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DANIEL BERKMAN: Calabashmoon
A lush production of original music for the Kora (West African Harp) weaving in samples of field recordings from Daniel's tour of Africa with Djali Kunda Kuyate in 2002.
Daniel Berkman is a San Francisco based composer, multi-instrumentalist and innovator of the kora (a 21-stringed harp/lute from West Africa).
His early recordings for kora highlighted his use of electronic devices and loop boxes to transform his kora in real time in live performance. His first three cd's, "Heartstrings", "Feverdreams" and "Headlands" mark this period between 1996 and 2000 which feature Daniel creating other worldly soundscapes and a playing technique drawing on his myriad influences, including that of the great kora masters of our time.
While on the road as guitarist and kora player with Djali Kunda Kouyate (the twins) in December of 2002 through Senegal, Gambia and Mali, Daniel not only studied kora and ngoni with various masters there but captured his experiences on minidisc.
The result is his latest work, "Calabashmoon", a collection of crafty and poignant kora pieces woven with a tapestry of sounds and impressions of West Africa.
Daniel also plays guitar, handsonic, kora and gravikord for Artemis and is a featured electronic artist on rtfm records (www.rtfmrecords.com) under the moniker "vessel".
Daniel has also produced the EP "Beneath The Hills And Fairytales" with singer/songwriter Nicky Cairney (available on www.rtfmrecords.com), "Sacred Chants" by Rina Sircar and recently a remix of an Artemis song "Angel" originally on "Gravity" and soon to be released on her new remix album "Orbits".
Daniel has also composed many ecclectic scores for choreographers and dance companies in San Francisco, notably Sarah Shelton Mann, ODC, Company Chaddick, Lizz Roman and Dancers, Kunst-Stoff, Heidi Schweiker and many others.
BANDS:
ARTEMIS - Kora, Handsonic, Microkorg, Guitar, Looping
DJALI KUNDA KOUYATE - Kora, Guitar
THE VENUSIANS - Kora, Guitar, Ukulele, Handsonic, Microkorg, Looping
BOGO - Kora, Guitar, Handsonic, Looping
ESSENCE - Guitar
UNDER - Guitar
OMNICIRCUS - Kora, Guitar, Handsonic, Composing, Looping
MOBILE HOLMES - Handsonic, Looping, Circuit Bent Speak n' Spell, Ukulele, Guitar......................................................
hi there, it seems that you've dissapeared for so long...?? just to let you know i've posted a new blog.... Hope everything is well with you:) all the best
Hi Daniel. Writing from Weleyan in Collecticut. So it is in a town north of here you spent 4 years of your youth... The autumn colours are really nice now. Lots of music going on here... Have fun!
Ciao Daniel, thanks for your kind words. :o) The sound of your kora is great and your music is truly inspirated and so evocative... A very BIG hug from Italy, Anita
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