Ancient Agents

With musical influences from Africa, India and Scandinavia, the quartet combines traditional rhythms and contemporary harmonies to produce a richly textured acoustic world beat. Their debut album is recorded and will be released during fall 2017. This international collaboration brings together four multi-instrumentalists – an innovative lead guitarist, a melody-driven bassist and two intuitive, dexterous percussionists whose instruments range from Arabic to Indian, Latin American and North African. Each band member brings with him a distinct sound, an impressive performance history and international experience. The quartet comprises: Reza Khota (South Africa) guitar: An admirer of John McLaughlin and John Schofield, Reza’s strings produce a crossover between east and west, with influences of jazz and classical. He’s worked with South Africas finest musicians, among them Kesivan Naidoo, Shane Cooper and Buddy Wells, and recently taught masterclasses at the University of Toronto. Schalk Joubert (South Africa) bass: One of South Africas busiest session musicians, Schalk is a product of his cultural heritage. He’s able to articulate South African melodies, West African grooves and harmony in the European tradition to produce a cohesive, melodic sound. He’s performed, produced and recorded with the likes of David Kramer, Nico Carstens and Michelle Shocked. Fredrik Gille (Sweden) cajon, frame drums, percussion: Fredrik has collected and mastered a variety of percussion instruments from all over the world, with Middle Eastern drumming being his expertise. His sound is influenced by everything from Arabic rhythms to Latin music. He’s worked with many international bands, among them Swiss composer Andreas Vollenweider, Algerian vocalist Karima Nayt, Swedish trio Bazar Blå, Tunisian virtuosos Amine & Hamza as well as Swiss-based dance- company Flamencos en Route. Ronan Skillen (Ireland) tabla, hybrid percussion kit, didgeridoo: Ronan is inspired by the aesthetic of record label ECM, and music from Mali to Memphis and Mumbai. His flair for improvisation began with the didgeridoo, and his later schooling in Indian classical music and wide palette of textural percussive sounds combine to create a rich soundscape. He’s toured with Rodriguez and Johnny Clegg, and performed with Manu Dibango among others. Ancient Agents invite you on a musical journey that bridges cultures, combining grooves from north India to Latin America with Afro beats and polyrhythms – ancient sounds telling a modern tale. Source: http://www.ancientagents.com/

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