Reels to Ragas

Scotland’s contemporary music group Red Note Ensemble, founded by cellist Robert Irvine and including violinist Jacqueline Shave are joined on this maiden voyage by prolific internationally acclaimed tabla player Kuljit Bhamra. Together they explore journeys; long, short journeys – going there and coming back. A unique repertoire written/arranged specially for tabla and string trio.

Launching the new albums which features covers of John Mayer’s “Prabhanda”, “Jhalla” and “Tihai”. The Anglo-Indian, Mayer was a pioneer of cross-cultural musical fusions in the ’50s and ’60s working with jazz saxophonist Joe Harriott amongst many others. The musicians also rework Jacqueline Shave’s “Machair to Myrrh”, which conjures an ocean trip from the Outer Hebrides to the shores of Morocco. Robert Irvine contributes the cool bitter-sweet longing of “Love Song”, which echoes the haunting version of Robert Burns’ “Ca’ the Yowes”, beautifully sung by Stephanie Irvine.

“Kuljit Bhamra – born to the Bhangra beat!” The Daily Telegraph