B Fleck, tabla player Zakir Hussain and bassist Edgar Meyer will release the collaborative album The Melody of Rhythm on August 25. The disc has been described as a new sound steeped in Indian tradition, chamber music and American roots music and will be followed by a 19-city tour of North American concert halls in September and October.
When I play with Zakir, Im not an Indian musician but I can learn enough to be respectful in my ignorance. We can find a place to meet Fleck said in a statement.. Along with carrying the top level of Indian classical music in his veins, Zakir is incredible at understanding music from all over the world and collaborates effectively with an amazingly diverse number of musicians. In 2009, Hussain earned a Grammy in the Best Contemporary World category for his Global Drum Project collaboration with Mickey Hart.
The music featured on The Melody of Rhythm began as a work commissioned by the Nashville Symphony in 2004. Fleck and Meyer agreed their dream collaborator would be Zakir Hussain. There was a lot Edgar and I wanted to learn from him mathematics and harmonic musical concepts – and now we had something to offer him in return, said Fleck, who developed a fascination with the tabla during a tour of India in the 80s. This project feels like getting together with some brothers we hadnt seen in some time.
The three musicians will kick off their fall tour at Austin, TXs Bass Hall on September 13. The tour will make stops at markets throughout the country, before coming to a close on October 28 as part of San Franciscos Jazz Festival.