Arun Ghosh

(Arun Ghosh Quartet/ Melange Collective
Albany Cafe-Bar, Deptford, September 26th 2010, review and photo by Roger Thomas)

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There are lots of activities, I suppose, to while away a cloudy and damp Sunday afternoon. But I’m sure all would seem mundane in comparison to spending the afternoon sitting in The Albany’s Cafe-Bar and be charmed – snake-like – by the exotic sound of Arun Ghosh ‘s clarinet with Samy Bishai-violin; Liran Donin-bass and Rastko Rasic-drums and percussion.

Now I’m no cobra but I gained an insight into why such a reptile might feel impelled to raise its inquisitive head and even to leave the safety of it’s basket/hiding-place to seek out the source of such hypnotising sounds.

The music took the audience on a journey through the Mediterranean, Africa, Arabia, India and beyond. The quartet was joined by the Melange Collective consisting of Shirley Smart-cello; Soufian Saihi– oud; and Davide Pasqualini-percussion. Combined they made a rich and full sound which glazed the imagination, and cast away the memory of the damp dismal weather outside.

Arun Ghosh’s CD Northern Namaste (2008) is on Camoci Records
He will be performing in the Albany’s Cafe-Bar again next month, on Sunday October 17th – admission is free, and in the main auditorium on 20th November as part of the London Jazz Festival.