Join Toronto Tabla Ensemble (TTE) at Palmerston Library Theatre on August 22nd for an exclusive preview of their upcoming album Bhumika before its public launch on September 9th. The evening will feature performances by TTE along with guest kathak dancer Labonee Mohanta and violin player Raginder Singh Momi, both from San Francisco. The artists will come together to perform Faceoff for the first time before the song’s music video is released. Toronto Tabla Youth Ensemble will perform two of their signature pieces including Sailing, whose music video was released in 2017. Event guests will have the opportunity to purchase a limited number of CDs before the official album release and interact with the artists in an intimate setting.
Bhumika, TTE’s sixth full-length recording, was produced as a dedication to artistic director Ritesh Das’ brother, kathak legend Acharya Chitresh Das, who greatly influenced Das’ identity as a composer. The other key artistic inspiration is Das’ guru Maestro Swapan Chaudhuri, one of the great tabla masters of the current age. The album reflects Das’ artistic vision: to display the intensity and complexity of North Indian classical rhythm through collaboration with other World Music forms.
Each song draws from the depth of tabla’s solo repertoire and the mathematical complexity of Indian rhythmic cycles. Two pieces on the album are played in time signatures of 5½ and 9½ beats. Under Das’ guidance, guest artists play their instrument in a way that suits the theory and style of Indian Classical music to create a unique synergy. Some of the instruments heard on the album include drum kit, violin, flute, Japanese taiko, and Chinese Guzheng. The result is a novel contemporary sound that has been much acclaimed by World Music lovers since the band’s first concert in 1991.
On September 9th, Bhumika will be released on digital streaming platforms along with a music video for the single Faceoff. TTE’s next concert will be held on Friday, November 9th at the Harbourfront Centre where pieces from Bhumika will be played along with new compositions from the Toronto Tabla Youth Ensemble. TTE and Ritesh Das would like to thank Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, and the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR) for their support of the production and release of Bhumika.
About the guest artists:
Labonee Mohanta, disciple of Kathak maestro Pandit Chitresh Das, began her training in Kathak dance at the early age of 8. She is a prominent solo artist, having performed Kathak solos to great acclaim in dance and music festivals throughout the United States, Canada, India, and France. Labonee has become renowned for dynamism in her dance, fiery footwork, subtlety and grace in movement, as well as one of the few who can perform the fastest pirouettes in the field of Indian dance today. She also employs the technique “Kathak Yoga” where she simultaneously sings the rhythmic cycle, dances complex mathematical patterns, and plays the harmonium.
Raaginder is a young upcoming violinist and music composer from the bay area. born in a musical family, raaginder has always been surrounded many different types of music in his upbringing. he first started playing the violin when he was 11 years old and then became a disciple of a renowned indian classical violinist, dr. sisirkana dhar choudhury. he has studied at the california institute of the arts (calarts) where he received his bachelors of fine arts in world music performance. during his time at calarts, he trained under sarod maestro, ustaad aashish khan.
raaginder has brought it upon his violin to experiment with different genres of music such as hip-hop, pop, and indian classical. he has performed in prominent venues all over the world such as the white house, staples center, wembley arena and many more. through these endeavors and experiences, raaginder’s art will always bring new, intense, and interesting types of music for his audiences to hear.
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