cliffordjames + Musician in Roanoke, VA

SEEKING

ABOUT

I am intent on forming a very specific, very powerful, and exciting musical group endeavor, project, journey. It is vital for the members of this group to be of a certain mindset, and to “click” musically and emotionally.

SPECIFICALLY, I am looking for:
KEYBOARDIST/SINGER:
I want someone in this position who is not only a piano player, but also one who has a good command of keyboards and all the sonic flexibility that they have to offer. This musician will likely be responsible for many sounds at once, with often a low drone as well as chordal harmonies and all kinds of musical texture. A keyboard workstation with onboard sounds is fine, but please feel free to use a computer with the wealth of virtual instruments provided.
I envision that the keyboardist will also be the co-leader/singer, as typically this does not fall to bass players and drummers/percussionists, but I may be surprised.
In my head I envision this individual to be a female because I would like a gender balance within the group, and I also would like a female singer to be my co-leader. This is not a deal-breaker, so please do not hesitate if you are the perfect male keyboardist.
I can provide a good vocal microphone, a microphone stand, a monitor, and several PA inputs, so please be responsible for your own keyboards, perhaps a small sub-mixer if you have lots of gear, and your own bench if you choose to sit. Additionally, please consider and plan for what you would use as a “lite” setup, in case space is an issue, and then a full set-up when we play larger venues.

DRUMMER/PERCUSSIONIST/SINGER:
This musician will be the driving force, obviously, of the sense of groove that is so important to this style of music, in my opinion, and in how I wish to approach this project. Yes, I would like this musician to be a kit player, but I would also like this individual to feel just as comfortable with a djembe, say, or other hand-drums, or a cajón, or a frame drum, chimes, cymbals with brushes, etc.
Likely there will be certain performances where a full kit is not practical, so a “barebones” setup may have to suffice. I truly desire to have a full kit with additional percussion available — and yes, I would love to have two percussionists, or a drummer and a separate percussionist. My ideal is to have both, but logistically, at this point, I would like this position filled by an individual.
As previously stated, I also need this individual to be able to at least fundamentally sing at least some of the responses, but I understand that this may not always be possible, and it is not a deal-breaker. I have been fortunate to work with a percussionist who sat on a cajon set up with a drum pedal, had a djembe in front of him, a high-hat to the side, a crash or ride cymbal (typically used with brushes), and several other hand drums (e.g. frame drum) and other percussion (e.g. chimes, tingsha set, AND had a vocal mike in front of him — he even led several chants.
I think you get the idea.
Traditionally, a “kirtan” group would employ tablas, but I do not expect that of this musician as they are very persnickety instruments; hints at traditional Indian instruments would be fine, but I am specifically NOT trying to be authentic to Hindu kirtan.
I do have some microphones to accommodate a drummer/percussionist, but I am lacking in this area of equipment. Whatever specific audio equipment you bring to the table would be appreciated. That being said, I do not shy away from purchasing what we need in our quest for excellence.

BASSIST/SINGER:
This musician, this aspect of the project, is vital. Every musician is vital with this project because we will begin relatively “barebones”. If you are a bass player, I hope you know your innate value.
I need a bassist who has a diverse sonic palette, can improvise and help create new vistas for where the music takes us, and that has a good command of the instrument. A variety of effects would likely be warranted, but overall a good, solid foundation is paramount. You know what I mean!
As with all the others, I hope that the bassist will be willing and able to sing kirtana responses, and if willing, can lead pieces as well. While this is not a deal-breaker, I hope you can understand that using the voice is a huge part of what this genre is all about. Still, I would rather have a very competent bassist who does not sing than a mediocre bassist who does.
Having your own gear is obviously a must. I do, however, own a nice mesa-boogie combo amp that I could conceivably lend to the right musician.

KIRTAN CALL & RESPONSE:
This project, and the music, will be based on “Universal Kirtan”. The concept is not new, but I intend to breathe some fresh and, even edgy energy into it, to explore the boundaries. The concept is based loosely on the Hindu tradition of kirtan, or yogic chanting, where the most salient feature is of chants or mantras sung in a “call & response” manner. So, music and mantra, where the blend of words and music create a vibration that is palpable and often liberating for all involved. I consider it “meditation in music”. What makes this endeavor so extremely powerful and poignant is that the performance is less of a “performance”, per se, but rather a collective experience where the audience members are typically active participants who repeatedly sing back the phrases that the kirtana leader initiates.

