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PULSE! by Linda Kohanov While ethnic sounds from around the world have been an important element in contemporary instrumental music for nearly three decades now, styles from the Middle East have exerted the least amount of influence. The unusual scales and melismatic, microtonal melodies have, until recently, been considered too intense for general audiences. Most Western musicians have, at best, exhibited only a superficial knowledge of Indian and Arabic aesthetics, which explains a number of soulless, naive fusions. These exercises in empty exoticism tend to alienate listeners even further. Fortunately, the situation is changing. Three recordings released in the last year prove that it's possible to create a meaningful common ground between the East and West--in music, if not in life. Jai Uttal's Monkey (Triloka) is the most immediately accessible. This Northern California-based multi-instrumentalist studied with Indian sarod master Ali Akbar Khan and spent some time in India exploring the country's earthy folk traditions. On his second release for Triloka, Uttal provides us with some heady East-West blends featuring his tight and talented band, Pagan Love Orchestra. The Indian-styled melodies are so engaging that you feel you want to sing along, even if you can't speak the language. The strange thing is, when Uttal decides to use English lyrics on a couple of cuts, he opts for more straight-ahead pop fare. Within the context of Uttal's otherwise vibrant and imaginative music, it becomes painfully obvious that this approach doesn't do his voice or his band justice--although it might get him a little extra airplay on notoriously conservative adult contemporary radio formats. Uttal's instrumental compositions, however, are without reproach as they combine Indian modes and instruments with intricate jazz harmonies and rhythms, along with the drive and excitement normally associated with rock. |
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