By Christian Kiefer
Improvisational music is a sticky project. On the one hand, the freedom offered by removing the normal constrictions of music--melody and rhythm in particular--can foster new sounds and new innovations. On the other hand, in the hands of less experienced players, that same freedom can quickly degenerate into silly noodling and unlistenable sonic gibberish. Technical brilliance in some contexts becomes absurd in others, and the moment in which the audience is impressed and interested can quickly fade into disinterest and fatigue.
The Nada Brahma Music Ensemble manages to avoid all of those pitfalls, in part because there is a melodic center to its music and in part because it creates a sense of blissful, almost meditative consciousness in its audiences. It also helps that the ensemble is like nothing else I've ever seen in Sacramento: a
four-piece group performing a version of classical Indian music on acoustic guitars and tabla (a pair of classical Indian drums).
I've certainly heard Indian classical music before, but what sets the Nada Brahma Music Ensemble apart is its use of guitars instead of traditional Indian instruments, like sitars, shanai or harmoniums. The tonal limitations of the guitar require some dexterous playing on the part of bandleader Matthew Grasso and
steel-string-guitar soloist Leon Hu. Also, the guitar itself lends a jazz-like feel to some of the compositions, a feel that is decidedly American.
Grasso knows his music can be difficult for his audiences, and he helps assuage that difficulty by presenting introductory comments before each piece. He counts out the beats for the audience to the tabla playing of Alex Jenkins, also the drummer in rock band Daisy Spot. He then introduces the initial melodic line slowly, pointing out the intervals (skippedintervals and flattened and sharpened intervals being most noteworthy). Once the initial setup is explained, the ensemble slowly creeps into the work, starting slowly and almost ambiently before Jenkins' tabla enters and the melodic line is established. All the while, Eric Ramussen gently plucks the chord structure in an endless, cycling drone. In many ways, he has the hardest job in the whole group.
It's effective and interesting music, although admittedly it's not for everyone. The pieces are long (some pushing half an hour), and the interplay of instruments doesn't often resolve in the way that Western music does. Dissonance is left hanging, with the piece as a whole (rather than an individual measure or phrase) resolving only when the melody is reintroduced--sometimes not until the end of the piece. It takes something of an open mind and a temporary suspension of Western musical expectations, even if the acoustic guitar tones themselves are familiar.
Nada Brahma Music Ensemble
Matthew Grasso: Guitarist, composer, and director
Alex Jenkins: Tabla
Parteek Bansal - tabla
Founded in 1997, The Nada Brahma Music Ensemble (N.B.M.E.) was created by guitarist, composer, musical instrument innovator and arranger Matthew Grasso. As students of the famed Ali Akbar College of Music (San Rafael, CA), Matthew Grasso and Alex Jenkins have studied with the legendary musical Gurus Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, respectively. The Nada Brahma Music Ensemble's style can be described as Indian Classical Music. The ensemble plays original and traditional ragas and talas (melody forms and rhythmic cycles). These talas range from traditional eight or ten beats to the unusual 4 3/4 or 9 1/4 beats.
The N.B.M.E was nominated twice for a Sacramento music award (SAMMIE) in the World Fusion category. The N.B.M.E has played at various music festivals, music societies, TV and live radio throughout Northern California. The N.B.M.E has been active in the education of Indian Classical Music through concert/lecture demonstrations and their music courses, Indian Classical Fusion Improv at Sacramento City College, and Intro to North Indian Music at California College of the Arts. In addition, N.B.M.E was awarded two grants in 2011 to promote Indian Classical Music through lectures and concerts.
Matthew Grasso performs on a 25-stringed Raga Guitar built to spec by luthier Scott Richter of Fairfax, CA. The Raga Guitar is a hybrid of an extended 7-string classical guitar and the sarod, an Indian instrument. The Raga Guitar has seven playing strings, twelve sympathetic strings, two chikari strings, and four jawari strings. Matthew's distinctive style is a unique synthesis of classical guitar, Ali Akbar Khan's sarod, and L. Shankar's ten-string south Indian violin. Moreover, Matthew has contributed to western classical music through his extended 7-string guitar, five CD recordings, transcriptions, compositions, articles, and pedagogy. Matthew is on the faculty at California College of the Arts, Sacramento City College, American River College, and also teaches privately.
