Much to
the excitement of music enthusiasts worldwide, Folk-World music artist Marcus
Corbett has released his highly anticipated debut album Strung Deep. Based
between Marlborough and Oxford in the UK and Pune in India, and having gigged
the length and breadth of the UK and on the western coast of India, Marcus has
quietly been gaining an esteemed reputation for his esoteric, unique blend of
Indian classical music and British folk. Says Marcus, “I have studied Indian
Classical Music because it is (for me) an undeniably beautiful and compelling
musical genre. In my composition, I do not try to play it directly as my music
is mine and mine alone.”
Marcus
started to travel to India in the mid ‘70s and has since spent the following
decades continuing to cultivate an ongoing relationship with Tabla and Indian
Classical Music. As Corbett puts it – “I traveled first to India as a wide eyed
18 year old and I heard a Tabla solo by the river Ganga. All I can say is my
world changed; but it was the vocal that really hooked me – the voice in the
music found an echo in me.”
On the
subject of his musical influences, aside from his times in India, Marcus
states, “I've been affected by John Martyn, Nick Drake, Roy Harper – anybody
that makes the guitar sing or speak. John McLaughlin with the 'Mahavishnu
Orchestra' and early 'Shakti' was a revelation as has been Jerry Garcia's
soulful musicality.”
Over the
last decade Corbett has been on yearly travels to Pune and Gadag in western
India to work with renowned Tabla players Nitin Gaikwad and Sharanappa
Gutteragi. The most recent in a series of recordings to come out of these
sessions is Strung Deep.Mostly
recorded with engineer Abhijit Saraf of Musical Stars Studios in Pune, Strung
Deep perfectly encapsulates the beauty, grace and dexterity of Corbett’s
extraordinary talent and unique vision to fuse UK and European folk musics with
India classical tradition. Aided and abetted by the majestic Bansuri (Indian
flute) playing of Milind Date and exquisite violin talents of Sanjay Upadhye,
Strung Deep is a joyous meeting of musical worlds.ade)
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