Ashirvad
Alex Pertout
‘a percussionist’s pilgrimage through jazz, Carnatic and ambient worlds’
Personnel
Alex Pertout udu, congas, berimbaus, table gongs, shakers, triangle, cabasa, cymbals, surdo, percussion, loops, marimba, quenacho, konnakol, synthesizers
Sandy Evans saxophone
Charulatha Mani vocals
Luke Howard fender rhodes, acoustic piano
Stephen Housden acoustic and electric guitars
Ben Robertson acoustic bass
‘Ashirvad’ (Blessings) is a 9:55min spiritual jazz odyssey fusing hypnotic percussion (udu/berimbau/congas/konnakol), Carnatic vocal alchemy (Charulatha Mani) and saxophone transcendence (Sandy Evans).
Inspired by decades long association with guru Karaikudi R. Mani, the piece realises Fourth World’s prophecy, where global percussion, spiritual jazz and Carnatic vocals, dissolve into one sacred language.