| Influences | Edward's CD releases....
"Spiritdance"(2006) is another major effort of Edward's to produce a vibrantly dynamic and entertaining CD spanning close to his full vocabulary and range of instruments. Special features on this album include many well highlighted moments where genious percussionist Sandeep Kumar is shining brightly. Other guests, unique intercultural composition, and improvisation make this CD surely Edward's finest to date.
"Bluesand" (2001-4) represents a major leap in Edward's recording career. His intension, with this 4 year composing/recording project, was to gracefully combine all the element of his musical development thus far: Bluesy "Afro" roots, with Indian (and Arabic) music. The album flows smoothly and deeply, but without a dull moment. Sitar, oud, fretless guitar, and Edward's Indian and bluesy vocals are featured throughout. The eight oringinal composisions were painstakenly composed, recorded and produced to create an album which will surely stand the test of time as a masterpiece of modern day acoustic ethno-fusion.
FRIEDSITAR "Fresh" (1999-2000) has been praised by some as being one of the most unique, "refreshing", and beautiful recordings to emerge in the last 3 dedades. Nothing quite like it exists elsewhere. The groups focus is very clear: "Sitar/tabla" meets "jazz doublebass/drums", although the Edward and Scott make no attempt to hide their 70's Rock roots. All songs were rehearsed then recorded LIVE in the studio with and absolute minimum of overdubbing and editing, so what you hear is REAL and ALIVE, the resulting 'humanness' of this album is uncanny. Several of the compositions were not compositions, but group improvisations (or, "spontaneous composition"). Available today are thousands of "fusion" CDs but most are not fusion at all - more like various different musics "glued" together somehow - but "FRESH" is without doubt one of the very very few albums where TRUE fusion really is captured.
"Oriental Journey" was recorded by Patrick Feldner and Edward Powell in 5 days (Prague, Feb.1999) without any pre-planning. They simply sat down with their instruments and improvised about 25 short pieces highlighting unusual combinations of instruments, like sitar/duff, oud/tanpura, fretless guitar/tabla... The tapes were not sorted thru, mixed, and mastered until 4 years later in Vienna. The result is a graceful entertaining album which highlights the strong connection of these two pioneering musician who were at that time just coming to full maturity as new artist.
"Selected Ragas" is a compilation of LIVE and STUDIO recordings by Edward Powell (sitar), and various Western tabla virtuosos. All the tracks were recorded between 1996 and 2001 and highlight special period of Edward's musical life in which he was absolutely fully focused on sitar and Indian classical music.
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