P'TAAH

Atlanta-based Chris Brann is a respected name with his house-music moniker Wamdue Project. His UK #1 hit "King of My Castle," went platinum in territories all over Europe. But Brann's heart lies elsewhere. "House music has never been my main interest, it's more like a bi-product, it's so easily created," says Brann. "I'd rather push the boundaries," he adds. So what makes Brann click? Try his alter egos like P'taah and the Ananda Project.

P'taah is Brann's opportunity to move out of the house-music spectrum and experiment with alternative approaches to making club and electronic music. Compressed Light was the debut album from P'taah -moving effortlessly between soundtrack-like downtempo jazz cuts to energetic fusions of percussion and club beats. Following "Compressed Light" was "Decompressed", an album of remixes including the huge broken beat anthem "The Crossing" remix by Opaque (aka Seiji). A third album of P'taah material is in the works. Tentatively titled "Staring At The Sun" it's set for release in Spring 2003, with a single featuring Atjazz remixes out in November 2002. The beauty of P'taah is in Brann's ability to combine organic instruments with cutting edge studio trickery. Percussion and future jazz beats collide to provide the back bone of deceptively minimal tracks. The sound of P'taah is unique but carries a hint of early 70s Herbie Hancock, Sun Ra's spacey soul, blaxploitation soundtracks, ECM Jazz, and new school acts like the Cinematic Orchestra and Jazzanova.

Compressed Light balances a fierce jazz, sound - powered by multiple layers of percussion and a cinematic whirl of strings, fx, and soloing - and subtle ambient soundscaping. "I've been listening to a lot of ECM recordings recently, artists like Keith Jarret, Jack DeJohnette, and Jan Garberack," says Brann. "I love the diverse uses of space and time. Their music is intense, pure, avant, and respectful all in one." he adds.

P'taah was an integral part of the acclaimed Ubiquity New Latinaires series, and Brann's first 12"-only releases for Ubiquity were well received by DJs and music fans with an ear for something new:

"Seductive sounds to get lost in . . . an instant classic!"
-URB

"5 out of 5, innovative Ubiquity scores another stunning release"
-Alternative Press

"Eagerly anticipated . . . a new spin on drum and bass, downtempo and funk"
-Vice

"Deep-dish jazz funk, Chris Brann may have found his calling with this project"
-XLR8R

Incorporating live musicians and exploring the space between drum and bass, house, and free jazz probably won't thrust P'taah onto the pop charts like the Wamdue Project, but the "Flying High" and "First EP" singles succeeded in pricking up a discerning ear or two. Ashley Beedle (Black Science Orchestra/Afro-Art Records), Nubian Mindz (Archive Records), and Chateau Flight (DJ Gilb-r and I:Cube/Versatile Records) have all agreed to swap remixes with P'taah.

Collaborators on the P'taah "Compressed Light" album include vocalists Heather Johnson and Terence Downs, percussionists Genoa Mungin and Sakima, and David Hughes who applies his studies of Indian ragas to the saxophone.