Simon Thacker's Svara-kanti at Glad Cafe

One of Scotland’s most distinctive musical voices, guitarist/composer Simon Thacker, and four extraordinary performers tap into the Indian subcontinent’s folk, classical and spiritual traditions to create a gloriously unpredictable, rhythmically thrilling programme of original compositions and radical reimaginings, simultaneously contemporary and ancient.

Showcasing the very latest developments in a journey that has seen Simon tour and premiere new work at major festivals in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, most recently for 60 000 people in Dhaka, and feature at Made in Scotland for three consecutive years, they will be premiering material from their forthcoming Trikala album. Trikala is the follow up to their 2013 debut Rakshasa, which was highly praised in over fifty reviews around the world, played on over 200 radio stations in the USA alone and featured in several "best of the year" critics' lists....

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One of Scotland’s most distinctive musical voices, guitarist/composer Simon Thacker, and four extraordinary performers tap into the Indian subcontinent’s folk, classical and spiritual traditions to create a gloriously unpredictable, rhythmically thrilling programme of original compositions and radical reimaginings, simultaneously contemporary and ancient.

Showcasing the very latest developments in a journey that has seen Simon tour and premiere new work at major festivals in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, most recently for 60 000 people in Dhaka, and feature at Made in Scotland for three consecutive years, they will be premiering material from their forthcoming Trikala album. Trikala is the follow up to their 2013 debut Rakshasa, which was highly praised in over fifty reviews around the world, played on over 200 radio stations in the USA alone and featured in several "best of the year" critics' lists.

An astonishingly powerful acoustic lineup of musicians who passionately embrace intercultural collaboration, innovation and the joy of creating, Svara-Kanti also features the beautiful voice of singer Japjit Kaur (known to Scottish audiences through her performance in the title role of the Amnesty International Award winning play Nirbhaya), Britten Sinfonia leader Jackie Shave on violin, acclaimed Polish cellist Justyna Jablonska and tabla master Sukhvinder Singh “Pinky”, whose many notable achievements including performing on the Grammy Award winning Ry Cooder album “A Meeting By The River”.

"One of the most important musicians of his generation." ThreeWeeks *****

"Simon Thacker’s musical experiments are joyously unconventional....Unlike fusing several genres, what Thacker and his team have done is create their own musical tradition." The Hindu, India

"a formidable exploration of Asian and Western sounds that bends the traditions as much as it does one's preconceptions" All About Jazz (USA)

"It is expansive, inclusive and thrillingly inventive, often unpredictable music which is grounded in many traditions" Elsewhere (New Zealand)

"Strikes an exquisite balance between traditional Indian music and modern composition while exploring the former's relationship with other genres." The Australian

"The Scottish classical guitarist was a refreshing element...There was no attempt at 'fusion' -- something that urbanite and westerners often try with our folk music -- but just a seamless amalgamation." The Dhaka Daily Star (Bangladesh)

“Thacker has more than shown us exactly how good an intercultural collaboration can be.” TV Bomb

“Not only is Mr. Thacker a sublime technician but his artistry seems to soar above that of most mere mortals. His ability to extract such meaning and expression from merely six nylon strings speaks of true genius." The World Music Report (Canada)

“Simon forges and explores new genres by combining his knowledge and love of music from every corner of the globe.” Dawn (Pakistan)

“Thacker’s own compositions here reflect his own far-ranging musical journey: witness the echoes of flamenco” The Scotsman

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