Experience an evening of musical brilliance, as the extraordinary Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer and Rakesh Chaurasia grace the stage of Hamer Hall on January 17, 2025 to perform their two-times Grammy-winning album As We Speak. They will also perform January 18, 2025 Darling Harbour Theatre ICC Sydney
Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain and Edgar Meyer each hold influence in different musical reals; bluegrass for Fleck, Indian classical music for Hussain, and Western classical music for Meyer. Despite these talents, they share a mutual gift for improvisation and an ability to span musical genres as casually as neighbours chatting over a backyard fence.
“When we are performing on stage, in composing mode or creating mode, we are basically having a conversation,” says Hussain. “So the music emerges as we speak.”
Further enriching their sound is Rakesh Chaurasia, a master of the Indian bamboo flute known as bansuri. During their tour in India, Hussain invited Rakesh to join them, sensing an immediate chemistry. “We wanted to explore a more organic approach with a small group,” says Meyer. “Rakesh’s beautiful playing opened up new lyrical and melodic dimensions for us.”
This collaboration led to the Grammy-winning album As We Speak, showcasing the remarkable instrumental skills and diverse musical influences of these talented musicians. Over twelve tracks, they effortlessly navigate from the intricate rhythms of Indian music to the infectious grooves of funky bass lines, equally comfortable with the complexities of raga.
Now, they’re bringing the music to Hamer Hall on January 17, 2025.
Tickets available at https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/whats-on/2025/contemporary-music/as-we-speak
Also playing January 18, 2025 Darling Harbour Theatre ICC Sydney
Tickets available at https://iccsydney.com.au/events/as-we-speak/
Presented by:
Marching Elephants
The Laughter Factory
Related links
