We traveled with our film and sound equipment to villages dotting the coast and the lush Sri Lankan forest regions just beyond, through Kalutara, Ambalangoda, Hikkaduwa, Dodanduwa, Unawatuna, Mirissa, Polhana, Galle and the surrounding areas, Matara and Dondara. The Sri Lankans were warm and always had a smile to share. The beautiful village of Polhena turned out to be a village of local musicians.

Musicians

Violin and Harmonium: B.B.R. Basil Perera
Flute and Tabla: L. P. Yubert
Percussion Dholky: D. F. Abey Wickrama
Buddhist Chanting: Pala Peekwalla Pantarama Purawa Virja
Male Vocal Solo: Jayasundara Thilakawardena
Keyboard and Programming: Patrick Sebag

Recorded on location by Yotam Agam and Patrick Sebag. Mixing and Mastering at Clementine Studios India by Yotam Agam.

Patong Beach in the island of Phuket is bustling with life again. We traveled through Promthep Cape, Nai Harn, Phi Phi Island, Maiphai Island, Railey Beach (Phranang Cave), and Panyee Island, recording Thailand’s unique music, and filming breathtaking seascapes. Threatened by the tropical rains, we raced racing against the weather to create Waterside Tales.

Musicians

Female Vocal and Soruh: Wanna Jarasmathusorn
Kong Wong and Ranard: Boonchai Jarasmathusorn
Buddhist Chanting: Anuparbkisadaram Temple
Pin Guitar, Cluican: Sin Tao
Ungklung: Samruay Premjai, Panpiya Pongnares, Supawadee Premjai, Dusita Limangul, Siramit Sirisauat, Niramet Sirisauat, Tanapon Jaruponosunjorn, Sek Panglad
Bass Electric: Paul Jacob
Keyboard and Programming: Patrick Sebag

Recorded on location and in Grammy Studios Bangkok by Yotam Agam and Patrick Sebag. Mixing and Mastering at Clementine Studios India by Yotam Agam.

Many of the coastal communities in Banda Aceh have moved away from their ancestral locations after the tsunami to make their homes on the dense tropical hills.
We traveled through Takengon, Toweren Village and Danau Laut Tawar with cameras and microphones. At the Gayo village of Takengon, the villagers performed the Didong, which is a popular Gayo performance of vocals and body percussion.

Musicians

Didong performed by: Kebayakan’s Bayaku
Words by: Mustafa AK
C’eh Didong / Vocals: Ismail AK
Didong Performers and Chorus: Jul Arsi Jalil, Oca Lot, Indra Kala, Fri Jalil, Hasrizal, Suandi, Winara, Supardi, Azwar, Kasmira Fatra, Ikbal Hakim, Ilham Cik, Yudi Lot
Vocal: Fajar Siddiq
Voice/Narration: Mohammad Yusuf Bombang
Vocals and Body Percussion: Teuku Admiral
Flute / Suling: Tengku Ama Nifara
Percussion / Geundrang: Teuku Admidral
Percussion / Rapa’I: Nasruddin
Percussion / Rapa’i Pase: Mohammad Yusuf Bombang
Bass Electric: Paul Jacob
Keyboard and Programming: Patrick Sebag

Recorded on location by Yotam Agam and Patrick Sebag. Mixing and Mastering at Clementine Studios India by Yotam Agam.

We traveled through the post-card islands of North Male Atoll, Baa Atoll, Maloosh Island, Kamadhoo Island, and Dhonfanu Island. The days were sunny and stretched long in the heat and blinding white pristine beaches.

Traditional Maldivian music is an unique mixture of influences from East Africa, South India, and the Middle East. The Maldivian Boduberu has its roots in East Africa. The lyrics have no meaning.

Musicians

Female Vocal: Shaheema
Male Vocal: Yoosuf Adbul Qadir
Boduberu Group Vocal and Percussion: Abdul Azeef Yoosuf, Yoosuf Al Rahman, Abdul Nasir, Abdullah Rasheed, Ahmed Sobah, Ahmed Hussein, Hassan Amir, Mohamed Ibrahim, Naushaad Abdullah, Zakariya Hameed, Mohamed Rasheed
Bandiyaa Group: Zuhudha Abdull Kareem, Fathumath Surayya, Madheeha Adam, Zulayha Hassan, Shaheema Mohamed, Aishath Sathuna

Recorded on location by Yotam Agam and Patrick Sebag; Mixing and Mastering by Yotam Agam, Clementine Studios, India.

Our Myanmar journey took us through from Yangon to Kyauktan, Pathein, Ngabutaw, Chaungtha, Ngapali and Lontha.

Tucked away in Yangon, Myanmar, we came across two vocalists with beautiful voices, who sing traditional Myanmar songs that are a mixture of Myanmar classical music and folk. Some of Myanmar’s traditional music is played on a beautiful ornate harp.

Musicians

Budhist Monk Chanting: U Zatile, U Witharada, U Dhamasakka
Vocal and Cymbals: Lwin Ko Oo
Vocal and Clapper: Aung Ko Threat
Oboe: Myo Min Than
Oohzi Drum: Kyan Kyan Htun
Saung Hauk (Harp): U Aung Khine
Harp: Tomer Bahar
Female Vocal: Khine Zin Shwe, Shwe Shwe Khine
Flute: U Thar Nyunt
Oohzi Percussions: U Khin Mavng Naing, U Kyaw Zin Win, U Tun Lin, U Ye Chan, U Myo Min Oo, U Tin Sein, U Darle, U Thaung Aye, U Hla Oo
Bass: Paul Jacob
Keyboard and Programming: Patrick Sebag

Recorded on location by Patrick Sebag; Mixing and Mastering by Yotam Agam, Clementine Studios, India.

We traveled along the coastal areas of Nagore, Naggapattinam, Traquelabar, Vandavasi, Kanyakumari, Manuppadu, Kovalam, Adhimalathura and Paniyur Beach. A little distance away from the coast, tucked away beside the bigger village of Vandavasi, a new festival was recently born.

A three-night folk festival of drums, singing and dancing takes place in the month of October by folk musicians who come from different villages around the area. Our car with the seats pulled out became a mobile studio, with the recording units powered by spare car batteries.

Musicians

Male Vocal: Dr. K.A. Gunasekharan
Tabla/Percussion: K.V. Balakrishnan
Mohrsung/Percussion: G. Parthasarathy
Female Vocal: Chinmayi Sripada
Veena: A. K. Devi
Violin: B. V. Ragavendra Rao
Tavil/Percussion: A. Saravanan
Nadeshwaram: B. Hemanathan
Nadeshwaram: G. Ravi Chandran
Tapatham Group, Thanjavur: R, Rangarajan, R. Rajkumar, P. Rangaraj, R. Ramiyan, M. Madhizhagan, K. Nagaraj, S. Marimuthu
Tudumbattam Group, Mettupalayam: K. Shanmugam, K. Chinnanandan, K. Rajan, M. Raghu
Vocal and Rabahna: Abdul Ghani, Ajah Maideen, Sabumudeen Babha Sabeer
Vocal and Guitar: Edwin (Andaman & Nicobar Islands)
Bass: Paul Jacob
Keyboard and Programming: Patrick Sebag

Recorded on location and in Clementine Studios by Yotam Agam and Patrick Sebag. Mixing and Mastering at Clementine Studios India by Yotam Agam.