Music Review of Everything is Everywhere

December 30th, 2011

A Beacon of Hope: The Importance of Light in Religion

December 30th, 2011

Everything Is Everywhere -- A Review

December 30th, 2011

Lou's Views

November 29th, 2011

Lou Harry's review of Everything is Everywhere

Listening Well Doing Good

November 20th, 2011

Indiana Mets India: a Musical Connection

November 20th, 2011

Carrie Newcomer’s cool fusion of East and West hooks listeners

November 5th, 2011

New York: You don’t hear any road-weariness in well-travelled American singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer’s voice when she talks about touring. That’s because she loves “the personality of places.” She first toured India in 2009 and was drawn to India’s outsized personality. She came back home to Indiana with a notebook filled with India’s sights and sounds.

Newcomer now has a new album out, Everything is Everywhere, a collaboration with three of the best sarod players in the world, Amjad Ali Khan and his sons Amaan and Ayaan. While being an artist-in-residence at the American Embassy School in New Delhi, Newcomer casually shared music and ideas at the Khan home one afternoon. Then one thing just led to another.

“At that first meeting it became apparent that even though Indian classical and western singer-songwriter forms are very different, there was a shared spirit in our works. When Amjad Ali Khan sang a traditional Indian melody that first afternoon in the Khan family studio I found myself weeping. I didn’t understand the words, but I was powerfully moved by the depth and soul of the music,” Newcomer told Firstpost.

“That same afternoon I sang one of my songs called “The Gathering of Spirits.” When I finished the song I saw that Ayaan’s lovely wife Neema had tears in her eyes. Music is a language deeper than words. It was a beautiful experience working with Amjad, Amaan and Ayaan,” added Newcomer.

Not since George Harrison played the song, “Norwegian wood” on the Sitar in 1965 has there been so much serious interest in an Indian/Western contemporary fusion album. The range of Newcomer’s voice is very low. For years reviewers have compared her voice to “dark chocolate.” There is something about the sound of a woman’s voice singing in those deep lower ranges and the beautiful resonate low tones of the sarod that are surprisingly complimentary.

When I mentioned to Newcomer that one of the younger Khans had observed that the way she plays slide guitar is very similar to the way that they play the sarod, she was amused but very pleased.

“I have always tuned my guitar in alternative tunings that incorporated drone strings and have played with a rhythmic style that feels similar to sarod stylings. It was a wonderful discovery. The first time I toured in India it felt like I’d been writing my whole life for the Indian listeners,” said Newcomer.

“When writing for this album, two of the songs were composed on a traditional American folk instrument call the mountain dulcimer which has several droning strings and can have a slide feel to it as well.”

All nine songs on “Everything is Everywhere” were written for this specific collaboration. “The idea was to create songs that were based in western song form, but would integrate and preserve the power, depth and energy of Indian music. I did not want to create western songs, add a tabla and call it fusion,” said Newcomer. “The idea was to truly expand all our musical edges and create something totally new and unique. I believe we accomplished that.”

Amjad, Amaan and Ayaan came to Bloomington in 2010 to record with Newcomer, Grammy-nominated percussionist Jim Brock and pianist Gary Walters. They built on the songs and basic tracks created by Newcomer since her return from India. The album’s finishing touches were completed by sharing audio files over the Internet after the Khans’ left America.

“We needed to be willing to try new things. We are all accomplished in our individual musical careers; we all do what we do very well. But this required we take risks and expand how we approached a song,” said Newcomer.

“I think we all loved being able to find that new and creative musical edge that could propel a song like “Breathe In, Breathe Out” or touch the heart like “I Believe” or “Everything is Everywhere.” We really didn’t know when we went into the studio if the collaboration would work. But from the very first notes it was apparent something magical was happening,” added Newcomer.

Newcomer who has over 12 solo albums under her belt was included on Boston’s radio station, WUMB’s list of the “Top Most Influential Artists” of the past 25 Years. Newcomer’s latest album with the Khans hit US stores on Tuesday and reviewers have been generous with their praise. The album was released in India ahead of the US release.