Alex Jenkins maintains a full teaching, performing and recording schedule. Currently, he teaches percussion at William Land Elementary School, The Drum Lab, Sacramento City College and out of his home studio in Sacramento. In addition, he has done workshops and clinics for various colleges and schools, including CSU Sacramento, American River College, Cosumnes River College, Wood Creek High School and Orange Open Middle School.
Due to his in-depth study of the music of different cultures, Alex's playing transcends musical traditions and boundaries. His expression of rhythm is heavily influenced by his study of Tabla. As a result, Alex has become known for his creative approach to music and being able to fuse rhythmic ideas from various disciplines into one cohesive performance.
Parteek Bansal began learning tabla at a local New Jersey Gurdwara as a child under the guidance of Bhai Harbhajan Singh Ji and later Bhai Binod Singh Ji. After years of learning and accompanying in kirtan, he decided to supplement his training by studying under Pandit K. Paramjyoti, a disciple of Ustad Amir Hussain Khan (Farrukhabad Gharana), for three years. In 2003, Parteek continued his serious training of classical tabla with Sajjad Chowdhry, shagird of Ustad Shabbir Nisar. In subsequent years, he attended summer workshops with Ustad Zakir Hussain. He now resides in Davis, California where he continues his journey with tabla as a student, teacher, and performer. He first performed with the Nada Brahma Music Ensemble in 2010 and has since accompanied Matthew Grasso on select events.
Concert performances
The Nada Brahma Music Ensemble
- International House of Davis, (Davis)
June '04 - Whole Earth Festival, (Davis)
May '99, '02, '03, '04, '05, '06 - Copia, (Napa)
August '02 - San Francisco Classical Guitar Society, (San Francisco)
September '99, Jan '05 - San Francisco Conservatory of Music, (San Francisco)
Jan '05 - Sacramento City College. (Sacramento)
March '05, April '06 - The Bo-Tree Yoga Center (Davis)
June '05 - Pacific Rim Street Festival, (Sacramento)
May '06, '07, '08 - Sacramento Yoga Center, (Sacramento)
March '03, September '03, October '06, Feb '09 - Healdsburg Guitar Festival, (Healdsburg)
Aug '07 - Watermelon Music, (Davis)
Nov '07 - Cool Cat Gallery, (Sacramento)
Feb '07 - American River College, (Sacramento)
Nov '08, Feb '09 - St Paul's Episcopal Church, (Sacramento)
Feb '08 - 4th Annual Guitar Solo and Ensemble Festival
at The South Bay Guitar Society, (San Jose)
March '08 - Sangati Community Center for South Asian Music, (San Francisco)
September '08 - Mojoflow Studios, (Davis)
Joint-Concert with Vox Musica
- Old First Church, (San Francisco), March '09
- St John's Lutheran Church, (Sacramento) April '09
- Mont La Salle, (Napa) April '09
Radio
- Performed music and Interview (live) KDVS 90.3 (Davis),
April '05, Oct '06, Feb'09 - Performed music and Interview (live) Capital Public Radio 90.9 FM “Insight”, Sacramento, Oct '06
- Performed music and Interview (live) KDRT 101.5 FM Davis, Ca, Oct'06
Television
- Performed music and interview on CH 10 Sacramento and Company
September'06 - Performed music and interview on Good Day Sacramento Ch 31
Oct '06
Lectures
- Sacramento City College, (Sacramento)
March '05, April '06 - American River College, (Sacramento)
Nov '08, Feb '09 - Mondavi Center, (Davis)
You can read a review of a Nada Brahma concert at this address:
http://www.matthewgrasso.com/review001.htm
The Nada Brahma Music Ensemble is available for:
- Concerts
- Lectures
- Weddings
- Private Lessons (tabla, instrumental)
- Private engagements
Contact: Matthew Grasso
Phone: (530) 759-9071
Email: mysticalsounds@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.matthewgrasso.com/nadabrahma.htm
For more information, please email or call (530) 759-9071