Indian spice
Thrilling percussion leads the way in this enticing blend of east and west traditions
Chris Potter, Zakir Hussain and Dave Holland
Good Hope
Chris Potter (soprano and tenor sax),
Zakir Hussain (tabla, kanjira, chenda, madal), Dave Holland (bass)
Edition EDN1136
Sharing as they do a strong element of improvisation, rhythmic inventiveness and (in Western terms) a penchant for modality, mixing Indian music and jazz has long been a productive approach. That said, ‘Indo-jazz’ has in fact been so productive that it’s not been entirely obvious of late whether there was still more to be mined from that particular seam. Happily, this trio of exceptional musicians has done exactly that. Much of the group’s original sound hinges on Hussain’s array of percussion, which includes among others the double-headed madal and the tambourine-like kanjira alongside the more familiar tabla. He uses his instruments not just rhythmically but also as sources of pitched notes, often resulting in a form of partial counterpoint that bears comparison to both melodic timpani parts and gamelan music. Potter and Holland weave flowing, inventive lines into this framework with results that are engaging, refreshingly original and genuinely surprising. ★★★★★