MUMBAI: The music of ‘Dharma’ represents Tarun Balani’s vision as a composer inspired by his Indian roots yet drawing from a world of influences and synthesizing its expression in new improvised music. The members in his band feature New York native trumpeter Adam O’Farrill, Finnish guitarist Olli Hirvonen, alongside his long time friend and bandmate pianist Sharik Hasan from India. This amalgamation of musicians coming together from different geographies and backgrounds encourage exchange of ideas and influences to create in this instance, a contemporary modern/free jazz EP titled ‘The Shape of Things To Come’ to be released on Berthold Records on October 2nd 2020.
Listen to first single Dr.Escher here:
A graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, Tarun’s music is informed by the spirituality of Indian classical music, to visual artists including his late grandfather Khialdas Balani and jazz composers including Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, Miles Davis and John Coltrane and Bobby Hutcherson. His freewheeling sound draws comparisons to the new wave of British jazz artists including Nubya Garcia, Moses Boyd and Yussef Dayes and Kamaal Williams.
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The name ‘The Shape Of Things To Come’ delves into the world of free jazz, an experimental approach to jazz improvisation via Tarun and his band. The innovation and ambiguity is what directs the shape of things to come where collectively the band can expand their horizons and place an aesthetic premium on expressing the “voice” or “sound” of the musician, as opposed to the classical tradition in which the performer is seen expressing the thoughts of the composer. The irony with the EP title considering that the world is undergoing such a massive transformation in 2020 also depicts that the ‘new normal’ shall determine the shape of things to come; emphasizing the emotional intensity of human beings during an unprecedented time.
Tarun says: “Initially the title The Shape of Things to Come was conceived more from the perspective of the band embarking on a sonic exploration which was limitless and not premeditated. However, over the course of time, this EP title and the music felt more and more apt considering that the past few months have been extremely difficult for all of humanity and that we have a chance to decide the shape of things to come, and we must choose wisely.”
Following the release of ‘Dharma’ and a European Tour in 2019, the latest EP is scheduled to be released on 2nd October 2020.
