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SPECIAL VOICES/SINGER-SONGWRITERS WITH INDIAN INFLUENCES :

Amelia Cuni, born in Italy received different kinds of degrees (of singing and dance) in India, (-and is one of the only recognised non Indian dhrupad singers in India), lives now in Germany, used very much her talents to compose, sing, make choreographies with full respect for the mastered Indian roots but added her personal contemporary touch.

In "Song of Hours" ****° her voice takes a bit over the other Indian instruments, (a style slightly reminding at some of Sheila Chandra's vocal techniques) making this item an artistic masterpiece of mood creation. Danza d'Amore is very different. It combines medieval elements with Indian and it seems to have been created with the help of Terry Riley, famous minimal composer. Both items are multimedia projects but can be experienced just for the music itself too. Both works are highly recommended.

Webpages : http://www.asianetwork.de/cuni/cuni.htm & http://www.ameliacuni.de/

Song of hours : http://www.amiatamedia.com/eng/series/nm/pages/ar0299.htm

Soundfragments : http://www.ventricle.com/cuni.htm

Amelia Cuni, Aesh, Avital Raz

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DemoAesh : EP (NL,F,2006)****

I don’t think there are really many singer-songwriters (Céline sings with partly French and mostly English lyrics) who adapted Dhrupad roots into the singing. Singer Céline Wadier studied dhrupad singing during 6 years, under Ustad Zia Fariddudin, and she almost has her conservatory degree. The accompaniment is live tabla, an electronic complexity of drums with bass, partly laptop controlled, and the Indian sarod (acoustic, but I also think this is played amplified and even electric). The songs and original, still recognisable, singing style in combination with the intelligent production of the songs, makes Aesh music something distinctive and original, with a successful formula that has all the elements to become popular. First track has an element of Japanese spoken word. Last track is a complex tabla solo with some keyboards.

Celine Wadier : Vocals & lyrics, keyboards, MartijnBaaijens : Sarod, keyboards, Heiko Dijker : Tabla, Laptop, keyboards.

Audio & info : http://www.myspace.com/aeshmusic & http://www.myspace.com/celinewadier

This album now is puplished officially : http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/aesh

private/AcumAvital Raz : Strange Love Songs (IS,2007)****'

review of this s/sw/acidfolk EP

on http://singersong.homestead.com/folk3.html