Description

This album is an instrumental rendition of tenor & soprano saxophone, mridangam, konnokal, bamboo flutes, acoustic piano, electric bass, electric mandolin and ghatam.

The track descriptions are as follows :

1. KSHEERA SAGARA (Evans/Balasai) 

Carnatic flautist B.V. Balasai improvises a duet with Australian jazz musician Sandy Evans on soprano  saxophone.

 2. BIG SWELL (Evans) 

 In this composition the ocean is used as a metaphor to explore the flow of ideas between jazz and Carnatic  music.

 Sandy Evans: Tenor Saxophone and Alister Spence : piano with

SRUTHI LAYA

Kaaraikkudi Mani: Mridangam

B.V. Balasai: Bamboo Flutes

U.P. Raju: Electric Mandolin

‘Ghatam’ V. Suresh: Ghatam

3. FLOATING ON AN EMERALD GREEN SEA (Evans) 

 Featuring Sandy Evans: Tenor Saxophone and Brett Hirst electric bass with

SRUTHI LAYA

Kaaraikkudi Mani: Mridangam

B.V. Balasai: Bamboo Flutes

U.P. Raju: Electric Mandolin

‘Ghatam’ V. Suresh: Ghatam

4. BIG SWELL REPRISE (Evans/Mani) 

Flute solo by Carnatic flautist B.V. Balasai on Sandy Evans’ composition set to a closing korvai by Kaaraikudi Mani.

 5. NOISY WHALE AND OYSTERCATCHERS (Evans/Balasai)

Carnatic flautist  B.V. Balasai and Australian saxophonist Sandy Evans respond to the unique sounds of the Australian coast through their improvised dialogue over Roger Dean’s post-modern tamboura.

6. EAGLE LANDING AT CAPE LEVEQUE  (Evans)

A contemporary jazz approach to aalaap style playing where rubato improvisations weave over the top of a fast pulse creating an abstract soundscape reflecting the beauty of remote Australian coastal landscapes.

Sandy Evans: Tenor Saxophone. Alister Spence : piano

with

SRUTHI LAYA

Kaaraikkudi Mani: Mridangam, B.V. Balasai: Bamboo Flutes

U.P. Raju: Electric Mandolin

‘Ghatam’ V. Suresh: Ghatam

7. COSMIC WAVES AT WEST BEACH (Evans/Mani) 

Carnatic jazz composition in Aadi Taalam and Raagams Varamu and Sunadavinodhini.

Features a Thani Avartanam by Kaaraikkudi Mani: Mridangam and ‘Ghatam’ V. Suresh.

Sandy Evans: Tenor Saxophone

SRUTHI LAYA

Kaaraikkudi Mani: Mridangam, Konnokal

B.V. Balasai: Bamboo Flutes

U.P. Raju: Electric Mandolin

‘Ghatam’ V. Suresh: Ghatam

8. MORNING STAR (Evans/Balasai) 

An improvised duet for the dawn featuring Carnatic flautist B.V. Balasai and Australian saxophonist Sandy Evans.

 9. CLOUDS AT DAWN (Evans) 

A portrait of early morning at Curl Curl Beach, Sydney featuring

Sandy Evans: Soprano Saxophone and Alister Spence piano with

SRUTHI LAYA

Kaaraikkudi Mani: Mridangam

B.V. Balasai: Bamboo Flutes

‘Ghatam’ V. Suresh: Ghatam

10. CHILD OF THE SEA (Raju) 

Aalaapanaa in a bluesy mood featuring Carnatic electric mandolin virtuoso U. P. Raju 

 11.THE AGILE WALLABY (Evans) 

Harmelodic Carnatic jazz blues featuring Australian saxophonist Sandy Evans with Kaaraikkudi Mani: Mridangam, B.V. Balasai: Bamboo Flutes ,U.P. Raju: Electric Mandolin ,‘Ghatam’ V. Suresh: Ghatam and James Greening: Sousaphone

12. SEA BLOSSOM (Balasai) 

 A moving solo flute aalaapanaa by Carnatic flautist B. V Balasai in Ragam Sindhu Bhairavi.