Vancouver 2010 Olympic Livecity - Yaletown, Feb 24/2010
 |
|
|
|
| Electrifying Flamenco, Balkan and Sharqui Beats. Border Bashing Dance Show! |
Tambura Rasa is a buoyant cultural cross-pollination that fuses contemporary grooves and traditional rhythms into one energetic musical brand all their own! Packed with fiery Spanish guitar, fully orchestrated Baladi Gypsy string section, burning Afro-Latin percussion, this 5-piece act raises the roof and lights-up skies of any concert grounds they land on.They also blend their music with sensual Flamenco and Belly dancers,
The spirited dance melodies leap out at you as singer Ivan Tucakov unleashes lyrics in half a dozen languages. He’s assembled an ethnically and musically diverse signature group that has attracted a growing following, from those who like to dance to music lovers who like to take in the intricacies of the song compositions.
Tambura Rasa blends genres and cultures from every continent on three powerful albums starting with the release of “Sunrise on a New World” in 2004. In 2006, the band followed that CD up with ‘Viaje’ (Journey) and then with the latest project in 2008, ‘Kamanala’ (Sanskrit for Fire of Love). The famous lounge compilation ‘Café del Mar’ (vol XIII and XVI) released Electronic mixes of two of their songs (Cinnabar and Gypsy Love from the 2009 ‘Tambura Rasa Beats’ collection) and hit world music charts and air-waves all around the planet.
Global in its reach, Tambura Rasa has become BC’s favorite caravan of vivacious globalistas, filling everything from intimate soft-seat theatre shows, large dance filled festivals to hip urban clubs in attempt to bring dance, joy and vigor to the world around them.
"Tambura Rasa will tantalize your senses with its high energy, electrifying, relentless and passionate muscial brilliance"
- The Source Magazine
Tambura Rasa Discography:
|
|
|
|
Tambura Rasa Beats
2009 |
Kamanala
2008 |
Viaje
2006 |
Sunrise on a New World 2004 |
| |
|
|
'Tambura Rasa peppered our stages with a dynamic blend of world
fusion, continually adding hits of the exotic, mysterious, and
exciting - leaving audiences hungry for the next course! A true feast
for the senses. Through instrument, song and dance, they defined this
year's theme Global Fusion and were without question, a festival highlight!'
Lynn Feasey, Director
Folk On the Rocks Folk Festival, Yellowknife, NT
'What a class act! They were received exuberantly not only by our fans but also the community that hosted them. These incredibly
talented musicians were the hit of our festival. TR is world beat
unleashed and unlimited.'
Keith Alexander Artistic Director
Edge of the World Music Festival 2008, Queen Charlottes BC
'Tambura Rasa's CD is very good, but to really experience the band's energy you must see their live performance - they blew the audience
away. Ivan and the band threw absolutely everything they had into the
show and had everyone on their feet from beginning to end. My only
regret was that I hadn't booked them for more than one night.'
Clay Brander, Artistic Director
Sunshine Music Festival 2008, Powell River, BC
Tambura Rasa were one of the big surprises of the 2008 KMF.....their 'sound was big, luscious and melodic and they got the audience moving and grooving. Their ability to combine traditional flamenco style
guitar with contemporary dance beats in a simple and gettable way make them irresistible on the festival dance floor!'
Devaki Thomas Festival Director
Komasket Folk Fest 2008, Vernon BC
|
|
Tambura Rasa is:
Ivan Tucakov - Guitar, Vocals
Michael Fraser - Violin
Joseph ‘Pepe’ Danza -
Percussion, Flute
Trevor Grant - Drums
John Bews - Bass |
 |
Workshops:
Tambura Rasa offers workshops in Spanish/Flamenco guitar techniques with Ivan Tucakov,
African Drumming and Rhythm workshop with Pepe Danza, Gypsy Violin techniques with
Michael Fraser, Drum Kit technique workshop with Trevor Grant, Bass Guitar techniques
with John Bews and Flamenco and Belly Dance workshops.
|
 |
Ivan Tucakov (Nylon-String Guitar, Vocals),
Ivan of Serbo-Croation descent, was born in Belgrade, Serbia. He spent the first eight years of his childhood in the plains of central Turkey after which he moved back to Serbia, both the crossroads of Eastern and Western Cultures. Throughout the years, Ivan has travelled extensively in pursuit of artistic inspiration. Since moving to Vancouver, he formed Tambura Rasa with the aim of expanding the boundaries of world-fusion music.
Ivan’s artistic inclinations have taken him into various directions:
he has produced many electronic mixes some of which have regular rotation on radio charts around the World; he has organized many musical workshops one of which was the “Vancouver Jam Camp”; he has also written a book on social dynamics called “the Mindful Connection Method”.
Contributions to Tambura Rasa: Composing and Balkan-Flamenco inspired musical training |
 |
Joseph ‘Pepe’ Danza (Percussion)
Pepe is an electrifying percussionist and multi-instrumentalist. A native of Montevideo, Uruguay, he began classical guitar studies at the age of eight, and started his professional career at thirteen. He continued his studies in guitar as well as in piano, composition, music history and the physics of sound at the National Conservatory. All along he was naturally immersed in his native Candombe rhythms, the national groove of Uruguay and a fundamental element in the identity of all Uruguayans.
Contributions to Tambura Rasa: Afro-Latin, Turkish, Cuban
and Afro-Brazilian percussion, Indian and Japanese traditional styles on wind instruments |
 |
Michael Fraser (Violin)
Michael started playing the violin at age 4 and by age 9, he was already smitten with the old jazz standards, particularly with the raunchy fiddling of his idol, Stuff Smith. In 2001, Michael was the recipient of a British Columbia Entertainment Hall of Fame Foundation Scholarship in recognition of his “demonstrated talent, dedication and future potential in the field of music.”
Contributions to Tambura Rasa: Gypsy Jazz with Turkish violin influences
|
 |
Trevor Grant (Drums)
Trevor received his Bachelor of Music in classical percussion from Mount Allison Universtiy (New Brunswick) in
1992 and studied Jazz at St. Francis Xavier University (Nova
Scotia) in 1993. During this time he was selected to play in the
Band of the Ceremonial Guard in Ottawa in the Summer. Since
relocating to Vancouver in fall 1993, eh has explored many
musical styles from rock to jazz, funk, world and electronica and
has played, toured and recorded with many artists He teaches
drums regularly.
Contributions to Tambura Rasa: Jazz, Funk, World Rhythms and a dash of classical phrasing |
 |
John Bews (Bass)
John plays a variety of styles for several local acts. Playing both upright and electric bass has helped him get opportunities to work with projects like Radiogram (recording two albums and touring), Mary Ancheta (local shows and recording upcoming album), Sweatshop Union (recording for their third album), Transientworld (recording various tracks) and others, as well as some time playing with the Fraser Valley Symphony while he was studying classically with Ann Stafford.
Contributions to Tambura Rasa: joining rhythms and melodies
together into a soulful groove |
| Dancers: |
 |
Tambura Rasa also offers the option of having Flamenco and Belly dancers coreographed with their act.
This can range from single dancers up to full dance troupes.
|
|
|
|
