SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE:
This is musical mysticism that invites listeners to dance, clap, twirl, shout praise anything that involves a creative impulse. Call it trance. Call it spiritual. Call it otherworldly. The effect is the same: bringing listener and musician to a higher place than before.BIOHamsa Lila bridges continents, cultures, and genres
with their Live Hypnotic World Groove, blending an
eclectic variety of organic world instrumentation,
female and male lead vocals, ethnic percussion, and a
seriously groove-oriented rhythm section that moves
body and spirit, maintaining a tribal sound while never
missing a dance beat.Hitting ..2 on National and Canadian World Music
charts in 2004 with their debut studio album
Gathering One, this ensemble produces original
material that defies classification, yet touches upon
aspects of World Beat, Dub, Dance Club Electronica,
House, Funk, Jungle, Afro-Beat, Jazz, Reggae, and
Hip-Hop styles.The band plays a combination of rare traditional and
modern instruments like the camel-skinned sintir - a
type of Moroccan (Gnawa) bass guitar, a Berber goat
skinned lute called a guimbri, a talking drum from
Nigeria, kalimba (African thumb piano), drum kit with
dub snare, keyboard and sampler (loops and nature
sounds poignantly placed in the mix), an assortment of
flutes, melodica, jaw harps, and much more. The
vocalists create powerful harmonies, weave multiple
melodies, as each of the lead singers (one male,
two female) take turns leading songs. All of this
gets laid over some heavy duty rhythmic and funky grooves.Working up from a spiritual root, Hamsa Lila maintains
a deep intention and ceremony in their shows, which
typically include dance ritual, altar creation, and
lush cutting edge visuals, often transforming
performing venues into sacred temple spaces.With the tasteful use of electronic effects, and the
unique combination of sounds, textures and melodies,
the band at once sounds familiar but totally fresh,
ancient yet modern, mesmerizing yet actively engaging.
Singing in 10 or more different languages, including English
and Spanish, Hamsa Lila celebrates the cultures of the World,
while paying homage to the ancestors and indigenous Earth
tribes, with rich talent and unforgetable performances.HAMSA LILA is:
Nikila - lead vox, dance, percussion.
Deja - lead vox, percussion, dance.
Inkx - drum kit, sampler.
m.j.- lead vox, congas, kalimba, Yoruba talking drum, djembe, percussion.
Evan - flutes, kalimba, melodica, keyboard, percussion, vox.
Vir - sintir, bass, vox.Hamsa Lila has shared billing with Zap Mama, Femi Kuti,
Janes Addiction, Ozomatli, Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9),
String Cheese Incident (SCI), Michael Franti & Spearhead,
Blackalicious, and many others. The band has also been
the only live act at electronic events with known DJs such
as Garth, Karsh Kale, Cheb-i-Sabbah, Lorin (Bassnectar),
Adham Shaikh, Brother, and many more.
Members of Hamsa Lila have played with such notable
artists such as: Sting, Paul Simon, Tananas (Inkx); Ozomatli,
Michael Frant & Spearhead, Hassan Hakmoun, Delta Nove,
SCI, STS9 (m.j.); Steve Kimmock, Foxgluv, SCI, YOU,
Compost (Vir), and many others.
I created my own profile using nUCLEArcENTURy.COM and you should too!
