Bangalore Breakdown: Mukti

Bangalore Breakdown is a New York City band born from frequent nightclub world-music jam sessions featuring elements of jazz, Indian and African music. The group is co-led by multi-instrumentalist Premik Russell Tubbs and keyboardist Uli Geissendoerfer. Tubbs was in John McLaughlin's expanded second Mahavishnu Orchestra and has also worked with Carlos Santana, Herbie Hancock, Sting, James Taylor and many more. Geissendoerfer likes to explore a cross-section of rhythms paying special attention to those of Latin origin. He has played with the Groove Collective, Tito Puente, Blood Sweat & Tears, Cirque du Soleil and many others. The rest of the band members come from the four corners of the earth.

"Mukti" is based on a traditional Bengali melody. A synthesized drone serves as a backdrop for Tubbs's beautiful bansuri flute intro. Textures and colors are added by his bandmates. The uplifting melody enters. Percussionists Mathias Kunzli and Dibyarka Chatterjee drive the piece as Tubbs offers a soaring soprano sax solo. Some wonderful unison playing separates the solos. Cameroonian vocalist Gino Sitson uses his 4-octave range to take the next turn. At one point he plays percussion on his chest, which knocks air out of his lungs creating a staccato rhythmic effect. Tabla player Dibyarka Chatterjee takes it from there, with vocalist Steve Sandberg doing a Carnatic thing. Some well-placed heavy-handed Geissendoerfer chords infiltrate the full sonic attack that the music has now become. The intricate unison playing is outstandingly entertaining. Pay special attention to bassist Nathan Peck during these sections. Each player is a life- giving tributary to one great river of music. "Mukti" is a joyous romp of world influences. Bangalore Breakdown is just the band to break things down and put them back together again.