cinematic and richly coloured and textured" - Thejazzmann ****

"The duet between Suhail Yusuf Khan's tender vocals and Tomos Williams' Miles-style trumpet that is 'Ffarwel i Gymru/Morey Nain is a delight, and there are individual moments of brilliance in the solos across the pieces" - Songlines *** 

"Mae'r traciau lleddf a'r alawon Cymreig yn wefreiddiol" - Lefi Gruffudd, Barn