ASIABEAT REPACKED
The new Asiabeat Urban Beyond album comes out again in a different, more spiced up packaging to reach out to its loyal listeners as well as enticing new ones. It still brings out the familiar cross cultural fusion as was experienced but this time around with an added zest in the remixes of two of its songs : Beat Club and Urban Swami by well known Indonesian DJ Andezzz.
THE ASIABEAT STORY
In 1979 Malaysian drummer/percussionist Lewis Pragasam started the Asiabeat Project. It initially started-off as a percussion group.. experimenting with various combinations of ethnic Asian instruments and rhythms.
In 1980 Lewis organised a concert to officially launch the Asiabeat Project, which comprised an ensemble of over 60 musicians. This was an historical event for Malaysian music as it was the first time the different cultures were brought together under one roof to perform ‘live’.
The concert was a huge success and billed as ‘Concert of the Year’ by all the media.
In 1982, the Asiabeat debut recording was released featuring an all Malaysian ensemble with special guests American/japanese ‘Shakuhachi’ exponent John ‘Kaizan’ Nep-tune and South Indian percussionist Tirupat Raja.
In 1984, "DARE to DREAM" was released, featuring pretty much the same core line-up as the debut, with some additional guest musicians. Neptune played a pivotal role in the music and production of this recording.
Since then the project has released three other recording projects, namely SPIRIT of the PEOPLE, DRUMUSIQUE and MONSOON. All these recordings were released internationally to critical acclaim.
People behind Asia Beat album |
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Drums, Fullbright Scholar, Educator
Lewis Pragasam
is one of the most accomplished and sought-after
drummers in
Asia and has become an icon and is hailed as
a music legend. Lewis has garnered international
and critical acclaim as one of Asia’s leading
drum/percussion exponents and an innovator of
new trends in World Music. Lewis the founder
and moving
spirit of the pioneering ASIABEAT project, started
in 1979, whose recordings and performances are
now legendary in the merging of Asian and Contemporary
music styles.
Aside from his ASIABEAT project, he has toured/recorded
with major internationally renowned artistes – John ‘Kaizan’ Neptune,
Jeff Berlin, Paul Jackson, Randy Bernsen, Ernie
Watts, Bob James, Nathan East, Tony Levin, Ottmar
Liebert, Torninho Horta , amongst others. He
was invited for a Royal Command Performance for
HRH
PRINCE CHARLES (Prince Trust Concert) in Edinburgh.
Pragasam received the prestigious ‘Fulbright
Scholarship’ from the US government in
1990. He served as ‘Artiste in Residence’ for
two years at East Carolina University as well
as lecturing at various academic institutions
all
over the USA.
Lewis travels extensively presenting lecture/workshops
at music institutions around the world. Major
US music publisher MEL BAY will publish and distribute
his first set of educational products – a
testament to his outstanding caliber as an internationally
recognized music educator. |
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Track Listing
Chapter One
01. Beat Club
02. Peacock
03. Sailing with you
04. Guruji
05. Mi Corazon
06. Sand dunes
07. Soft Melody
08. Close
09. Urban Swami
10. One day i'll fly away
11. Derata
Chapter Two
01. Beat Club remix by DJ Andezzz absolut mix
02. Urban Swami remix by DJ Andezzz
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HOT NEWS
OPP Records Proudly Presents
Lewis Pragasam ASIA BEAT Project
"URBAN BEYOND" Press Conference
April 5, 2005 - 15.00 pm
Fashion BAR - EX Plaza Indonesia
Live Performances Highlight
Java Jazz Festival 2005 - Assembly 1 |
