TEN by Samyo
Director of Samyo, Alok Nayak, introduces the inspiration and concept for Samyo’s second album:
“In celebrating our 10 year anniversary, we wanted to look back at how our music had evolved over the years, and look forward to how we might embrace the future. This album remembers two of the great figures of Indian classical music, Lalgudi Jayaraman, and the late Pandit Ravi Shankar, to acknowledge their incredible influence.
We have combined the best of north and south Indian Classical music and added influences from western and folk traditions, and demonstrate how some amazing contemporary composers are shaping this new genre.
Because there is no existing repertoire of Indian orchestra works, Samyo constantly creates, reinvents and develops its music, to help shape the Indian musical environment, and respond to latest trends.
We hope you enjoy listening to the unique sound of the talented young musicians of Samyo”.
Alok Nayak
Director of Samyo & Director of Development, Milapfest
Now on sale on Amazon, iTunes and Google Play.
Track 1
Carribbean Escape
Composed for Samyo by Girishh Gopalakrishnan
Inspired by “Palm Tree Escape”, Composed by Hans Zimmer Feat. Rodrigo y Gabriella
In this unique arrangement of Hanz Zimmer and Rodrigo y Gabriella’s composition from the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, Samyo attempts a daring escape into the world of western classical and film music. With brass, strings, guitar and woodwind arrangements from the original replaced with sitar, veena, violin and voice arrangements, the composition is turned on its head sonically, but manages to retain the epic grandeur its meant to project. An epic orchestral piece played for the first time with Indian instrumentation.
Track 2
Panditji
Arranged for Samyo by Girishh Gopalakrishnan
Inspired by “Ragas in Minor Scale”, Composed by Pt. Ravi Shankar and Philip Glass
A re-imagination of the legendary collaboration between one of the greatest post-modern composers in western classical music, Philip Glass and the greatest ambassador for Indian classical music to the world, Pandit Ravishankar. The piece is an excerpt from the piece ‘Ragas in Minor Scale’ from the album ‘Passages’. The entire piece is a conversation between the western idea of a ‘minor scale’ and the Indian ragas which reflect that with variations of ‘Bhairavi’. The brilliant minds at helm dazzle us throughout the composition with rhythmic intricacies and counterpoints that talk to each other seamlessly. Our humble tribute to the late master.
Track 3
Sunshine
Composed and Arranged by Girishh Gopalakrishnan
Fusing eclectic use of percussion with just the tabla, ghatam (clay pot) and the morsing, Girishh Gopalakrishnan’s choral composition sings the delightful perspective of a kid waking up to the ‘Golden Sunshine’ for the very first time.
Girishh Gopalakrishnan’s choral composition brings out the child in you with its innocent flourishes. It sings the delightful perspective of a kid waking up to the ‘Golden Sunshine’ for the very first time. Fusing eclectic use of percussion with just the tabla, ghatam (clay pot) and the morsing, it seamlessly moves from Indian folk to a very celtic fiddle tune. The piece is distinctly creative as the phrases are crafted with an interesting and striking balance between classicism and simplicity.
Track 4
Homage
Composed and arranged by Pandit Ranajit Sengupta.
Composed by Ranajit Sengupta in memory of his Guru, the Late Ustad Dhyanesh Khan in 1991, this piece combines a Guru Vandana (homage to a Guru) and a Tarana (repeated short melody).
Composed in memory of his Guru, the Late Ustad Dhyanesh Khan in 1991, this piece combines a Guru Vandana (homage to a Guru) and a Tarana (repeated short melody). It is based in Ragas Chandranandan, Lalit and Bhopali, and set in Rupak Tala (7 Beats) & Kharwa (8 beats).
Track 5
Kid
Composed and arranged by Pandit Ranajit Sengupta.
This piece was Ranajit Sengupta’s debut composition written at the age of 9. The composition is a two part set in 3/4 & 4/4.
Track 6
Lullaby
Composed by Pandit Ranajit Sengupta and Daniel Luedke.
Arrangement by Pandit Ranajit Sengupta.
Originally recorded and released with German guitarist composer Daniel Luedke for their world fusion band KYABAAT, Ranajit Sengupta created a new arrangement of this piece especially for Samyo.
Track 7
Dialogue
Composed and arranged by Pandit Ranajit Sengupta.
Based on the Western melodic and harmonic minor scale, with influence from Ragas Patdeep & Kirwani from the Hindustani & Carnatic styles, Dialogue spotlights each member as they perform a solo part within the composition.
Composed for Samyo in 2010, Dialogue offers each member the opportunity to perform a solo part within the composition. The piece is based on the Western melodic and harmonic minor scale, with influence from Ragas Patdeep & Kirwani from the Hindustani & Carnatic styles.
Track 8
Mali
Composed by Shashank Subramanyam
Arranged by Ramshanker Sathianarayanan
Flute wizard Shashank Subramanyan gives a distinct Hindustani twist to the traditional folk idiom of Tamil Nadu, the ‘Kaavadi Sindhu’, which was made popular in South Indian Classical music by flute maestro Mahalingam, affectionately referred to as ‘Mali’.
A ‘Kaavadi Sindhu’ defines the traditional folk idiom of Tamil Nadu, which was made popular in south indian classical music by flute maestro Mahalingam, affectionately referred to as ‘Mali’.
In this contemporary adaptation of the folk tune, Flute wizard Shashank Subramanyan gives it a distinct Hindustani twist. It builds into a perfect crescendo of joy and happiness, with its rustic instrumentation, quite reminiscent of the lives of ancient south India.
Track 9
Lalgudi Medley
Composed by Lalgudi G. Jayaraman
Arranged by Lalgudi GJR Krishnan
This amalgamation of 7 compositions, arranged by Lalgudi GJR Krishnan pays tribute to the living legend of south Indian classical music, Lalgudi G Jayaraman, by cherry picking the best moments from 7 of his classic varnams. This presents a fluent fusion of the South Indian classical ragas Bahudari, Shanmugapriya, Atana, Mohana Kalyani, Bowli, Valaj and Nalinakaanthi into the traditional compositional structure with its rhythmic and melodic roller coaster rides evident throughout.
Track 10
Rain
Composition, lyrics & arrangement by Gaurav Mazumdar.
Set to the rainy season raga Mian-Malhaar, this composition reflects our association with rain in India and England, celebrating the beauty of the season, the clouds, the rain drops and ‘Papihaa’ the bird which chirps announcing the monsoon.
Written especially to celebrate Samyo’s 10th anniversary, this composition reflects our association with rain in India and England. In India, where it’s rare and comes only in the between July & August it is considered romantic, whereas in England, rain can come unannounced at any time of the day or year. The composition is set to the rainy season raga Mian-Malhaar, and has original lyrics celebrating the beauty of the season, the clouds, the rain drops and ‘Papihaa’ the bird which chirps announcing the monsoon.