| Bio |
How do
you begin to succinctly summarise a multifarious
percussionist, meditative producer, and
multi-instrumentalist composer? Perhaps it should be by
stating the obvious.
Sandeep Raval is a man of many talents. But, fundamentally,
he’s a musician with a constant hunger for new aural
adventures. His broad palate of drums and deft scores
seamlessly meld syncopation with vivid imagination, grand
theatricality, and a mischievous sense of humour.
There are his two albums, Worship Through Sound and Mosaic
in Motion. Then he played an invaluable part in the
production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s acclaimed musical,
Bombay Dreams (scored by A R Rahman- Slumdog Millionaire).
Elsewhere, The Guardian heralded another stage blockbuster
in receipt of Raval’s rhythms, The Far Pavilion, as an
outright success. And this is before you get to his Arts
Council England backed 2010 Mosaic tour.
Whatever point in his story you start from, glancing back
over the pages of Raval’s life reveals a myriad of musical
influences. From urban UK bass music, to traditional folk
and Central Asian classical, chapters spanning continents
contribute to his sonic compendium.
Born a British overseas citizen, he spent most of his
formative years in India, before relocating to London. But
well before arriving in the UK full time, circa 1991, Raval
had already realised his destiny in the spotlight. With
performances everywhere from Delhi to Moscow, and film work
to boot, so much had been achieved by the tender age of 13.
This early success was a sign of things to come.
Determinedly Raval began striving to push the boundaries of
sound as he crossed the globe’s borders. Soon there was a
home studio and a move to Northampton, followed by countless
hours spent playing the perpetual insomniac.
Whether it’s 5am or 1pm, in the studio or on stage, Raval’s
passion for production and performance leads to standout
results. His second Mosaic tour, which saw conceptualised
soundtracks played by a large ensemble to packed venues
across the UK in 2011, left critics describing shows that
were ‘like nothing you’ve ever seen’. Meanwhile, work with
acclaimed world music producer James Asher explains even
more.
Yet there is so much still to learn. Raval’s constant
evolution references everything from jazz, IDM, Giles
Peterson, Kruder & Dorfmeister, and LTJ Bukem, to century
old Indian roots and experimental alternative, which is what
makes him so vital. Enigmatic and wonderfully unpredictable,
but unquestionably talented and consistently impressive, new
avenues are nothing more than business as usual, leaving
most musical fusions sounding like simple combinations.
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