Elements - The Alchemy (2018)

Elements combines the unique talents of three extraordinary musicians, American saxophonist and composer, George Brooks; North Indian violinist and vocalist, Kala Ramnath; and Dutch harp virtuoso, Gwyneth Wentink. Their dynamic and adventurous music bridges cultures and genres, drawing inspiration from a wide spectrum of rich musical heritages. Innovative compositions inspired by Indian ragas, western minimal music and contemporary improvisation unify the aesthetics of Europe, India and the Americas to form an engaging and distinctive global chamber music. Since the release of their eponymous first CD, Elements has performed in Netherlands, Dubai, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco and at the Sri Moonshine Music Series curated by composer, Terry Riley in Camptonville, California.

Meet Elements:

George Brooks is a prolific and diverse saxophonist and composer, acclaimed for successfully bridging the worlds of jazz and Indian classical music. He is the founder Indian fusion groups: Summit with Zakir Hussain, Fareed Haque and Kai Eckhardt; Bombay Jazz with Larry Coryell and Ronu Majumdar; and the Raga Bop Trio with Steve Smith and south Indian guitarist Prasanna.

Brooks has performed with India’s most respected concert artists including Hariprasad Chaurasia, U Srinivas, Trilok Gurtu, Shankar Mahadevan, as well as jazz, blues and pop luminaries John McLaughlin, Etta James, Talvin Singh, and many others. Of particular importance are his collaborations with American composer Terry Riley, a fellow student of Indian vocalist Pandit Pran Nath, who has inspired George’s approach to composition and improvisation.

Kala Ramnath, born and raised in the southern Indian city of Chennai, represents the seventh generation of her family to play violin. While Chennai is the heart of the Carnatic classical world, Ramnath was drawn to the North Indian Hindustani tradition, spending more than a decade studying intensively with revered Mewati vocalist Pandit Jasraj.

In 2017 Ramnath received the Sangeet Natak Academy Award, the highest honor a musician can attain in India. To quote composer Terry Riley, Kala Ramnath “ is like an angel in human form. Just to watch her play is an extraordinary thing…she’s one of the greatest musicians on the planet”.

As a harpist both classical and experimental, Gwyneth Wentink has performed in Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center; Royal Albert Hall and Royal Opera in London; the Konzerthaus in Berlin and Concertgebauw in Amsterdam. Praised for her versatility, Wentink introduced the harp into classical Indian music, and performs regularly with greats like Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia, Kala Ramnath and Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. Wentink is currently touring as principal harpist of the Orchestra Revolutionaire et Romantique and the English Baroque Soloists under Sir John Eliot Gardiner.

Tracklist:
01 - To the Light (feat. George Brooks, Kala Ramnath & Gwyneth Wentink)
02 - Karuna (feat. George Brooks, Kala Ramnath & Gwyneth Wentink)
03 - Traveling Music for Ann (feat. George Brooks, Kala Ramnath & Gwyneth Wentink)
04 - Sringara (feat. George Brooks, Kala Ramnath & Gwyneth Wentink)
05 - Lemon Pickle (feat. George Brooks, Kala Ramnath & Gwyneth Wentink)
06 - Ambika (feat. George Brooks, Kala Ramnath & Gwyneth Wentink)
07 - To Be or Not (feat. George Brooks, Kala Ramnath & Gwyneth Wentink)
08 - I: The Gift (feat. Gwyneth Wentink) [The Alchemy of Happiness for Solo Harp]
09 - II - The Longing (feat. Gwyneth Wentink) [The Alchemy of Happiness for Solo Harp]
10 - III - The Promise (feat. Gwyneth Wentink) [The Alchemy of Happiness for Solo Harp]

George Brooks - saxophones
Kala Ramnath - violin and vocals
Gwyneth Wentink - harp
Special guests:
Kai Eckhardt - bass
Selvaganesh Vinayakram - kanjira