Photo by Jeremy Cowart
Today Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer and Zakir Hussain announced a new album with Rakesh Chaurasia titled While we talk, which will be released on May 12 via Thirty Tigers. To celebrate the announcement of the LP, which unites bluegrass, classical Indian and Western classical music, the musicians released the first single from the LP, “Owl’s Misfortune”, and shared a list of tour dates.
“When we perform on stage, in composition mode or creation mode, we are basically having a conversation,” renowned tabla player Zakir Hussain said of his bandmates in a press release. “That’s how music comes while we talk.”
The project showcases the group’s astounding collective and individual instrumental skills while also underscoring the wide range of influences at their disposal. Across 12 songs, the quartet navigates through complex Indian rhythms, upbeat funk, and a crop of bluegrass reverbs.
“Owl’s Misfortune” was written by Fleck and, according to the artist, it was written to echo the different worlds we come from: “I envisioned creating a world where classical language could coexist with the rhythmic ideas of Indian music, and since i wrote it, bluegrass lives there too. Parents of young children will recognize the top-secret title reference.”
Added Fleck: “What I think is nice about this foursome is that everyone has to stretch in the direction of other people. For me, a collaboration where no one changes is not a collaboration. It’s a mix. And there is nothing wrong with that. But I like a collaboration where I have to learn a lot of new things from other people. And in this case, I’m learning like crazy.”
Fleck, Meyer, Hussain and Chaurasia will kick off their US tour with a performance at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, Tenn. on April 19 before making stops in cities including Atlanta, Charleston, SC New York, Boston and more. The four esteemed musicians will conclude their tour with an appearance at the Waterville Opera House in Waterville, Maine on May 7. A tour will follow in November. Tickets are now on sale. Learn more and find tickets here.
Pre-order / pre-save While we talk here.
Listen to “Owl’s Misfortune” below.
While we talk tour dates
April 19 Nashville, TN Schermerhorn Symphony Center
April 20 Atlanta, GA Emory University
April 21 Germantown, TN Duncan-Williams PAC
April 22 Boone, NC Appalachian State University
April 23 North Bethesda, MD The Music Center at Strathmore
April 25 Charleston, SC Charleston Gaillard Center
April 27 Danville, KY Norton Center for the Arts
April 29 Cutler Bay, FL The Moss Center at South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center
April 30 Charlotte, NC Belk Theater at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
May 2 Munhall, PA Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall
May 3 Norfolk, VA Virginia Arts festival
May 4 New York, NY City Hall
May 5 Troy, NY Troy Saving Bank Music Hall
May 6 Boston, MA Celebrity Series of Boston at Berklee Performance Center
May 7 Waterville, Maine Waterville Opera
