TRISHUL

This is not North Indian Classical Music or Jazz but a true mixture of both creating something new for the heart and mind. Featuring Dharambir Singh on sitar and Sarvar Sabri on tabla, TRISHUL performs music based on the ragas of North India in this blend of contemporary jazz and North Indian classical music. Martin Speake’s Trishul first performed together at the University of Roma in 2000 and have performed at some of the UK’s finest festivals including the Appleby and Chester Jazz Festivals. Trishul released their debut album THE JOURNEY on the SANCTUARY record label in Autumn 2004 in conjunction with a UK tour.

“..…true multi-cultural synthesis ….”
Derryck Sawyer, Chester and District Standard

On January 23rd 2001 Martin went to Rome for a concert with two outstanding Indian musicians Dharambir Singh and Sarvar Sabri. The concert was a huge success and the audience of over 700 were spellbound by the music. This is by no means the first collaboration of these fine musicians and is a unique and thrilling fusion of classical Indian and contemporary jazz. More recently the band played at the Chester and Appleby Festivals with great reviews.

In a similar vein, Martin's new project with Oren Marshall (tuba), Mike Outram (guitar) and Asaf Sirkis (drums) will be reviving his work with Fever Pitch. This band originally comprised 7 musicians and featured works composed by Martin with a strong Indian, Arabic flavour. the success of all the participants in the band has meant that only very rare performances are possible to arrange , so a new more practical line-up has been worked out. Watch out for dates.

The compositions are melodic themes each exploring a different scale or raga and have their own individual mood. Different rhythmic patterns are also explored including 3/4, 4/4, 6/4, 7/4, and 10/4.

Martin Speake The Journey is a new piece written for this concert in 7/4. It is dedicated to the author of the book The Journey, Brandon Bays. She healed her tumour without any drugs in 6 weeks and has helped many people all over the world unlock their soul. This will feature a tabla solo.

JT's Symmetrical Scale is dedicated to the English pianist John Taylor who uses this particular sound in many of his pieces. It consists of intervals of a minor third and semitone alternately.

Stepping Stone is based on a scale I heard the wonderful singer Ramamani and Karnataka College of Percussion perform. I have used the sound to compose a melody in keeping with my own jazz background and with a strong groove. Remember is dedicated to Dennis Potter an English playwright who was always challenging the orthodox viewpoint and made you think. His most famous TV plays were The Singing Detective, Blue Remembered Hills and Pennies From Heaven.

Still With Me is for my Uncle Frank who I miss every day and was a great influence on me as a child.

Charukesi was composed jointly by myself and Dharambir some years ago when were improvising together and we are reviving it for this concert. It combines both of our melodic concepts.

Dharambir Singh is one of the leading sitarists in England particularly recognised for his valuable contribution to the understanding of North Indian music in the UK. Inspired to take up the sitar at an early age by his uncle Avtar Singh, Dharambir’s training started under the guidance of Professor Sita Ram of Amritsar. It was then Professor Narinder Narula of Patiala who introduced him to the Viliyat Khani style of sitar playing. In 1974 Dharambir became a disciple of the great Ustad Viliyat Khan and studied with him for five years. Dharambir came to England in 1979 and since then has become a regular performer at festivals, theatres, universities, and music societies throughout the country. He is very active in education and is at present Professor of Indian Music at Leeds College of Music. For more information on Dharambir check out his website

Sarvar Sabri is an internationally renowned tabla player whose versatility, and passion for the rich diversity of the world's musical traditions, has spurred him to constantly experiment with other world-class musicians and composers, and to extend the boundaries of his own classical form. He started learning at a very early age from Ustad Mehdi Hasan Khan and then from Ustad Bundu Khan of Meerut Sabri is proficient not only as a soloist but also works with many Indian classical vocalists, instrumentalists and Kathak dancers. His strength and distinguishing feature is his versatility, he is able to accompany a range of artforms, showing awareness and sensitivity to the different styles required. He regularly participates in major music festivals and conferences held in India, including the prestigious Radio Sangeet Sammelan and the National Programme organised by All India Radio. Both as a solo artist and accompanist Sabri has performed extensively around the world. He makes regular appearances at the South Bank and has also performed for the BBC, ITV and Channel 4. As well as Indian classical music, Sabri has also been involved in experimental and fusion work with Western classical, jazz and popular music. As a soloist, he has worked with the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Bournemouth Sinfonietta and the East of England Orchestra. He is the founder of the Sabri Ensemble, which is a Birmingham-based group dedicated to exploring the richness of different musical traditions and styles.The Ensemble creates music taking inspiration from the Indian, Latin American, Afro-Carribean, Jazz and Western classical traditions, exploring new sounds and techniques. He has toured extensively worldwide. Presently, he is based in Birmingham where he teaches on the Indian Music Degree Course at the Birmingham Conservatoire.

Martin Speake Trio Review – 2nd August 2001

“……..But true multi-cultural synthesis was only to be found in the closely woven tapestries of sound played by Martin Speake and his collaborators……Martin Speake (alto sax) was joined by Dharambir Singh (sitar) and Sarvar Sabri (tabla). All the pieces were composed by Martin, but were played equally energetically by his sub-continental co-players. Melodies started on the sax would be tossed to the sitar where Dharambir Singh played astonishingly dexterous improvisation before tossing it back, until repeatedly both players would return to the opening phrase simultaneously, almost magically, before going off to explore a new set of variations and with it a new emotional landscape. In the opening set, ‘The Journey’, stood out as a fine example of the cutting edge of European music, building from a quiet beginning to a tabla featured main passage. Quiet, calm passages were indeed the predominant atmosphere, creating a spiritual, uplifting mood, not broken by the shorter rhythmic pieces of the second set, which even featured a spell-binding tabla solo that left people’s jaws hanging open. Amazing when you consider that it’s all done on two small fingers…….Martin will undoubtedly become more and more well known and respected, and those privileged to have been at their gigs will remember, I am sure with great poignancy, where they heard them first.”

Derryck Sawyer, Chester and District Standard – Jazz Festival Review