Atonal Avant-Garde Music
1997-2007
Established by Tom Zunk in 1997 GHETTO RAGA started off as continuing the style of the then already non-existing THIRD EAR BAND: a monotonous archaic groove and pulsating rhythm like a magic carpet underlying free improvising chamber (and other) instruments.
This style was soon altered by employing ideas, theories, structures and instruments used in intelligent Rock orientated music and XX century composing.
Two line-ups carried these ideas until 1999.
Following a pause between 2000 and mid 2002 in which Tom was doing compositions using Cubase software for the project SYNTRON only...
GHETTO RAGA was re-established in 2002 and again underwent several line-up changes until only two musicians continued through the last two years.
It disbandoned in 2007. ALL recorded music is HERE in the flashplayers BELOW!
This music is 100% free improvised!
2005 GHETTO RAGA started a series of film music projects with new soundtracks for famous films called "UNHEIMLICHE BEGEGNUNG: Neue Musik und Großes Kino" that were performed in cinemas in Berlin.
Concept was to accompany films with atonal improvisations that you would not expect to be overworked - films that ALREADY have a great soundtrack and that are neither silent nor black and white but in Cinemascope!
My first choice was my alltime favourite film with an already fantastic original soundtrack composed by György Ligeti, Aram Katchaturian, Johann Strauss und Richard Strauß...
2001-A Space Odyssey
by Stanley Kubrick 1965-68 (staged at Berlin cinemas Eiszeit Kino, Kino Nickelodeon and KOSMOS Kino, spring and summer 2005)
flyer designed by Elke Postler
Below the complete live soundtrack recorded March 19 2005 at Kino Eiszeit, Berlin / 8 tracks / 136 minutes
Music from ODNA
by Sergeij Kusinzew. A Russian not-quite silent movie from 1931. The original soundtrack by Dimitri Shostakovitsch (!) is really a weird mix of classical and ethnic music and also includes noise of typewriters, public announcements and aircraft engines.
Here is the complete live soundtrack recorded at Kino Krokodil, Berlin November 18 2005 / 14 tracks / 79:09
Berlin.Die Sinfonie der Grossstadt
by Walther Ruttmann 1927 (at Kino Nickelodeon 2005 and at Avantgarde Festival Schiphorst 2006).
Below the complete live soundtrack quartet version staged at Kino Nickelodeon, Berlin June 22 2005 / 1 track / 50:28
Berlin.Sinfonie der Grossstadt live at Schiphorst 2006 - below
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TOM ZUNK -
Waterphone, Kendang Ketipung, percussion, keyboard, flute, devices
TOM ZUNK, ex- BANJAR GRUPPE BERLIN, ausgebildeter Gamelanmusiker und seit 30 Jahren mit improvisierter Musik auf der Bühne. Sein Waterphone und seine indonesische Handtrommel Kendang stehen seit 1997 für einem Musikalischen Expressionismus, der den Stil der englischen THIRD EAR BAND fortführt und um Gamelantechniken und bizarre Klänge zwischen Walgesang und Weltall erweitert.
TOM ZUNK, ex– BANJAR GRUPPE BERLIN, trained Gamelan musician and improviser since 30 years, developing further the style of British THIRD EAR BAND by use of Indonesian-type hand drumming and of a 1974 prototype Waterphone on which he creates bizarre sounds between whalesongs and outer space.
Die mikrotonale Welt des Waterphones wird kontrastiert von hypnotisch pulsierenden Handtrommeln, über deren radikal reduzierter Rhythmik atonale Melodiestrukturen, Geräuschereignisse und kollektive Improvisation eine spannend gestaltete Meta-Musik formen. Improvisierte Psychedelische Archaik mit ungeraden Taktarten, treibenden Echos und außerirdischen Klangfarben. Neue Kosmische Musik aus Berlin.
The microtonal world of the waterphone is contrasted by radically reduced rhythms of hypnotically pulsating hand drums which form the basis for atonal melodic layers, noise and collective improvisations creating some new metamusic free krautrock including that weird raga thing. All improvised new archaic urban space music featuring lots of odd metres, dramatic changes in velocity and dynamics, intensely whirling echos and bizarre sounds. New cosmic music from Berlin.
Das Waterphone ist eine Erfindung des amerikanischen Künstlers Richard Waters. Tom spielt seit 1987 einen 1974 von Waters gebauten Prototypen. Er ist der herausragende Virtuose auf diesem seltenen Instrument in Europa.
The Waterphone is an invention by american artist Richard Waters.
Since 1987 Tom plays a 1974 prototype model built by Waters and is one of the few vituosos on this rare instrument in Europe.
Tom studied Ethnomusicology at Berlin..s Free University and classical Javanese GAMELAN in Berlin..s BANJAR GRUPPE with Javanese composer/musician extraordinaire GUTAMA SOEGIJO from 1978 to 1993, with numerous concerts throughout Berlin (SFB, RIAS, Akademie der Künste, Festwochen etc.), in Germany (Bremen, München, PERKUSSIONALE), in Europe (DK, CH) and overseas highlighted by their appearance at the First International Gamelan Festival during the World exhibition EXPO..86 in Vancouver/CAN.
On stage with improvised music since 1976; solo Waterphone recitals since 1987; music for BUTOH dance theatre (TATOEBA - theatre danse grotesque: Yumiko Yoshioka, Minako Seki, Delta RA..i 1987-89; eX...it! festival Bröllin 2003); member of Brighton based drum..n..bass formation WYRDSPHERE 1994; formed MEN WORKING OVERHEAD with British saxophonist/flutist Geoff Leigh of Henry Cow -fame 2002-2004.
Together with performer/grotesque dancer Elke Postler he forms SYNTRON.
Tom Zunk is on myspace with various past* and present projects in 6 more profiles:
Tom Zunk
Syntron
Men Working Overhead *
Waterphone
U.F.O. Schiphorst *
Thereministry
Atmosphaeren
Thomas Zunk
NOTE that the profile in the last link contains my NEW material since 2008!