Profile
of the founder of EFS
Mr. Ricardo 'Rik' Hambra
- Singer, Percussionist, Composer, Producer, Teacher -
see Resume
Q: Ok Rik, please tell us something about your current activities...
Yes, I'm currently working in Buenos Aires, Argentina with different projects, like 'PERCUTI', Ethnic Fusion percussion and voices, along with my friends Andres Albarenga, Gabriel Mattera, Sebas Ricciardi, and guest musicians.
http://www.myspace.com/percuti
Also with 'MASi' Ethnic Fusion BossaSouLatinOriental, another beautiful music project along with my friend and cousin Martin Cohen and guest musicians.
http://www.myspace.com/masimusica
And with 'Ensamble Confusion del Mundo', a 9 piece Ethnic Fusion band, very eclectic and fun. http://confusiondelmundo.blogspot.com
I'm also working in a series of workshops and masterclasses about 'Ethnic Fusion Percussion & Singing Voice' ;you can see more info about these workshops here or in the Workshop's link.
I've finished a learning method called 'Tabla for All' or 'Tabla para Todos'.
It's an English and Spanish translated interactive workbook, consisting in a book, audio CD and video. This method is targeted for beginners, intermediate and advance students.
I'm planning to publish it some time this year.
I' ve been working in the past couple of years in Los Angeles, California and New York, USA,.
Among many projects, I've participated in concerts as a guest musician in a Jazz Fusion trio called 'Constellation' featuring Adam Chalk: Composer/Pianist/Singer, Brett Simons: Bass Guitar; and myself with Ethnic Fusion Percussion set and Vocals.
As a solo artist, I've been playing several gigs at some Lower east side and Soho places in New York City, as well as around the NY area..
Also, I've participated as a guest musician with 'J' wish dub' at the Orensanz Foundation building in Manhattan.
And with a series of concerts with The Peace of Heart choir' to non profit organisations, hospitals, shelters, etc. all around New York City.
- Singer, Percussionist,
Composer, Producer, Teacher -
And all this music that you compose and play, how did you learn it, where does it come from?
It's been a lot of work and researching, I'm from Buenos Aires, Argentina, I've traveled throughout India many times - the last trip was on March 2004; also France, Netherlands and the Middle East; I've lived 5 years in Spain, 3 years in the USA, always studying and working with music.
My experience comes from the passion I have for the magic music is in itself. Since very early in my life, I've been a fan of music and dance, and this passion has stayed with me all the time.
I started with percussion, Drum set and singing religious and devotional music, then I got my Rock & Blues band, then more percussion, a Jazz band, my first trip to India to study Tabla and Singing voice and so on...
Now I have lots of experience and feel more centered, and still having fun and joy with music and Arts in general!. I also love painting, sculpture, dance and multimedia performances.
Art itself nourishes me so deeply, that I think I'll always be open to this beautiful form of human expression.
Q: Tell us something about your music...
I have like 2 music main branches, Vocal and Instrumental.
For Vocal music my style is basically composed of melodies, rhythms, and chords. All of them have differents music sources, for ex.:
* I usually combine Western songwriting and Indian rhythms and melodies;
* Arabian rhythms and melodies with Drums 'n Bass arrangements,
* Spanish Flamenco rhythms with vocal Chant & percussion of North India,
* Jazzy chords, Drum set and singing styles mixed with contemporary sounds,
Indian and Afro Cuban Percussion instruments,
* Rock/Pop songs with some African rhythms, etc.
Then for Instrumental music, I have a Ethnic Fusion style
Ambient + Contemporary + Jazz + Ethnic + Meditative + Latin, etc.
* For ex. I composed a Tabla solo with Classical instrumental orchestration,
a combination of Jazz + Indian percussion and Singing, and so forth.
(you can listen to some sound samples, and have more info in
EFS Cd's
There are so many music ideas that I've been developing for more than10 years...I work all the time with sounds and concepts,
I try to learn as much as I can from any other type of music, musicians, and also from people which aren't in the music world.
Q: What about your work as a producer?
I've been producing my own written material and other people's music since 1992.
It's a real task for a musician to produce, and not only to play music, because inside the studio you have to push yourself and the others to create the real magic that a music piece can express.
Live performances are superb, and my main focus as a pro musician; because there is when the audience can get in touch with your sound and get to experience it . And I'm very fortunate to have some of my best experiences in life when on and then off stage with the people.
Then, when in the studio production, you have all the keys in your hand, and so it's your responsability to get the best music during a certain period of time... oh, I love that.
Q: Anything else you'd like to add?
Yes, I'd like to say something about my experience as a teacher. I started teaching in Buenos Aires, Argentina, since 1987. (for more information on the resume, please click here)
Then, I worked many years in Madrid as a director and teacher for the Ethnic percussion Department at Neopercusion Music School.
The work I carry out with music students gives me an added point of confidence and versatility, something that I cannot experience with any other music activity.
Now in the US, I'm working in the professional as well as the teaching fields, as a singer/ percussionist, composer and producer. And I have the enormous privilege to be working and living in this country, and getting to know lots of new people, many of them very talented and sensitive human beings.
My purpose as an artist is not competition, I just want to be somebody who lives of what he loves...
And I love Music!