Temporal Taal Collective: Transcending Boundaries Through Sound and Dance
Driven by a passion for sonic exploration, the Temporal Taal Collective brings together global rhythms and contemporary grooves to create immersive, genre-defying music. This bold fusion stands at the heart of each performance, sparking curiosity and transcending cultural divides through the power of sound. Complementing these vibrant soundscapes is the elegant art of Kathak, weaving intricate footwork and fluid movement into the overall experience. The result is a captivating journey—one that honors tradition while embracing boundless innovation.
Commissioned by Anjan Shah, Nightfall Rhapsody—Rhapsody in राग जोग (Raag Jog) is a mesmerizing 22-minute work by Drew Zaremba, inspired by Gershwin and Rachmaninoff. Seamlessly blending Indian classical, Western classical, and jazz, it celebrates the power of diversity, improvisation, and cultural acceptance. Leading the Chicago Studio Orchestra, Zaremba conducts a premiere featuring Anjan on bansuri flute and tenor sax, Jonathan Epley on guitar, Nabin Shrestha on tabla, and Amy Shook on bass. Embrace the spellbinding interplay of Raag Jog with lush orchestral colors and soulful jazz harmonies—a breathtaking voyage that transcends boundaries and invites listeners to join a bold new musical adventure.
“Chasing Shadows” by Anoushka Shankar takes on new life in this arrangement by Vince Norman, blending the classical Indian call-and-response technique known as Shawal Jawal with the soulful stretch of a 12-bar minor blues. Guitarist Jonathan Epley and Kathak artist Sarah Morelli step to the fore, each bringing their own expressive flair—Epley’s improvisations ripple with blues inflection, while Morelli’s rhythmic footwork and gestures echo a centuries-old storytelling tradition. The result is a vibrant conversation of East and West, melody and movement, tracing a line of shadows that dance in unison across cultural borders. This meeting of genres, rhythms, and personalities celebrates the endless possibilities of musical fusion.
Echoes of Kirwani is an original composition by Anjan Shah that brings Hindustani raga into conversation with jazz, progressive rock, and contemporary improvisation. Rooted in Raag Kirwani, the piece reflects influences ranging from Coltrane and Miles Davis to Rush, King Crimson, and Liquid Tension Experiment, while allowing raga and tala to shape the music from within. Featuring Anjan on tenor saxophone, Jonathan Epley on guitar, Nabin Shrestha on tabla, Amy Shook on bass, and Todd Harrison on drums, the performance unfolds through shifting meters, lyrical themes, and dynamic rhythmic interplay. The accompanying AI-generated video extends the music’s atmosphere through evocative imagery—monumental observatory forms, carved stone textures, drifting incense smoke, monsoon skies, and deep indigo haze—creating a visual world that mirrors the piece’s meditative, cinematic, and exploratory spirit.
Experience a fresh take on Mychael Danna’s evocative Lullaby from Life of Pi—reimagined here in Tamil with the poetic beauty of Irayimman Thampi’s famous Malayalam lullaby, “Omanathinkal Kidavo.” Our arrangement gently weaves a light 7/4 bossa feel on guitar and bass to cradle Sarah’s entrancing vocals. The rhythmic lilt adds both motion and warmth, complementing the lullaby’s serene melody and lyrical depth. This fusion of languages and sounds pays tribute to the original’s tender spirit while offering a unique cross-cultural twist. We hope you’ll find comfort and calm in this soothing new interpretation.
Caravan, arranged by Amy Shook and Nabin Shrestha, reimagines the jazz standard through the rhythmic language of the Temporal Taal Collective. Built around a driving 15/16 framework divided into two interlocking halves, the arrangement shifts the familiar melody into a new landscape of tabla, drums, bass, guitar, and tenor saxophone. Featuring Anjan Shah on tenor saxophone, Jonathan Epley on guitar, Nabin Shrestha on tabla, Amy Shook on bass, and Todd Harrison on drums, the performance balances precision with improvisational freedom. The accompanying video moves away from literal performance imagery, instead drawing on sweeping landscapes, shifting light, abstract geometry, atmospheric textures, and subtle impressionistic references to Hindu spirituality. Together, the music and visuals transform something familiar into a restless, cinematic journey shaped by rhythm, motion, and cultural conversation.
Tides of Unsaid Things is an original composition by Anjan Shah built around restraint, reflection, and the emotional weight of what remains unspoken. Blending jazz harmony, modal writing, and Hindustani-inspired rhythmic movement, the piece unfolds as a patient conversation—lyrical, spacious, and deliberately unresolved. Featuring Anjan Shah on tenor saxophone, Jonathan Epley on guitar, Nabin Shrestha on tabla, Amy Shook on bass, and Todd Harrison on drums, the music favors subtle interaction over display. The accompanying AI-generated video extends that interior world through ancient river imagery, drifting mist, changing light, reflective water, and cinematic landscapes inspired by memory, loss, and passage. Together, the music and visuals create a space for contemplation rather than conclusion.