Sounds simple, and it is! What “happens” during this process, among other things, is an “entrainment” where participants tend to feel as-one with the group, feel a part of something beyond the self, larger than the self, or perhaps deeper within the self. It is at once calming and invigorating. In short, it is the most meaningful music I have ever been associated with. I yearn for it, as, I believe, do many others. There is no better time than now to share from the depths of one’s being.

I wish to point out that my personal expression of this style of music does not intend to be “traditional” either in instrumentation or in subject matter. For example, typical kirtan employs the use of a harmonium, which although a wonderful sounding instrument tends to be a one-trick pony that can become tiring to the ear. Modern synthesis and virtual sampling instruments can greatly expand the sonic palette and take the musicians and participants to ever more and varied places.

Concerning the mantras themselves, traditional kirtan uses only Sanskrit phrases and names of Hindu deities. These are wonderful and powerful, but I like to expand this to include sacred phrases from all over the world, and in many different languages. This flavor of kirtan is known as “Universal Kirtan”, and it is what I intend to offer. For example, drawing from my current repertoire there are indeed several pieces that use traditional Sanskrit, but also pieces in Arabic, Hebrew, Native American, English, Hawaiian, and Tibetan Buddhist. I am always trying to find sacred phrases from different parts of the world to include in my kirtana performances.

So, I use phrases from all over the world (Universal Kirtan)and adopt a fairly “Americanized” instrumentation. The music is straightforward, simple, and repetitive; it is this repetitive aspect that helps create the hypnotic effect that is so potent and efficacious. Additionally, the music tends not to modulate too much, even favoring modal expression. Most of the pieces that I have to offer are my original pieces, though I do still enjoy singing some old favorites or personal renditions from my favorite recording artists in this genre (e.g. Deva Premal and Jai Uttal).

So, yes, I do have plenty of music to get this project started; enough to get us up and performing expediently. However, I do very much look forward to writing new music that reflects the musicians I am working with, allowing us to show off our talents, improvise, and bounce off one another in order to generate new heights. I want and intend for this to be an incredible journey. It is my volition to adapt into this as a way of life for the duration of the life I have left here in this place. I know my value, and although I often obfuscate my own beauty, I eagerly look forward to the places that we can attain with the right intention and a willingness to reach for excellence. This is “Music that Matters”, as I refer to it … there is nothing more important in our time here than to be highly creative, expressive, and generous to others in our offering. Let’s offer Music that Matters, and see how far we can take it!

Screen name:

cliffordjames

Member since:

Feb 14 2005

Active over 1 month ago

Level of commitment:

Very Committed

Years playing music:

45

Gigs played:

Over 100

Tend to practice:

More than 3 times per week

Available to gig:

6-7 nights a week

Most available:

Nights

Influences

The Beatles
Todd Rundgren
Steely Dan
JS Bach
Classic Rock
etc.

Instrument experience:

Rhythm Guitar:

Advanced

Lead Guitar:

Advanced

Acoustic Guitar:

Advanced

Background Singer:

Advanced

Bass Guitar:

Moderate

EQUIPMENT

Gibson Les Paul
Godin LGX
Godin Multiac Nylon-string
PRS Custom
Breedlove Phoenix (Hand-made) Steel-string
Mario Aracama 2022 Classical Guitar Nylon-string
Taylor 314CE Acoustic Steel-string
Ibanez Bass Guitar
Schecter fretless 5-string bass
Mesa Boogie Triaxis
Mesa Boogie Stereo Simul-Class 2:90 power amp
Mesa Boogie Dyna-watt 20/20 power amp
Mesa Boogie Cabs
Mesa Boogie M6 Carbine Bass Combo Amp
Fender Twin
Fender Super Reverb
Line 6 HX Stomp
Eventide H9 (x2)
RCF Evox 8 (x2)
Yamaha MS400 (x4)
QSC TouchMix 16 (digital mixer)
QSC TouchMix 8 (digital mixer)
APB Dynasonics ProRack House 1020 (Pro analog mixer)
Elite Core 16x4 50' PA snake
Many microphones, including Blue encore 300s and 200s
etc.