MORE in the effort to hoover up and practically ingest a few gems or at the very least acknowledge given how time races away missed in the mad fertility of releases this year if more people knew about Seven Stairs / India then it would have by now a few months after release picked up a lot of attention. But such is the vacuity of life overgrown with the weeds of distraction and yet there is still time. Check it out, you may well, like marlbank, be utterly blown away. A word of mouth avant Indojazz sleeper? We do hope so.
Liebman: well what can you say? Going back to his 1970s work with Miles, he is on hundreds of records, and live with the fine Swiss trio Vein the last time marlbank caught the US sax master a few years ago in the Vortex was playing like a dream. The river runs deep, long and true.
Regarding the release Lieb has commented: “Ravy Magnifique, coming from a very unique part of lndia (Pondicherry) is an expert in rhythm and has as well incorporated jazz and pop beats into his vast base of knowledge. I recognised his talent when we did a project of his compositions playing some difficult (for me) odd metered music. I suggested that he and I play duo, admittedly so I could learn more from him. The music on this recording was completely improvised, usually beginning with a rhythm and texture that Ravy would play for me. He used all kinds of instruments from African kalimbas to Indian percussion instruments to the normal jazz trap drums with vocalisations as well. This music represents a visit for me to another world which is full of beauty, sincerity and spirituality.”
The video top is only indicative of their live work together not the album itself while the release itself, emerging back in October on the German label Jazzwerkstatt, very loosely just as one point of entry corresponds to a meta-Interstellar Space-type situation although more folkloric, see the sleeve below and the superb example track. Percussionist Ravy Magnifique we have not heard of before. Check his use of konnakol and a slight resemblance to the approach of Trilok Gurtu. The way he bounces sticks off hard rims and makes Liebman dance along is remarkable and inspiring.
Seven Stairs / India is tailor made for fans of Sarathy Korwar and Binker and Moses and of course anyone into Rashied Ali’s collaborations with John Coltrane. Yet this is only scraping the surface to circle in on the object and there is plenty beyond all these chimings. Explore. Immerse yourselves in the ancient mysteries of music via this meeting of minds.