WHERE THE SOUL NEVER DIES

Sandeep Das + MIKE BLOCK

Release Date: June 11, 2021

A message from Sandeep & Mike:
“Where the Soul Never Dies” is our duo's debut album, exploring the uncharted musical space of tabla and cello. The music comes from the joy that we experience from respecting and surrendering to each other’s musical heritages. The result crosses genres with a dialogue that’s raw, organic, eclectic, and soulful.

The title track is a combination of two spiritual songs: Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram (India) and Where the Soul Never Dies (America) symbolizing love and infinite divinity within us.

Contrasting it are experimental interludes based on Indian rhythmic compositions in traditional cycles such as Teentaal, Rupak, and Ektaal. Adaptations of folk music like Glory in the Meeting House (America) and Resham Firiri (Nepal) charm with their earthiness, while original compositions like Fight or Flight and arrangements of contemporary tunes like The Fønix (Norway) and Maspiel (America) investigate new textures and flavors.

We did not have an existing musical prescription to follow with our music, and that allowed us to follow our hearts and minds as we brought our two instruments together as conversing soloists. The experience has taught us a lot about each other's cultures and personalities, while at the same time uncovering something new within ourselves. We hope you also feel something new and unexpected when you listen.”

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WHERE THE SOUL NEVER DIES

The full album will be delivered electronically via email on the date of its release, June 11, 2021

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TRACK LIST

Fønix
Annbjørg Lien and Bjørn Ole Rasch
Resham Firiri
Traditional Nepalese
Dance from the Black Sea
Traditional Arabic
Teental Trilogy
Sandeep Das + Mike Block
Maspiel
John Zorn
Glory in the Meeting House
Traditional American
Ektaal Trilogy
Sandeep Das + Mike Block
Where the Soul Never Dies / Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram
Traditional Indian / William Matthew Golden
Brandenburg Meets Taj
Traditional Indian / J.S. Bach
Rupak Trilogy
Sandeep Das + Mike Block
Fight or Flight
Sandeep Das + Mike Block
Vaishnava Jana To
Traditional Indian

ABOUT SANDEEP DAS

A 2019-2020 Guggenheim Foundation Fellow, Sandeep Das is one of the leading Tabla players in the world today with a prolific international reputation that spans over three decades. Since his debut concert at the age of 17 with legendary Sitarist Pt. Ravi Shankar, Das has performed at major Indian music festivals with renowned musicians such as Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, and Ust. Amjad Ali Khan, among others, and he is one of the unique Indian Classical musicians to expand beyond his traditional roots and collaborate with musicians from across the globe.

Das has performed at major events such as the 150th annual celebration of the United Nations at the General Assembly Hall in NYC, opening ceremony of the Special Olympics in Shanghai, opening ceremony of the 1st Asia Expo in Kunming, China, World Economic Forum, the BBC Proms, and for visiting dignitaries like the Queen of England, Queen of Thailand, the Pope and various other visiting country heads.  His collaboration with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (SRE) for “Sing Me Home” won the 2017 Grammy Award for the Best World Music album. He has had two previous Grammy nominations in 2005 and 2009. In 2017 he received the prestigious Brother Thomas Fellowship and New England Choice Artist of the Year award, and in 2018, he received a Live Arts Boston grant from the Boston Foundation. 

ABOUT MIKE BLOCK

Mike Block is a pioneering cello player, singer, composer, and educator, hailed by Yo- Yo Ma as the "ideal musician of the 21st-Century". Passionate about cross-cultural collaboration through music, Mike is committed to inspiring individuals and connecting communities. At home in a wide range of musical styles, through a multi-genre approach to composition, performance and education, he seeks to inspire audiences and empower musicians to find joy in the full world of music. Acclaimed by the NY Times for his "vital rich-hued solo playing", Block's solo performances offer a rich mixture of core classical repertoire with original compositions. 

Mike is member of Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble (SRE), having joined in 2005 while a student at The Juilliard School. Touring extensively throughout the world with SRE, he has been featured as cello and vocal soloist, contributed arrangements and compositions, and earned a Grammy Award in 2017 for their album, Sing Me Home. 

As an innovator, Mike is among the first wave of cellists to adopt a strap in order to stand and move while playing. With The Block Strap, Mike was the first standing cellist to perform at Carnegie Hall. The NY Times characterized the performance as, "Breathless ... Half dance, half dare." As an educator, Mike is passionate about creativity and collaboration, and is the founding director of Silkroad’s Global Musician Workshop, and the Mike Block String Camp.

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