By Phone: 1.800.838.3006

In every land they have traveled, the Roma (or Gypsy) people have survived on a combination of skills and street smarts. Adaptability is the hallmark of the Gypsies. Around the world, Romani music is noted for its simultaneous adaptability to local instruments and sounds while maintaining its own identity. The music integrates elements of the long road of Gypsy culture that stretches between India and Spain and beyond. On their debut self-titled release on Asphalt Tango Records, Kal puts bhangra beats, Argentine tango, waltz, Balkan blues, Montenegran rap, accordion, flamenco guitar, Middle Eastern rhythms, and Turkish clarinets, with dancefloor beats and rock attitude.

The disparate sounds of Kal's music describe a new, post-modern Roma identity that confronts romantic Gypsy clichés. Dragan Ristic, who founded the band with his brother Dushan, says, "We are not living in the past... I'm an urban person, belong to the modern world, [and] go to rave parties...so mixing traditional and urban elements is the best way of presenting our culture."

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Streetlight Records
By Phone: 1.800.838.3006

Jugalbandi Trio is comprised of sitar, sarod and tabla. This is the first India/USA ensemble of Hindustani classical music to conduct an international tour. As disciples of the legendary 'godfather of world music' Pt. Ravi Shankar, Partho & Paul perform ragas in the tradition of the Maihar Gharana. Abhijit's accompaniment rounds out the ensemble, one of India's leading tabla players. Members of the trio have played in all major music festivals in India and have toured throughout Europe, North America, Latin America & Asia. Collectively they have performed on more than 50 cd recordings of classical Indian and creative world music with a diverse array of virtuoso artists from around the world.

Barry Phillips is a cellist, arranger, composer and recording engineer based in Santa Cruz California. Since 1996 Barry has been a student of Ravi Shankar and has assisted him in several compositions including music for cellist Mstislav Rostropovich and for the "Concert for George" (George Harrison celebration at the Albert Hall) where Barry also performed on cello.

He tours as cellist with sitarist Anoushka Shankar and recently arranged and played cello for guitarist Martin Simpson in England and fiddler Sarah-Jane Summers in Scotland.

Streetlight Records
By Phone: 1.800.838.3006

Toumani Diabaté is the living voice of one of the most beautiful sounds in the world: the African kora, a 21-string West African harp that has been played by griots in the diabaté line for 71 generations. Born in Mali, he has collaborated with artists as diverse as Björk, Taj Mahal, Roswell Rudd and Randy Weston and with many superstar Malian musicians such as Ali Farka Touré with whom he released many award winning albums. His latest album, Mandé Variations, is a solo tour de force featuring his inventions inspired by traditional melodies and storytelling traditions of the Mandé people.

Reviews:
"The greatest exponent of the African classical harp."
Guardian (UK)

"Diabaté's two-handed flurries flow like a clear, life-giving stream."
Boston Globe

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