(The Mystery of) KEM

2018
Stéphane Galland
Outnote Records

In ancient Egypt, Kem refers to the color Black, like the black, fertile mud of the Nile, and uproots the often negative connotations associated with the colour. It is in that symbolic earth that “(the Mystery of) KEM” cultivates new rhythmical aspects whose schemes, “dances” and improvisations take roots in the Yin and Yang complementarity of even and uneven rhythmical pulses.

For this journey, Stephane Galland (Drums) is surrounded by daring and talented young musicians:Sylvain Debaisieux (sax), Bram De Looze (piano), Federico Stocchi (bass) and invites one of the most prominent Carnatic Flute player in the world from South India, Ravichandra Kulur (Ravi Shakar, Anoushka Shankar,…). The album also features Ibrahim Maalouf as a very special guest. Stephane Galland has recently been touring with Ibrahim Maalouf’s “Red & Black Light” project, and is also celebrating 25 years of concerts and more than 20 albums with the band Aka Moon.

With “(the Mystery of) KEM”, he visits the rhythmical roots where all the musical traditions that he has rubbed together and integrated into his own language converge and explores a specific space that allows the integration of all these concepts without a priori or stylistic limitation. Welcome to the black and mysterious earth of KEM.