Glen Velez – Rhythmcolor Exotica

Assyrian Rose continues the style he developed on his earlier CMP release Seven Heaven, with Layne Redmond helping out on various frame drums and Steve Gorn playing bansuri and South American flutes. They are joined by Jon Clark on French horn and Howard Levy on harmonica and piano, adding a greater melodic range to the music. Glen plays his usual variety of frame drums (from Spain and Morocco), Egyptian tambourine and various other percussion instruments. The result is a cross-cultural potpourri of earth-jazz stylings, with Glen's pulsating rhythms leading. The album ends with a solo on one of Glen's tambourines, revealing his mastery of this instrument that plays such a central role in Arabic music.

American percussionist, vocalist, composer and teacher, born 1949, specializing in frame drums from around the world. He has created his own musical style inspired by both Western percussion and frame drum performance styles from around the world. His concerts include an array of instruments such as the Egyptian riq (a small, intricately inlaid tambourine), the Irish bodhran (a large single-headed drum), and the North African tar (an instrument of desert nomads).

‘Lounge Psychédélique’ takes you on a journey into the world of Lounge, Exotica and Space Age Bachelor Pad Music, from its early days in the 1950s and 1960s to the current crop of artists championing the Lounge & Exotica sounds today. Compiled by Spencer Hickman & Mark McQuillan for Two-Piers.

‘Lounge Psychédélique’ takes you on a journey into the world of Lounge, Exotica and Space Age Bachelor Pad Music, from its early days in the 1950s and 1960s to the current crop of artists championing the Lounge & Exotica sounds today. Compiled by Spencer Hickman & Mark McQuillan for Two-Piers.

‘Lounge Psychédélique’ takes you on a journey into the world of Lounge, Exotica and Space Age Bachelor Pad Music, from its early days in the 1950s and 1960s to the current crop of artists championing the Lounge & Exotica sounds today. Compiled by Spencer Hickman & Mark McQuillan for Two-Piers.

For the kids (6+) & family play MaiTé, the girl and the bird, Bruno Vansina was inspired by the famous exotica of Martin Denny and Les Baxter. His compositions, rearranged by colleague Pierre Vervloesem, remained true to the originals, but have a very contemporary feel to them as well, and soon started to lead a life on their own. This resulted in a new band - the 7-piece Orchestra Exotica - that performs the playful and multicolored music of Denny and Baxter with a healthy dose of humor, cunning craft and an infectious drive.