Mahaphon Clang
Lautstark!4 and Ramesh Shotham
Lautstark!4 and Ramesh Shotham - Mahaphon Clang
In March 2012, a band goes on tour to India. This band is called Mahaphon Clang and actually consists of two parts: Indian percussionist Ramesh Shotham and the German quartet Lautstark!4 (loud - stark - feer). They perform as Mahaphon Clang. Maha is Sanskrit, and means, great. Phon is the physical unit for the perceived level of loudness and clang is just clang.
The ensemble consists of Ramesh Shotham, percussion and voice; Jan F. Kurth, voice; Matthias Kurth, electric guitar; Lutz Streun, saxophone and clarinets; and Demian Kappenstein, drums. Together, they are Mahaphon Clang, which can be translated as “great sounding clang”.
The music is best described as multi-folkloral urban improvisational music. It is determined by constantly changing influences from outside, shifts with each concert, each spontaneous session and each inspiration or encounter.
Mahaphon Clang’s music is about the spontaneous emergence of forms, colours, layers and contexts. About communication in music. About the trust musicians establish between each other. About having the courage to enter a stage without knowing exactly, what is going to happen, and nevertheless or perhaps for exactly that reason being able to play music that electrifies and enthuses audiences - that is the strength of Mahaphon Clang.
