Trilok Gurtu and the Arkč String Quartet's "Arkeology"E. "Doc" Smithbyline‚ Aug. 03‚ 2007One of my favorite songs, is a piece entitled "Balatho", written by the brilliant Indian percussionist Trilok Gurtu during his tenure with the jazz group Oregon. (I loved "Balatho" so much, that I even played and recorded it with my own group!) A master tabla player as well as trap set drummer, Gurtu has re-recorded this wonderful song on a new CD with Arkč String Quartet called simply, "Arkeology". This latest version is perhaps the best yet, with Gurtu as the only improvising soloist in the ensemble, (on his famed staccato ragas and vocals as well as a multitude of instruments), and contributed three of the ten compositions. The quartet of Carlo Cantini – Violin, Dilruba, Recorder, Kalimba; Valentino Corvino – Violin; Sandro Di Paolo – Viola; and Stefano Dall’Ora– Doublebass, Ukelele, Emincence Bass/Aptflex, contributed the rest. |