Description
'Durga Rising' is an Indo-Jazz adventure featuring acclaimed vocalist Barb Jungr and leading Indian percussionist Kuljit Bhamra. It's a unique mix of European, Asian, Jazz, Blues, Bhangra and RnB musical influences and as well as original material it also includes interpretations of classic contemporary tracks by the likes of Echo and the Bunnymen, John Martyn and Bob Dylan.
Barb Jungr and Kuljit Bhamra aren't the most obvious musical bedfellows: Jungr is a leading exponent of the jazz art-song tradition, whereas tabla player and producer Bhamra, is a distinguished pioneer of the British Asian music scene. Back in the mid-1990s however, the pair came together in a wildly adventurous sonic collaboration that saw them merge Asian, cabaret, blues and plain old pop music influences in a singularly eclectic fusion of sounds. The resulting album, Durga Rising (Durga is the name of a powerful Hindu goddess), was deemed by critics to be ahead of its time. Its reissue this month in an expanded form includes tracks such as Echo And The Bunnyinen's "The Cutter", in a euphoric, cello-led, raga-flavoured arrangement, John Martyn's "Go Down Easy" and Dylan's brooding "Blind Willie McTell" with utterly distinctive reworkings. A musically uplifting album without genre boundaries.
"Viscous Raga Rhythms...Earthy but Exultant" - All Music