March 24th 04, 09:09 PM
Press Release: Sympatiko/SYMPATIKO
Sympatiko
SYMPATIKO
(Full Circle Arts € www.sympatiko.net)
All-Acoustic
World-Folk Songs
of Spiritual Ecology
and Deep Grooves
Sympatiko
Oykalo Hamill (voice, percussion) and Joao Junqueira (guitar, voice)
are Sympatiko, an all-acoustic duo who - with guest musicians such as
those featured on the enclosed CD - have earned big buzz from their
performances at the Los Angeles based WorldFest 2002 and San Francisco
area World One festivals. The group has relocated from Southern
California to the Rocky Mountains (about a half hour drive from
Boulder, Colorado) in order to be more centrally located for touring
activities; they perform as a trio or six piece band.
Hamill draws his musical inspiration from his Native American heritage
as well as from North Indian classical music. After receiving his MFA
from CalArts, Hamill was asked to join the faculty and spent the next
four years teaching the classical music of North India. From
1998-2000, he shared stages with Robert Mirabal and Joanne Shenandoah
for SPIRIT: A Journey in Dance, Drums and Song, a touring theatrical
production and PBS-TV feature.
Recently, he was awarded a graduate fellowship by the University of
Colorado to pursue a PhD in Ethnomusicology. He balances his advanced
studies with recording and performing with Sympatiko.
Joao Junqueira was born and raised in Brazil, and his unique approach
to music comes from a lifetime spent mixing Jazz, World and Brazilian
roots influences into his own improvisations for voice, guitar and
percussion. He relocated to the United States to study music at Ohio
State, then relocated to Southern California to attend CalArts; he was
awarded a Jazz Guitar MFA from CalArts and has since worked
intensively as a performer, composer, arranger and lecturer of
Brazilian music.
³Sympatiko sets hearts on fire.² - Gregg McVicar, Host/Producer,
Earthsongs, syndicated radio
SYMPATIKO
Sympatiko: meaning "sympathetic" or "on the same wavelength," is a
fitting description for what Sympatiko have accomplished with their
self-titled debut CD - SYMPATIKO - which seamlessly crafts musical
elements from India, Brazil, and Native America into engaging songs of
deep groove with passionate lyrics of universal appeal.
The CD begins with ³Same Air,² a passionate plea for unity in the
face of widespread division and violence; its telling lyrics include
"One sun feeds everyone; all that we share. We breathe the same air."
Track 2 is an uplifting song of transcendence, longing, and surrender
entitled ³Colored Star,² which weaves a tapestry of Native American
and Indian vocal influences, world-percussion and elegant guitar.
Seasoned with tanpura and tabla, the instantly memorable third tune,
³Thunder¹s Whisper,² is about how the subtleties of life get lost in
the noise and chaos of our modern world. Other interesting selections
include track 5, ³Desvendando,² which highlights the Brazilian
heritage and instrumental fluency of guitarist Joao Junqueira, and
track 6, ³Mother Terra,² on which Oykalo Hamill gives voice to Native
American vocables (³words that spring spontaneously from the
soul,² or wordless chant).
Every song on this inspired debut is at once old and new, colorful and
captivating. Performing live as a trio or six piece band, Sympatiko
weaves a spell both uplifting and mesmerizing. They define what world
music in the 21st century is all about: a future less constrained by
geography and culture in a world that grows increasingly closer.
CD Instrumentation: voice; indigenous and ethnic drums including
tabla, dumbek, djembe and Native American ceremony styles; guitars;
acoustic and electric bass; violin; cello.
Robert Newman, Media Manager, MUSIK INTERNATIONAL
303-444-9575 € fax 303-444-9122 € www.musikinternational.com
Please send advance coverage/reviews to:
154 Betasso Road € Boulder € CO 80302 USA
Sympatiko
SYMPATIKO
(Full Circle Arts € www.sympatiko.net)
All-Acoustic
World-Folk Songs
of Spiritual Ecology
and Deep Grooves
Sympatiko
Oykalo Hamill (voice, percussion) and Joao Junqueira (guitar, voice)
are Sympatiko, an all-acoustic duo who - with guest musicians such as
those featured on the enclosed CD - have earned big buzz from their
performances at the Los Angeles based WorldFest 2002 and San Francisco
area World One festivals. The group has relocated from Southern
California to the Rocky Mountains (about a half hour drive from
Boulder, Colorado) in order to be more centrally located for touring
activities; they perform as a trio or six piece band.
Hamill draws his musical inspiration from his Native American heritage
as well as from North Indian classical music. After receiving his MFA
from CalArts, Hamill was asked to join the faculty and spent the next
four years teaching the classical music of North India. From
1998-2000, he shared stages with Robert Mirabal and Joanne Shenandoah
for SPIRIT: A Journey in Dance, Drums and Song, a touring theatrical
production and PBS-TV feature.
Recently, he was awarded a graduate fellowship by the University of
Colorado to pursue a PhD in Ethnomusicology. He balances his advanced
studies with recording and performing with Sympatiko.
Joao Junqueira was born and raised in Brazil, and his unique approach
to music comes from a lifetime spent mixing Jazz, World and Brazilian
roots influences into his own improvisations for voice, guitar and
percussion. He relocated to the United States to study music at Ohio
State, then relocated to Southern California to attend CalArts; he was
awarded a Jazz Guitar MFA from CalArts and has since worked
intensively as a performer, composer, arranger and lecturer of
Brazilian music.
³Sympatiko sets hearts on fire.² - Gregg McVicar, Host/Producer,
Earthsongs, syndicated radio
SYMPATIKO
Sympatiko: meaning "sympathetic" or "on the same wavelength," is a
fitting description for what Sympatiko have accomplished with their
self-titled debut CD - SYMPATIKO - which seamlessly crafts musical
elements from India, Brazil, and Native America into engaging songs of
deep groove with passionate lyrics of universal appeal.
The CD begins with ³Same Air,² a passionate plea for unity in the
face of widespread division and violence; its telling lyrics include
"One sun feeds everyone; all that we share. We breathe the same air."
Track 2 is an uplifting song of transcendence, longing, and surrender
entitled ³Colored Star,² which weaves a tapestry of Native American
and Indian vocal influences, world-percussion and elegant guitar.
Seasoned with tanpura and tabla, the instantly memorable third tune,
³Thunder¹s Whisper,² is about how the subtleties of life get lost in
the noise and chaos of our modern world. Other interesting selections
include track 5, ³Desvendando,² which highlights the Brazilian
heritage and instrumental fluency of guitarist Joao Junqueira, and
track 6, ³Mother Terra,² on which Oykalo Hamill gives voice to Native
American vocables (³words that spring spontaneously from the
soul,² or wordless chant).
Every song on this inspired debut is at once old and new, colorful and
captivating. Performing live as a trio or six piece band, Sympatiko
weaves a spell both uplifting and mesmerizing. They define what world
music in the 21st century is all about: a future less constrained by
geography and culture in a world that grows increasingly closer.
CD Instrumentation: voice; indigenous and ethnic drums including
tabla, dumbek, djembe and Native American ceremony styles; guitars;
acoustic and electric bass; violin; cello.
Robert Newman, Media Manager, MUSIK INTERNATIONAL
303-444-9575 € fax 303-444-9122 € www.musikinternational.com
Please send advance coverage/reviews to:
154 Betasso Road € Boulder € CO 80302 USA