The “Indianapolis Star” said “some sarod passages on “Everything” might be mistaken for the twang of a Dobro or banjo, yet the Khans also showcase explosive shifts in rhythm and heady jazz excursions.”

Marg Herder, a well-known recording artist and owner of Softsound, said the album’s first song, “Breathe In, Breathe Out,” had her hooked and she turned it up so she could hear the nuance of the mix: “The playing, loose and free, piques your interest. Moments later, the sarod foreshadows the vocal melody. Enter Jim Brock’s percussion work. Here he crafts a beat that practically dares you to keep from bobbing your head. Thickly layered, chant-like vocals start. Ah, there’s the sound of a strumming guitar. The sarod solo now sounds familiar. And just like that, East meets West. It fits. It’s a Carrie Newcomer song, expanded in way we’ve not heard before.”

Newcomer, Carrie - Everything Is Everywhere

November 1st, 2011

It's a long way from Indiana to India, but musical bridge shortens distance

November 1st, 2011

Everything Is Everywhere (EEWC-Christian Feminism Today: Album Review)

October 14th, 2011

Interview Carrie Newcomer on East-West collaboration (Part 2 of 2)

October 12th, 2011

Carrie Newcomer's Indian project (Nuvo)

October 12th, 2011

Carrie Newcomer has always had an adventurous spirit.

It's evident in her perceptive folk music and collaborations with everyone from Quaker theologian Phillip Gulley to environmental writer Scott Russell Sanders. Then there's her work leading songwriting workshops and serving as a cultural ambassador for the American Embassy in India.

Carrie Newcomer blends our melodies East and West (Part 1 of 2)

October 10th, 2011

Music Road Review and Interview: India to Indiana: Everything Is Everywhere from Carrie Newcomer

September 28th, 2011

India to Indiana: Everything Is Everywhere from Carrie Newcomer (Music Road)

September 26th, 2011

Classical music has no rules on presentation: Ayaan Ali Khan (Planet Radio City)

September 19th, 2011

Talented duo and sarod players Amaan and Ayaan Ali Khan recently collaborated with American singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer for their album Everything Is Everywhere.

'Experience America' comes to a lyrical end (THE HINDU)

September 17th, 2011

Concocting homespun philosophy and spiritual undercurrents with rich vocals and an explorative blend of Indian-Western percussion, American singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer...

9/11 Reflections: Quaker songwriter Carrie Newcomer

September 6th, 2011

Amaan, Ayaan's new album - fusion of classical and country music

August 23rd, 2011

Collaboration with Famed Indian Musicians on New CD Everything Is Everywhere to Raise Funds for Interfaith Hunger Initiative

August 23rd, 2011

A love for haunting melody lines and compelling rhythms and a sense of deep spiritual grounding are the connecting threads in this new collaborative project between American folk singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer and the famous Indian family of sarod players, Amjad Ali Khan, Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan.

Carrie Newcomer News

Music Review of Everything is Everywhere

A Beacon of Hope: The Importance of Light in Religion

Everything Is Everywhere -- A Review

Lou's Views

Listening Well Doing Good

Indiana Mets India: a Musical Connection

Carrie Newcomer’s cool fusion of East and West hooks listeners

Newcomer, Carrie - Everything Is Everywhere

It's a long way from Indiana to India, but musical bridge shortens distance

Everything Is Everywhere (EEWC-Christian Feminism Today: Album Review)

Interview Carrie Newcomer on East-West collaboration (Part 2 of 2)

Carrie Newcomer's Indian project (Nuvo)

Carrie Newcomer blends our melodies East and West (Part 1 of 2)

Music Road Review and Interview: India to Indiana: Everything Is Everywhere from Carrie Newcomer

India to Indiana: Everything Is Everywhere from Carrie Newcomer (Music Road)

Classical music has no rules on presentation: Ayaan Ali Khan (Planet Radio City)

'Experience America' comes to a lyrical end (THE HINDU)

9/11 Reflections: Quaker songwriter Carrie Newcomer

Amaan, Ayaan's new album - fusion of classical and country music

Collaboration with Famed Indian Musicians on New CD Everything Is Everywhere to Raise Funds for Interfaith Hunger Initiative