Jungle of Spices Shyamal Maïtra & Friends Mother Tongue Projects MTD 004 || 2002 || £9.49  $ € ¥  + p+p +tax Click for big pic Sorry currently unavailable - hopefully back in stock soon Wonderfully mellow ambient/world album A rich slice of deeply chilled ambient/World music, a first 'solo' album from multi-percussionist Shyamal Maïtra, of Gongmaison, Gong, numerous Didier Malherbe ensembles, Les Poissons d'Or Perdu Trio (with Daevid and Graham Clark) and many other bands. Begun and ended with atmospheric indian pieces the musical journey of 'Jungle of Spices' is very much the man himself, rather mysterious and quiet but with a twinkle unique of vision and gentle fun. The 'Spice Kit' Sham uses throughout I think is a combination of everything he owns, from tablas to various electronic samplers. I'm not totally sure but it provides a unique, rich ocean of sounds on which the other instruments (played by amongst others, Didier & Jean Phillippe Rykiel) sail. The points of reference in the Gong multiverse that spring to mind are the more ambient tracks on any of Didier's albums and 'Sacred Geometry', but ultimately this CD is it's own creation. I'm not quite sure when this album was actually released, early 2003 I think. I heard early work in progress versions but then Sham forgot to send me a copy of the completed CD and I forgot to ask...etc. Anyway here they finally are in limited supply (probably only 500 pressed) and very good it is too. Track Listing: Total Runtime 36.12 All titles Shyamal Maïtra. Kaïlâsâ 2.39 Barefeet Amazon Blues 7.09 Nayna 6.22 Blues For Bengal 3.30 Ila 2.48 Dhruva 2.08 Poppy Too 3.08 Morning Come 6.08 Gurubandana 2.16 Musicians: Shyamal Maïtra: Spice Kit (1-9) Monks from Gômükh: Mantras, Bheri (trumpet), Ganga (1) Jean Marie Richard: Electric Bass (2) Gilles Coronado: Electric Guitar (2) Pablo Nemirovsky: Flute (2) Kakoli Sengupta: Chant (3) Mahmut Demir: Kebec Kemane (3, 4) Jean Philippe Rykiel: Synths (3, 5) Sara Murcia: Bass (4) Didier Malherbe: Soprano Sax (4) Sissoko Yakhouba: Kora (5) Pierre Chaz: Electric Guitar (6, 8) Jaques Derenaucourt: Violin (7) François Lemonnier: Trombone (8) Sanchita Chowdhuri: Chant (9) Sanjay Majumdar: Harmonium (9)