Private
Tantra : demo (B,2003)***° (ex)
I heard various rumours about Tantra being one of the more promising new groups in Flanders, Belgium, so I needed to check them out. I had to wait a couple of weeks before their new demo was finished.
Tantra is firstly, Peter Daems, DADGAD open tuning guitar, mandoline and mandola. With an interest in the Irish tradition, beside also playing in medieval group "De Gentse Ghesellen", he also is member of the ballroom group "Papaver", the Irish traditional group "Turlough", and the Irish session group "Gallarus"). Secondly we have Sam Van Ingelgem, who is a session and project musician in various genres. His most remarkable project was 'Lite', a chambermusic project for 20 guitars, lead by John King (NY) en Reneé Lussier ! (Can). He participated for a long time with Fluxus, one of Flanders most known folk bands, but also was part of the big band 'Bouquet Garni', and also played with Laïs, Ambrozijn, Koen De Cauter. Since 2003 he plays double bass with 13 Alàise (bi-lainge-de-la-ska-fanfare), Bal Tabarin (French swing from the 30's) and more recently with Tantra. Thim Vandecouter is a didgeridoo player. He also plays the "Slideridoo", a tuneable didgeridoo, bodhràn, clapsticks, and dum-dum. Jo Zanders played Maghreb instruments before with Al Harmoniah, and even toured with them in Morocco. He also is a member of Fanfarrah who had a CD released. In circus school 'Circus in Beweging' he leads Lokomotiv, a percussion group, with mostly Brazilian rhythms. He also participates with circus-theatre-group Wirwar. Two other projects are Trevrizent, a jazz and drum 'n' bass group, from Leuven, and Alkalia, a bossanova group. He builds his own percussion instruments (cajons, kalimba's, ganza's, shekerés, surdo's ...) which he plays here too. Sébastien Willemyns is the violinist. He also plays also with "Les Turdus Philomelos", and "La Boîte à Malice".
There has been an earlier demo of Tantra, but because of some recent member changes, and progressions, this is a second one, recorded live at two different occasions. First track was recorded live in folkclub 't Smiske (Asse). The other four tracks were recorded at a folkfestival (called Happy Folk Night) in Deerlijk.
First track, "Zand en Schelpjes", has an improvisation with an underlying Irish theme. Second track, "Lorrmi", is middle eastern, with some reverb echo on the guitars, with the didgeridoo expanding this effect, and some violin improvisation on top. This phased effect remains in the next more Irish (flavoured) track, "Bami Langang". "Karina" followed hereafter, is a melodic fingerpicking track, with some improvisation and more Irish touches. Last track, "De 7de Nacht", has the most beautiful improvisation where the bass comes out beautifully, perfectly accompanied with percussion, nice sounding ethereal guitar, and some violin.
