Spruce Ritual with Lucian Kano Balmer – Spruce Ritual: The Way The Evening Speaks (Ansonica Records, 2023)
Spruce Ritual, in collaboration with Lucian Kano Balmer, presents their highly anticipated debut album titled “Spruce Ritual: The Way The Evening Speaks,” which artfully and beautifully navigates the realms of western classical and North Indian classical music. Anchored by the expressive and melodic tones of violin, viola, and cello (staple instruments of the Romantic era chamber music) Balmer skillfully interweaves the rich textures of the sitar and the tabla, two eminent components of Indian classical music.
Within this captivating musical journey, Balmer assembles a remarkable ensemble of accomplished musicians. Notably, Hannah Addario-Berry, an acclaimed cellist affiliated with the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players and serving as the principal cellist for the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, lends her virtuosic skills to the endeavor. Joining her is Nils Bultmann, a distinguished violist and composer renowned for his collaborations with luminaries such as Hank Dutt of the Kronos Quartet and Michael Tilson Thomas. Additionally, Joanna Mack, a sitarist who has received tutelage from the revered Sri Partha Chatterjee and Bruce Hamm, a faculty member of the Ali Akbar College of Music, contributes her mastery to the project. Completing this ensemble is Josh Mellinger, a seasoned tabla player who has dedicated numerous years of study under the tutelage of Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri.
In a singular track, the album features the extraordinary talents of Jim Santi Owen, a highly acclaimed tabla player.
Buy Spruce Ritual: The Way The Evening Speak.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.