Kim Sanders – Bent Grooves

Bent Grooves is a Magical collective improvisation, framed by lush melodies and anchored by bent but hypnotic rhythms. These tracks draw from the traditions of Turkish Sufi and folk music, Balkan Gypsy brass bands, West African grooves, Indian Classical music, flamenco, blues and jazz. About the artist: One time cane-cutter, meatworks labourer and documentary film researcher, Kim Sanders has played with Gypsy brass bands in Macedonia, studied with Sufi ney-masters in Turkey, performed on national radio in Bulgaria and national TV in Indonesia, in mosquito-ridden clubs in Gambia, tavernas in Greece and in concert-halls from the Atatürk Cultural Centre in Istanbul to the Jintai Museum in Beijing. Hear the soaring lines of the Dervish ney flute, the rich buzz of the duduk, the crazed rhythms of the Bulgarian bagpipe…and the unforgettable wail of the aardvark.
Bent Grooves’ musicians are:
(in order of height) Sandy Evans Carlos Villanueva Tarlochan (Bobby) Singh Kim Sanders George Doukas Llew Kiek Blagoyce (Bobby) Dimitrievski Steve Elphick
Producer: Tony Gorman
Track Listing 1. Heyamoli (Trad arr. Elphick, Evans, Sanders Singh) 2. Speedbump (Sanders) 3. Kong’s Dream (Sanders) 4. Only a Surfer Knows the Feeling (Sanders) A Journey in Saba Makam 5. a) Bas Taksim (Sanders) 6. b) Saba Nefes I (Trad. arr Elphick, Evans, Sanders Singh) 7. c) Ara Taksim (Elphick) 8. d) Saba Nefes II (Trad arr. Elphick, Evans, Sanders, Singh) 9. Waste of Time Busking (Sanders) 10. Kar Yagar (Trad arr. Sanders & Elphick) 11. The Bad Bodgie Bulerias (Sanders) 12. Istanbul Blues (Sanders) 13. Oi Havar (Trad arr. Elphick, Evans, Sanders, Singh)
Kim Sanders – Bent Grooves CD Reviews Kim Sanders is one of those unsung Australian musical pioneers who is following his own vision to create his sound while acknowledging his Middle eastern influences. Bent Grooves is a wonderful collaboration, indicative of the remarkable musical talent to be found in Australia, far beyond anything created by the superficial or the idols so prominent in the media. The master of a variety of reed instruments, including the sublime Sufi reed flute (ney), Sanders creates a sound at once evocative and melodic, with grace and humour. He is accompanied by Australia’s pre-eminent saxophonist, Sandy Evans, the rhythmically subtle bassist Steve Elphick, Indian tabla master Bobby Singh and fellow explorer Llew Kiek playing baglama (lute) as well as several guests. With excellent production by Tony Gorman and sound engineering by Ross A’Hern, this is a gem worth investigating. In a perfect world, these artists would figure among out national treasures. – Michael Rofe, Weekend Australian What wouldn’t I give to have friends like these: Sandy Evans (soprano and tenor sax), Carlos Villanueva (charango), Tarlochan Singh (tabla), George Doukas (bouzouki), Llew Kiek (baglama), Blagojce Dimitrievski (clarinet) and Steve Elphick (double bass). Kim Sanders describes his life as a speed bump, “you start going somewhere and end up going somewhere completely different”. It’s also the title of the second track, a beautiful interplay between two saxophones, tabla and bass. Kim, multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger, plays tenor sax on this tune. Bent Grooves is an instrumental CD, beautifully measured and layered, with music inspired by Kim’s travel and work in Macedonia and Turkey. – Jaslyn Hall, ABC Limelight Magazine That asinine term “world music” actually acquires some meaning when applied to the art of Kim Sanders. The Sydney multi-instrumentalist has stewed in musical melting pots from Indonesia to Gambia and is especially steeped in the sounds of Turkey and Eastern Europe. Having absorbed these traditions, he plays within or without them as suits his creative impulses. Sanders’ long-term collaboration with tabla player Bobby Singh stretches the sonic world of Asia Minor eastward, towards the subcontinent, just as Steve Elphick’s bass and Sandy Evans’ saxophone bring jazzier sensibilities to bear. But Sanders never forces square pegs into round holes and his musical imagination unfolds with a marvellous fluidity, like a river being fed by many tributaries, with the main fl ow mingling beautiful, often melancholy melodies with evocative rhythms and exotic textures. His own braying tenor saxophone, assorted wistful flutes and sometimes imperious bagpipes radiate a joy in having such open dialogues with his gifted collaborators; dialogues that have been superbly recorded. – John Shand, Sydney Morning Herald
Kim Sanders & Friends – Bent Grooves CD review by Eelco Schilder, The Australian multi instrumentalist Kim Sanders is obsessed with wind instruments and already for many years he shares his obsession with the rest of the world by recording great CD’s. Bent Grooves is his latest work and on this album he plays seven wind instruments varying from Turkish Gaita, Kaval, Saluang to tenor sax. What I like is that his instruments have their origin from all over the world and in his work Sanders shows their similarities and their differences. On this CD, he is backed by seven ‘friends’ who have different backgrounds from Indian tabla, Balkan clarinet, Greek bouzouki and Turkish lute. Sanders recorded thirteen tracks, many based on traditionals but also own compositions. I think Bent Grooves is his best album. The music is exciting, a good variation between styles and very well played. I love the Turkish song Heyamoli.