Africa meets India

India meets Africa ”Muzikale cohesie die je niet mag missen.” Twee virtuozen, Derek Gripper (Zuid Afrika) en Niti Ranjan Biswas (Bangladesh), beide klassiek geschoold en beide op zoek naar de buitengrenzen van de gevestigde klassieke stijlen, troffen elkaar in Brussel en besloten om hun muzikale vocabulaire nóg verder uit te breiden door hun wederzijdse ervaringen in wereldmuziek, jazz, klassiek en pop uit te wisselen. Dit gaan zij nu doen in de vorm van concerten.   Derek Gripper, geboren, getogen en woonachtig in Kaapstad, bewandelde na zijn opleiding klassieke gitaar een onalledaagse weg. Deze bracht hem onder andere naar Mali, waar hij de kora (Afrikaanse harp) ontdekte. Vervolgens werkte hij tien jaar om onder meer stukken van de vermaarde kora-speler Toumani Diabate om te zetten voor gitaar en ook op notenschrift vast te leggen. Naast zijn reis in West-Afrika heeft hij ook het podium gedeeld met gitaarlegenden als John Williams en Debashish Battacharya. Bij eerdere zoektochten belandde hij in India, waar hij zich de beginselen van de Carnatische percussie eigen maakte. In 2017 keerde hij terug naar zijn basis in Zuid-Afrika, waar hij vervolgens vioolwerken van Bach bewerkte voor gitaar. Zijn bewerkingen worden momenteel vastgelegd op cd. Deze wordt later dit jaar uitgebracht.   Niti Ranjan Biswas, afkomstig uit Bangladesh en woonachtig in Amsterdam, startte zijn muzikale loopbaan op vijfjarige leeftijd. In 1993 ontving hij een studiebeurs, waarmee hij de mogelijkheid kreeg om aan de Ajrara Gharana oftewel “School Of Tabla” te studeren en les te krijgen van professor Sudhir Kumar Saxena in Baroda, Gujarat. Ook zijn studies met Pandit P.K. Shridhar en Pandit Yogesh Samsi hebben aanzienlijke invloed op...

Dubble concert Snowy White & Peppino d Agostino

May 30th Whenever I get the opportunity to go die Gaste Garage in Germany to watch or participate in a concert either as photographer or recording engineer, I’ll do so. It’s so much fun working with these kind hearted people. The intimate envoirnment that has been created is exactly my cup of tea… This time I was asked by my good friend en great drummer Juan van Emmerloot, to record the dubble concert in which he plays for both Snowy White and Peppino d’ Agostino. All Juan’s typical jokes and pranks where pulled of course (no tour would survive without them), also his and the other members’ proffesionalism was a feast to be part of. We set up three camera’s and I recorded the whole concert on my Korg MR2000 DSD machine. Of course I can not reveal the whole concert we recorded without permission of the artists, but one composition I am able to share with you. This is Juan’s composition for drums only called “Noisy neighbours”. This performance shows who Juan is and how he communicates, but most of all his musicality, his composing skills and craftsmanship on drums. For me it’s alway a blast working with him and watching him doing his thing. Click this LINK to see what I’m talking about!...

25 years Indian music at Codarts conservatory Rotterdam

29th May I had the privelage of being the photographer of an extraordinary well organized and musical event in the building where I’m proud to be the facilities manager: WMDC (World Music and Dance Centre) in Rotterdam. Today was the celebration of 25 years of the Indian department at Codarts. It’s not everybodies privelage to get to know such wonderful musicians, not only by skill and musicianship, but also as people. People like the great Hariprasad Chaurasia, Niti Ranjan Biswas Marianne Svasek and Henri Tournier, all wonderful people and great teachers. Like I said, I’m proud to be part of this. As you can see on the pictures, the presentations given by students and teachers and the final concert by Hariprasad, Niti and their students was almost out of this world, just mind blowing! The audience were treated by outstanding Indian classical music, followed by swinging Bollywood as a final. I hope this department will keep on sharing it’s knowledge with new students for at least another 25 years or more… 29th May I had the privelage of being the photographer of an extraordinary well organized and musical event in the building where I’m proud to be the facilities manager: WMDC (World Music and Dance Centre) in Rotterdam. Today was the celebration of 25 years of the Indian department at Codarts. It’s not everybodies privelage to get to know such wonderful musicians, not only by skill and musicianship, but also as people. People like the great Hariprasad Chaurasia, Niti Ranjan Biswas Marianne Svasek and Henri Tournier, all wonderful people and great teachers. Like I said, I’m proud to be...

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