Ray Spiegel and Ramesh Mishra Woodstock, NY August 1997
Tabla…Sarod…Sarangi…Bass…Drums…Vibes…the Goddess…the Vision… Ray put it all together on Simla House’s© first release in 1997.
Stephan James and Ira Coleman.
Sum and Kali is an original blend of the music of India with jazz, rock, tribal, and Latin flavors played by master musicians on acoustic intruments under the direction of Japanese-American percussionist Ray Spiegel who has played tabla for over 30 years.
Compositions are based in Indian Classical forms combined with folk drumming, Jazz, Kirtan, Reggae, Latin , Rock with Tribal overtones. Sum and Kali is uplifting music for the soul combining virtuoso performances with a devotional edge, good for listening, meditation, and dancing.
Produced and arranged by percussionist and composer Ray Spiegel, Sum and Kali features some of today’s finest jazz and Indian musicians. The lineup includes:
Ray Spiegel – Tabla Drums, Dholak, Dholki, Duggi Tarang, Vibes, Marimba, and assorted percussion.
Stephen James-Sarod, Guitar, Violin
Ira Coleman-Acoustic Bass
Mark Johnson- Drums
Bhagavan Das-Vocals, Ektara
Steve Gorn-Bansuri Flute
Ramesh Misra-Sarangi
Craig Handy-Tenor Saxophone<
Reviews
A smoking-hot percussionist and master tabla player, Ray Spiegel has put together a superb group of jazz and Indian musicians for the world-fusion Sum and Kali. Spiegel, who has worked with such luminaries as the Grateful Dead, builds captivating rhythms into divine music with bass, violin, tanpura, drums, vibes, sax, and percussion.
Steve Gorn plays bansuri with his usual flair. The delightful result is at once earthy and sublime, weaving seemingly disparate musical elements into a unique masterpiece. Favorite tracks include the bluesy “Colaba Blues”, with Ira Coleman’s liquid bass line and Stephen James on a soulful violin. “Ashes on the Beach at Puri” uses a reggae beat and tablas as the backdrop for sarod and electric guitar trading lead. “Kali Ma”, which Spiegel wrote with Jai Uttal and Bhagavan Das, is a nearly 16-minute romp thorough the far reaches of jazz and world fusion, featuring Das on vocals as well. – Steve Ryals, From New Age Retailer, July/August 2000