Akshara is a New York City-based ensemble building new forms from the foundations of Indian classical music.
Led by mridangist-composer Bala Skandan, Akshara features Arun Ramamurthy and Trina Basu on violins, Jay Gandhi on Bansuri, Nitin Mitta on tabla, Amali Premawardhana and Dave Eggar on cellos, and guest Sriram Ramesh on morsing and konakkol.

Richard Horowitz is known for creating a unique sonic language by fusing together his roots in classical, jazz and electronic music with the intensity of the trance music he first experienced in Morocco at the age of nineteen. 
He plays keyboards, percussion and various woodwinds, including the ney, an obliquely blown reed flute. 
It is one of the oldest human wind instruments. 
He combines a trance inducing circular breathing technique he learned from snake charmers with classical and folk modes known as maquam. 
Since the late sixties Horowitz’s compositions have been inspired by the ritual drama of ancient music. 
He is interested in the microtonal motifs and subtle shadings produced by the overtones of instruments and voices from the worlds oldest cultures. 
His compositions are translations that morph ancient sources into the full spectrum resonance of the surround sound present. Listen to Majoun his collaboration with Sussan Deyhim released by Sony Classical. 

RH credits include: Golden Globe and Los Angeles Film Critics awards for The Sheltering Sky, directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, based on the novel by Paul Bowles. 
He performed the film music live on François Mitterrand’s television special Etoile Palace in Paris. 
Oliver Stone’s Any Given Sunday (BMI Award), Three Seasons directed by Tony Bui, produced by Jason Kliot, Joanna Vincente and Harvey Keitel (Sundance Jury and Audience awards), Tobruk (Czech Lion Music Award) ,Lakota Woman directed by Frank Pierson produced by Jane Fonda and Intersections directed by David Marconi produced by Luc Besson.


Africa Seven is a record label based in Paris and London.  Our mission is to re-release hard-to-find records with strong connections to the African Continent.  Full album re-issues and themed compilations are on the menu.

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