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Nada Brahma Revisited
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Five-member Boise-based band Nada Brahma has an inspiring new
sound after gaining three new band mates and saying goodbye to a
few old ones. Original members Brad Nelson and Ben Pursley describe
their new sound as having a Latin-pop twist on the world beats
performed by Nada Brahma over the last three years.
They credit the bands fresh flavor mainly to the addition of new
lead vocalist and guitarist, John Stravers. Stravers, who performs
in several languages including Spanish, Portuguese and English,
said he’s heavily influenced by Latin music.
“My sound is more mystic, more of a stream-of-consciousness
delivery of lyrics,” Stravers said. “We also do chants and put them
to music. My focus is more spiritual than rock ‘n’ roll.”
Also adding to the band’s new sound are new members John Dave
(drums) and Sam Struthers (bass). All five are deeply involved in
their music and possess remarkable knowledge of their
instruments.
Nelson, who plays the East Indian sitar and the rare electric
ude (which is made by only one man in the world), began playing
guitar as a kid. The sitar is also a string instrument, only much
more complicated than the guitar.
“One person cannot master the sitar in their lifetime, one can
only scratch the surface,” Nelson said. “It takes many generations
of a family to master this instrument.”
Nelson, a Boise State Music Department graduate who began his
musical career playing with cover bands at the age of 18, was
beginning to pull away from the cover-scene in search of something
more musically and spiritually fulfilling when he met Pursley.
Pursley was studying percussion instruments from Africa and the
Middle East when the two met. Pursley and Nelson, both music
educators in their spare time, together learned to play a wide
array of instruments from around the world.
Pursley specializes in the North African darbuka, the North
African djembe and the hand-held Arabic dumbek. Pursley said he’s
learned from many African musicians who’ve come to the United
States in hopes of being able to make their living playing exotic
instruments that aren’t considered exotic in Africa and
therefore not in as much demand as they are throughout the rest of
the world.
The band mates attribute their knowledge of these instruments to
their extensive research, study, practice and travel – not a
very lucrative endeavor at first. But they all agree that money has
never been an issue with the band.
“Playing music has been a spiritual path for all of us,”
Stravers said. “The band allows us to make money and there is
always a way when you’re on the right path.”
“Although it’s very time-consuming to learn these instruments
and to create music with a band — it’s easy,” Nelson said. “It’s a
labor of love.”
Pursley said the band feels inspired by the world to play
music.
“This has been done throughout time and place…people
looking to other cultures, other people for music.”
Pursley said the concept behind the eclectic style of Nada
Brahma is to make music from all over the world digestible for all
audiences. One way of doing it is to give a crowd something they
can dance to.
“So, it’s a fairly pop-esque or modernized twist,” Pursley said.
“On the same note it appeals to diverse audiences because rhythm
comes from life patterns.”
“From rhythm flows melody, and then harmony happens.”
Drummer John, a self-described “Caribbean boy” originally from
Trinidad, agrees that cultures everywhere can relate to rhythm.
John said he was naturally drawn to rhythm while growing up in a
musical family.
“There were many instruments in the house … I chose the
trap set,” John said. “I drove everybody crazy in the house.”
“I got my first big gig when I was 11 years old and by the time
I was 14 I was playing with men old enough to be my grandfathers,”
John said.
So if you haven’t grooved to a rhythm on the dance floor lately,
refresh your soul with the new flavor of Nada Brahma at The Blues
Bouquet every Tuesday night. Also, the band plans to have a new
recording out by summer 2004. The music of Nada Brahma and many
more worldly bands is available at Ten Thousand Villages in Hyde
Park.
Jessica Adams
Managing Editor
The Arbiter
