Rahul Sharma – Indian santoor . Georges Kazazian – Egyptian oud. After the grand success of his collaborative opus with Richard Clayderman, Rahul Sharma joins forces with the Egyptian Oud maestro Georges Kazazian on yet another journey of two cultures.
‘Confluence III – A Meeting by the Nile’, is the third album in the successful Confluence series. Rahul Sharma, India’s leading new-age musician pushes his musical boundaries to bring in the real essence of music from across the globe through innovative collaborations with musical geniuses from other disciplines.
The Premise
Two ancient cultures, two rich and age-old musical traditions, two maestros on heritage instruments, meet to celebrate something timeless and create something new. The historic magic of the Nile and the grandeur of the pyramids mingle with the romantic majesty of the Taj Mahal in the alluring music that is born as a result. This is World Music of the finest order. A must-have for all lovers of World, Ethnic and Folk music.
The Music
Rahul Sharma is the young heir to a lineage of classical maestros whose mastery over the 100-stringed santoor from the valleys of Kashmir has delighted audiences worldwide. Georges Kazazian is a leading oud player grounded in both classical and popular Egyptian instrumental music. Both bring centuries of tradition and years of rigorous practice to any musical encounter, ensuring a standard of excellence which is further enhanced by an eagerness to experiment and push boundaries. The musical instruments themselves are special, acoustic folk instruments whose very tones evoke rich cultural histories and emphasize the eternal power and magic of sheer expertise and technique.
Aesthetically, the soothing, silvery tones of the santoor blend beautifully with the poignant sound of the oud, which adds bass and depth to the overall musical tapestry, creating compositions that range from the raw and powerful to the mystical and tranquil.
Bollywood singing sensation Sunidhi Chauhan lends her voice on ‘Marhaba Jaanam’, composed and written by Rahul; and further exciting tones and textures are added by a variety of ethnic instruments including the Egyptian kanoun, dumbak and different types of percussion. The album is programmed by Jackie V., a leading Bollywood sound designer whose recent work includes arranging the music of blockbusters like Om Shanti Om and Jab we Met. The musical outcome is an unusual blend of the traditional and the experimental.
