The following of our titles are now available on iTunes:
No Fear by John Stevens/Trevor Watts/Barry Guy
Live in Sao Paulo, Brasil by Trevor Watts & Jamie Harris
Drum Energy! by the Original Trevor Watts Drum Orchestra
Fracture by Scurvy
Navacross by Navacross
Agam by Stuart Masters & Rishi Ranjan
All The Way Home by Navacross
Please download and enjoy!
Saturday, 14 September 2013
Monday, 9 September 2013
Trevor Watts & Veryan Weston - Dialogues in Two Places - Dalston Sound review.
If you haven't previously seen it, it's here: http://dalstonsound.wordpress.com/2012/08/04/trevor-watts-and-veryan-weston-dialogues-in-two-places/
Navacross - All the Way Home (HFHCD012) - Maverick review, Alan Cackett
British roots band delivers a fine second album that criss-crosses musical styles, often in the same track. They are renowned for their incendiary live shows, but I found the most distinctive numbers here were the softer, more traditional sounding tracks. “Clowns” with its Dobro and banjo is a particular joy and the skiffle-flavoured “Get Me Outta Here” with Noel Gander’s harmonica to the fore brought back memories of ol’ Lonnie Donegan. There’s a lot of soul to be heard in “Open Your Eyes,” a dramatic song with an excellent musical backdrop.
Sunday, 8 September 2013
Review of Agam by Stuart Masters & Rishi Ranjan in Taplas Magazine no. 176 (HFHCD011)
Here is the full text of Gabrielle Ashton's review:
These two highly skilled musicians join forces with this recording that is a synthesis of eastern melody and western harmony with their own unique slant. Rishi Ranjan fuses his virtuoso classical Indian sarode playing with with Stuart Masters' American and European influenced folk guitar, violin and middle eastern oud. The union of these artists is an exciting collaboration which yields some really exhilarating moments. Although one or two tracks meander a bit slowly, Agam really gathers pace with some vibrant musical experimentation and catchy rhythms. By the time you reach It's Rising the dynamic duo reach a frenzied crescendo that sends ecstatic tingles up and down your spine. This is an innovative meeting of musical genres that has many changes of style, tempo and mood. Some hit the spot more than others but overall an original and enticing album.
These two highly skilled musicians join forces with this recording that is a synthesis of eastern melody and western harmony with their own unique slant. Rishi Ranjan fuses his virtuoso classical Indian sarode playing with with Stuart Masters' American and European influenced folk guitar, violin and middle eastern oud. The union of these artists is an exciting collaboration which yields some really exhilarating moments. Although one or two tracks meander a bit slowly, Agam really gathers pace with some vibrant musical experimentation and catchy rhythms. By the time you reach It's Rising the dynamic duo reach a frenzied crescendo that sends ecstatic tingles up and down your spine. This is an innovative meeting of musical genres that has many changes of style, tempo and mood. Some hit the spot more than others but overall an original and enticing album.
Tuesday, 30 July 2013
4 star Review of Agam by Stuart Masters & Rishi Ranjan in Songlines issue 94
Stuart Masters & Rishi Ranjan - Agam
Anglo-Indian guitar and sarod duo with hidden depths.
This is an enjoyable, if not shatteringly novel, collaboration between a couple of musicians who met by chance in a West London bookshop. Rishi Ranjan is a classically trained Indian sarod player , while Stuart Masters is a guitarist who has a folk and Western classical background but also knows his way round Indian and Arabic modes. The result is a relaxed disc that sounds like a superior home recording, which finds a very nice balance between more serious moody atmospherics and the playfully expressive. 'Serenity' is, as it sounds, a beautifully tranquil and expressive piece, while the title-track has considerable forward momentum and shows the duo trading some tricky melodic licks backed by a guest table player.
Other tracks on this instrumental album reach for a more spiritual and mysterious atmosphere, such as 'It's Rising' and Midday'. Only rarely, as in 'Gaur Sarang' does the album veer a little too close to what sounds like an academic exercise in exchanging scales. Mostly it is confidently well played and just virtuosic enough to avoid falling into the show-off ego-trip trap that fusion albums fronted by star players are often prey to. The overall impression is rather of a friendly, civilised musical conversation across genres , a dialogue that allows each musician enough space to have their respective say. Overall, this is a warm, vibrant and refreshingly unpretentious disc; while it might not break that much new ground it will considerably brighten a gloomy day.
Peter Culshaw
Anglo-Indian guitar and sarod duo with hidden depths.
This is an enjoyable, if not shatteringly novel, collaboration between a couple of musicians who met by chance in a West London bookshop. Rishi Ranjan is a classically trained Indian sarod player , while Stuart Masters is a guitarist who has a folk and Western classical background but also knows his way round Indian and Arabic modes. The result is a relaxed disc that sounds like a superior home recording, which finds a very nice balance between more serious moody atmospherics and the playfully expressive. 'Serenity' is, as it sounds, a beautifully tranquil and expressive piece, while the title-track has considerable forward momentum and shows the duo trading some tricky melodic licks backed by a guest table player.
Other tracks on this instrumental album reach for a more spiritual and mysterious atmosphere, such as 'It's Rising' and Midday'. Only rarely, as in 'Gaur Sarang' does the album veer a little too close to what sounds like an academic exercise in exchanging scales. Mostly it is confidently well played and just virtuosic enough to avoid falling into the show-off ego-trip trap that fusion albums fronted by star players are often prey to. The overall impression is rather of a friendly, civilised musical conversation across genres , a dialogue that allows each musician enough space to have their respective say. Overall, this is a warm, vibrant and refreshingly unpretentious disc; while it might not break that much new ground it will considerably brighten a gloomy day.
Peter Culshaw
All The Way Home by Navacross - review in Blues Matters magazine by Adrian Blacklee
Navacross - All the Way Home
Hi4Head Records
Essex based band Navacross have been together for several years, undertaking plenty of touring in the South East of England during which time they have started to be noticed. This, their second album. is a very strong release and enhances their growing reputation further. The band have versatility in abundance and deliver an eclectic mix of Blues and Country rock sounds, all the material is original and there are some well constructed songs here that allow the band's vocalist Dean Baker to demonstrate his full vocal range, which at times is reminiscent of a young Van Morrison; pick of the bunch is Steer which is interspersed with some cracking lead guitar work. The album has a nice feel to it with fine musicianship and intelligent song writing, the lead guitar work sits comfortably with acoustic segments and while the band on this album did not include a full time bassist, guest John Culleton does a fine job on the double bass. Definitely one to watch for 2013.
Adrian Blacklee
Hi4Head Records
Essex based band Navacross have been together for several years, undertaking plenty of touring in the South East of England during which time they have started to be noticed. This, their second album. is a very strong release and enhances their growing reputation further. The band have versatility in abundance and deliver an eclectic mix of Blues and Country rock sounds, all the material is original and there are some well constructed songs here that allow the band's vocalist Dean Baker to demonstrate his full vocal range, which at times is reminiscent of a young Van Morrison; pick of the bunch is Steer which is interspersed with some cracking lead guitar work. The album has a nice feel to it with fine musicianship and intelligent song writing, the lead guitar work sits comfortably with acoustic segments and while the band on this album did not include a full time bassist, guest John Culleton does a fine job on the double bass. Definitely one to watch for 2013.
Adrian Blacklee
Saturday, 20 July 2013
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