Art Base

Indian duo BrahmaKhyapa, an outstanding couple of traditional musicians, perpetuates Baul music tradition. Malabika (vocals) and Sanjoy (dabki, dotara) were born in Kolkata (Bengal). Their love for music brought them together fifteen years ago, and since then they have been wandering all over the world with their instruments. Baul culture is rooted in Bengal (East India), where musicians travel from a place to another and play a sacred repertoire encompassing Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Yoga and Tantra. Nonconformist, this people deliberately ignores the Indian casts system and was therefore stigmatised for long. Malabika sings with her warm and subtle voice centenary poems, supported by Sanjoy who plays  dabki (percussion) and dotara (lute). The obvious complicity of the duo, couple in music and in life, is naturally reflected on stage. Recently, they worked with Belgian duo Auster Loo (Lydie Thonnard, Simon Leleux).
One year ago, after a concert in Art Base, they met Anatolian saz player Emre Gültekin. Born in Belgium, Emre learnt music from his father, Lutfu Gultekin. Emre's technique, finesse play and deep voice were recorded in many projects, among which Gültekinler, Talipler, Blindnote or, recently, Vardan Hovanissian & Emre Gültekin.
The connections between BrahmaKhyapa and Emre Gültekin are musical and spiritual:  their repertoires, the similarities between the communities they belong to, and the echoes they found in each other's poetry stroke them.
During a travel to Bengal, they recorded a few songs and decided to develop a deeper collaboration, They present it to you in this new show that makes you think of the meaning of borders, travel, wealth, wisdom and love.

Samples and videos