Arguably the world's greatest tabla player, followed by a 19-city tour of North American concert halls in September and October.
An understanding of musical tradition has led all three of these musical explorers to this common crossroad. “When I play with Zakir, I’m not an Indian musician but I can learn enough to be respectful in my ignorance. We can find a place to meet,” says Fleck, “America’s most celebrated banjoist” (LA Times) who holds the record for the artist nominated in the greatest number of Grammy categories. “Along with carrying the top level of Indian classical music in his veins, Zakir is incredible at understanding music from all over the world and collaborates effectively with an amazingly diverse number of musicians.” In 2009, Hussain earned a Grammy in the Best Contemporary World category for Global Drum Project.
Working with Bela and Edgar is an experience that transcends musical collaboration,” adds Zakir, recently praised by the New York Times as “peerless…fearsome technician but also a whimsical inventor.” “Certainly it is a creative effort unprecedented in my own life, a way of looking at melody and rhythm through their eyes, affording me another way of expressing myself through my instrument. Plus we're family!" “The give and take between musicians is often very defining. Ideally, I’m more focused on Bla and Zakir than I am on myself,” says Meyer. Hailed by the New Yorker as “the most remarkable virtuoso in the relatively unchronicled history of his instrument,” Meyer and Fleck have been collaborating for more than 25 years, including the albums Music For Two, Uncommon Ritual and the Grammy-winning Perpetual Motion. “From the beginning, Bela's vision on the instrument transcended traditional expectations. Zakir also brings a complete redefining of tabla without any loss of traditional values.”
“Edgar is one of my longtime pals and influences. I’m thrilled to find a new way to collaborate with him,” add Fleck.
The centerpiece and catalyst for the album is “The Melody of Rhythm: Concerto,“ an unprecedented three-movement composition for banjo, double bass and tabla. Recorded live with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Leonard Slatkin, this highly rhythmic work soars, melding Indian classical music with American roots.
Originally commissioned by the Nashville Symphony in 2004, Edgar and Bela agreed their dream collaborator would be Zakir Hussain. “There was a lot Edgar and I wanted to learn from him – mathematics and harmonic musical concepts - and now we had something to offer him in return,” says Fleck, who developed a fascination with the tabla during a tour of India in the ‘80s. “This project feels like getting together with some brothers we hadn’t seen in some time.”
Bela Fleck, Zakir Hussain and Edgar Meyer will be on tour this Fall in support of The Melody of Rhythm.
Sept 13 Austin, TX Bass Hall / University of Texas
Sept 19-20 Honolulu, HI Blaisdell Arena
Sept 26 Portland, OR Oregon Symphony
Sept 29 Toronto, CAN Royal Conservatory
Sept 30 Utica, NY Stanley Theater
Oct 1 Princeton, NJ Princeton Conservatory
Oct 2 Lewisburg, PA Bucknell University
Oct 3 Albany, NY The Egg
Oct 4 Richmond, VA University of Richmond
Oct 6 Easton, PA Williams Center for the Arts
Oct 8 Knoxville, TN University of Knoxville
Oct 9 Louisville, KY KY Center for the Arts
Oct 11 Chapel Hill, NC Memorial Hall / UNC
Oct 15 Grinnell, IA Grinnell College
Oct 16 Goshen, IN Goshen College
Oct 18 Miami, FL Gusman Hall
Oct 20 Mesa, AZ Ikeda Theater
Oct 22 Los Angeles, CA Royce Hall / University of CA
Oct 24 Vancouver, CAN Chan Center
Oct 26 San Luis Obispo, CA Cal Poly Arts
Oct 28 San Francisco, CA SF Jazz Festival
Contact: Carla Parisi at [email protected]
For more information contact All About Jazz.