The Tao of Books World Music Indonesia

Chuck Jonkey

In Java and Bali an amazing number of instruments are constructed from bamboo. Played in ensembles featuring drums, flutes, gongs, xylophones (to name a few), the music is rhythmic, complex and infectious. Chuck Jonkey travelled extensively recording live native performances (most often used to accompany the telling of spiritual tales through dance) for presentation on this unique disc. Spiritually motivated music of the highest order.

List price £13.99
Price: £10.20 Including VAT at 20%

LOTUS Ref: BW56

Lotus

Utterly enchanting and gently hypnotic, Lotus is a seamless blend of Southeast Asian music with contemporary urban beats, sensual grooves and heavenly vocals infused with the mystical sounds of Balinese paradise. Alex Edenborough's sultry vocals drift through the gamelan sounds, lifting the listener above everyday reality. It's an album for living, loving...or just chilling. Heady and intoxicating, like an oriental version of Enigma. Co-produced by Adam Plack

CD
Price: £15.31 Including VAT at 20%

TRANCE 2: Naqshbandi Sufis - Healing & Trance in Morocco - Balinese Temple Festival (Book + CD) Ref: IG128CD

Various Artists

In Chinese Turkestan, the ancient brotherhood of the Naqshbandi Sufis perform the zikr, an Islamic ‘calling to God’ built upon wordless chanting. Jean During was allowed to record this rarely witnessed ritual of deep contemplation and inspired dancing. In Morocco, the Ganawa brotherhood performs a leela-serene and healing nights of music and trance. The pulsing bass of the guimbri and the chattering percussion of qaraqsh that accompany these rituals embody the spirit which lured musicians like Jimi Hendrix and Ornette Coleman to Morocco. In Bali, at a Hindu temple festival, the hypnotic pulsing of the gamelan - a bevy of gongs, metallophones and cymbals - drives participants into trance to perform ngurek, a frenzied ritual where trancers stab at themselves with long daggers. Includes 64-page hardback book.

CD/Book

List price £16.99
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VISHNU Ref: BM21

Robert Macht

Vishnu blends the tuned bronze gongs from the island of Java, known as the gamelan, with the bright, clear, lyric-coloratura soprano voice of Hyunah Yu. Guest artist Sandip Burman adds percussive flair on the Indian tabla, while bamboo flute and a Chinese zheng also add to the exotic tone colours of this multicultural musical exploration. This intriguing recording presents the sounds of Java and the Far East in a way that Western ears can easily assimilate. Hyunah Yu's crisp, clear soprano vocals, Macht's synthesised sounds, and traditional instrumentation come together to form an exceptional exploration of Indonesian music. Yet despite its multi-layered richness, "Vishnu" retains a simple beauty that listeners of every background will appreciate.

List price £14.95
Price: £10.16 Including VAT at 20%