Reviews
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"This virtual United Nations of an ensemble has created some of the freshest,
most entertaining and accessible World Fusion music ever! A heady instrumental
brew distinguished by elements of African, Eastern European, Jazz, Blues,
Middle Eastern, and New Age. A must have!"
PJ Birosik - Music Critic - 1995
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"Billed as 'World Fusion Music' Indian Dream offers more than that category suggests.
I'm a sucker for cuts like 'Peace Please', with a jazzy violin solo sets against
a strong Middle Eastern tabla rhythm. Then 'Poona Blues' - no kidding - mixes blues
with Indian classical music. Deepak Ram's bansuri (bamboo flute) is an outstanding
addition to the up-tempo and quieter Indian music tunes and moves this CD into
the ranks of 'highly recommended'. Tabla, dumbak and hand-drum rhythmic pieces
('Delhi Groove', 'Drums of Peace') match Emam’s percussive ideas with those of fellow
percussionist Taufiq Qureshi. A longish (11:20) 'Give Five' demonstrates another
blending - this time of North Indian classical music with jazz.
The quieter 'KML', 'Mantra' and 'Goodbye for Now' balance the over all fast tempo
of Indian Dream. Finally, I like 'Kumaon Hills', with thunder and rain background
sound effects for a Himalayan foothills flute tune. You will too."
Dick Dorsett - Victory Review - April 1995
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Zoltan Lantos
Zoltan
has been playing violin since the age of seven.
At the Bela Bartok Conservatory, a prestigious high school for music, Zoltan trained under
Gyorgyi Repassy and became the concert master and soloist for the Budapest Youth Chamber Orchestra.
Zoltan received his music degree from the Teacher's Training College of the Ferenc Liszt Academy
of Music in 1984. In 1985, he was awarded a music scholarship from the government of India.
Between 1985 and 1994, Zoltan lived in India studying instrumental music under the guidance of
Professor Debu Chaudhuri, Dean of Music Faculty at the Delhi University.
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Deepak Ram
Deepak and I met in January 1992 at a private concert by
the grand master of bansuri, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia (Hariji), in Delhi.
Deepak is a South African with Indian ancestors. He began studying bansuri and tabla in 1975,
and has been a disciple of Hariji since 1981.
Deepak holds a masters degree in music from the University of Durban, South Africa.
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Taufiq Qureshi
Taufiq is the youngest son of the legend of tabla, Ustad Alla Rakha.
That makes him Zakir Hussain's youngest brother. Growing up in a musical family, Taufiq has rhythm in his blood.
We met for the first time in 1982 in Bombay, where he spends most of his time in recording studios.
A fantastic percussionist with any instrument at any speed!
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Turkantam
I met Turkantam (Matteo Sorrentino) in 1983 in Hairakhan
(Maha Avatar BabajiÕs ashram in the Himalayan Foothills - North India).
He is a musician from the heart who gave up a financially promising Rock & Roll career in Italy
in 1981 and went to Babaji to find what he could not buy with money.
From then on his musical career became about incorporating Devotional Indian music into
Western styles of music. He lives in France with his lovely family.
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Emam
In 1991, I was awarded a Professional Development grant for
the Performing Arts by the American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS).
Indian Dream was conceived and created during my stay in India between 92 & 93.
I have been a student of tabla since 1977. My teachers have been: Ustad Alla Rakha,
Ustad Inam Ali Khan, and since 1983 Ustad Zakir Hussain.
Since 1978 I have also been a disciple of Maha Avatar Babaji with whom I spent much time
in India prior to his Maha Samadhi in 84.
This album is dedicated to the spirits of Babaji and My Father.
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