ANDUNI ALBUM
cd release on URCK
A turning point in the Sikhara story, Anduni was slowly written over a stay at a previous incarnation of Mecca, in Nashville, TN. Each component was prepared seperately, and various talents were recruited for specific duties. After completing electronic portions with Jonathan Saldanha in Porto, Portugal, and Nyko Esterle servicing the drums in Brussels, Sikhara turned to Steve Austin of Today is the Day to help craft the final album. The cd was released by URCK.
ANDUNI
PERFORMANCE
live presentation
of the entire album
Anduni was performed as a complete piece on tour in the United States after painstaking rehearsals with Sasha Drumure and John Sharp. Ethan Port joined as a collaborator for much of the west coast.
There is unfinished business with this show. It has always been the dream to give this performance in Armenia and one day it will be done.
Sikhara's last words to Gomidas.
"Tukano Volta" was the album single and video. It was performed on a large platform in the wood surrounded by bonfire, with the support of outdoors program tv personality and gator hunter, who captured footage including camera shots from a mounted tree stand.
The centerpiece of the performance and album is the title track which was in fact planned to pretty much just play the recording while giving a performative piece. Several powerful contributions were made that turned the "Anduni" song into something more.
Laura Joseph provided a haunting vocal that was recorded at Nashville Mecca and sampled into the song. Likewise with the sorrowful bellow of Deanna Varagona's baritone sax.
On the live album, Steve Mackay's sax solo
mingles with her samples and the song comes to life with out the visual element.
John Sharp/Mr Natural became the real star of this part of the show, who crafted his "Branch" instrument and solo'd throughout the piece.
The contribution of 2 graphic desingers changed the way Sikhara used imagry in presentation. Jonathan Saldanha's cover art and the modifications by Daniele Watts for the poster, is the perfect representation of Sikhara at this time.
Cover insert picture and promotional photo by Eric Desjeux
"Live in the United States", a cd
on Anti-clock, contains an "Anduni" tour
radio performance on KFJC. The excellent
quality recording also featured Ethan Port.
"Fatwa" and "Tukano Volta" were co-written with Yann Geoffriaud. Perhaps the peak of Sikhara as a tribal act, Yann will always be the Sikhara drummer
Georgian culture is also alluded to in Anduni and the pounding drums and chanting of Georgian church rituals is quite near to Sikhara in style.
