Passport to Happyness

Welcome to “”Passport to Happyness”. Now the first question you might ask yourself: what is a “passport to happyness” (sounds like a nice thing to have) and how does one apply for one? And by the way, what’s with this “happiness with a “y”? Okay, everyone just relax , listen and use our imagination for a few minutes:

The short answer (Uli’s idea):
Happy being the singular is the gateway to the plural Happi. By exposing you to our album we sincerely hope to generate HappYness in the individual which will then create the pluralistic HappIness as more and more individuals are connected in this aural experience.
This passport shall serve as instrument of Peace. It may be freely distributed to anyone wanting to actively share HappYness in order to create HappIness everywhere. “Passport to Happyness” is really nothing else than our form of sharing the blissful state we attain while making music together.
•••
The other answer (Premik is behind this):
Most of us find ourselves in a world where a state of happiness is what we all want & need, but so often is only achieved for a few fleeting moments, then …. it’s gone again.
Now picture yourself in a parallel world where happiness is an ongoing experience with multiple dimensions and ever-new adventures on a daily basis. This is a world where creativity & joyful adventure become one’s daily activity, where sadness, rather than happiness becomes a fleeting experience, and most importantly: where the ever-new is not something to be sought out, but is simply, well,…..there, waiting to be experienced & enjoyed.
This is the world that we sought to create for you, the listener, with this largely improvisational musical offering.
When we met to record these tunes, we didn’t know what the outcome would be. Now, after listening back, we realize that either consciously or unconsciously, we created a little world that one can step into and enjoy the beauty of creative uncertainty for a while, a joyful & upbeat musical cartoon – no TV screen necessary. Here’s your passport, stamped with no expiration date…. Come in and enjoy.


A bit of background history (i.e. the “making of ”Passport to Happyness” 

Uli & I first began our improvisational adventures by meeting weekly at his apartment in Brooklyn sometime in 2006. There we would sip on his wonderful homemade espresso, sample some dark German bread & cheese purchased by his wonderful wife Galina earlier that morning, then at some point we would finally get around to sitting at our instruments and begin to throw around improvisational ideas, some of which would eventually turn into something resembling songs, and some of which would never be heard from again. Or, one or both of us would come with a concrete musical idea, or maybe even a completed song, ready to go! But even with these so-called ready-to play songs , there was always something that needed to be added: the spice of creative interplay, otherwise known as group improvisation (in this case, duo improv  . It was during those improvisations that something special was discovered…one could say an “inner connection”, something that can’t be easily put into words, “love at first note” perhaps? Whatever you want to call it, there was clearly a magic in the air as we went off on these creative musical tangents (or binges) which appeared to have no longer have any connection with the song from which they emerged, and that’s what made it so much fun! (there’s that word again: fun, happiness, fun = happiness… I believe we’re on to something here). Then came the weekly jam sessions at Café Vivaldi in Manhattan’s West Village (thanks to Ishrat the owner), by inviting different guest artists, we eventually formed a world fusion band known as Bangalore Breakdown (www.bangalorebreakdown.com) with a rotating cast of some of New York’s finest players. After Uli moved to Las Vegas to pursue an assistant musical director’s position with Cirque du Soleil, we only met whenever he returned to the New York area for a show or recording. During one of those meetings (we were probably making music at that moment), we looked at each other & said “let’s record a duo album!” Thus began this journey towards what you now hold in you hand. Again, enjoy, …….
 
1. Happiness I
“Child’s Play”, an earlier tune from Diary our Bangalore Breakdown debut CD, blossomed into Happiness. When kids play that is Happiness (at least the first two minutes and any clouds shall be magically swept away instantly)

2. Tango (Sibling Tango)
D minor (saddest of all keys) becomes D Major as symbol for both of my loved children and then fuse in a bridge in 7/8. If that doesn’t get your ankles swingin’ in Tango fashion, nothing will.

3. Lily (Have you seen but a bright Lily grow)
On a Sunday afternoon in 1542, Johnson, the composer came up with this great melody and Jonson, the lyricist, later added the amazing words of virginity lost. We leave the words aside and hope you enjoy this medieval tune, now a waltz.

4. Turkish
Written for a violinist and a musical it flowered into this. Pack a rug and some coffee or apple tea and let us take you on a magical carpet ride.

5. Tomar Adesh
Sri Chinmoy set his beautiful poem “Tomar Adesh”, about a spiritual seeker’s eternal cry to music. Journey with us as we meditatively reimagine his beautiful Bengali melody.

6. Soulful
Written for none other than the saxophonist Mr. Tubbs himself.
It’s good to have people around you who embody their dedications.

7. Interlude
What? You want what? More energy … no problem … it’s fun to say “go” and run down a hill as fast as you can without kissing the gravel.

8. Happyness
“Happyness” as opposed to “Happiness” ?? Here’s your answer: After recording 2 versions of the song “Happyness”, we needed to find unique names to each of them (take 1 & 2 just wouldn’t do!) Hence the “i” & “y” .…viola! Unique, ain’t it!



Thank Yous:

To Kari, for her creative photography, graphics & unending enthusiasm towards our creative pursuits and encouragement to never rest on the laurels of past achievements.

To Peter, our amazing recording engineer & Howie, our equally amazing mastering engineer…..2 magicians of the sonic kingdom 

To the Supreme Creator, who resides in the heart of every creative being who come into the world with the ability to offer something new.