/ RootsWorld Recording Review

Thierry 'Titi' Robin & Gulabi Sapera
Rakhi
Naive (www.naive.fr)

Thierry "Titi" Robin is an exceptional artist both for his personality and his artistic sensitivity. His previous musical achievements were characterised by a coherence of style, derived from his still deepening interest in Gypsy culture, which for him is an inexhaustible source of inspiration and the basis for colourful artistic marriages with Roma artists from all over the world. His first encounters with traditional Gypsy music (as well as Arabian music, which also has had an enormous influence on his artistic development) started when as a teenager he moved from the village of Rochefort Sur Loire in the east of France, to Angers, a city crowded with immigrants, mainly Arabs and Gypsies. It was there, during his first playing sessions with peers of different cultural background, that his musical sensitivity was formed. It allowed him to treat those musical traditions as his own. In the early 80s he initiated his co-operation with Hameed Khan, a tabla player from Rajasthan, who has accompanied him for many years. His project with Breton vocalist Erik Marchand is also worth mentioning. As a trio they explored the themes of both central Brittany and the Orient.

But the recording that was received with greatest acclaim from the critics and listeners was not released until 1993. On Gitans, Robin and Khan were joined by Roma musicians from Spain to Rajasthan, including 'The Gypsy Queen of Rajasthan,' Gulabi Sapera, a vocalist of unique voice timbre, who enriched this project with warmth and tenderness. His friendship with Sapera has led to their co-operations on numerous occasions, resulting in Rakhi.

The opening track, "Holi Yaad," introduces the listener to the unique atmosphere of the album. Gulabi's singing is calm and nostalgic; the minimalist but balanced rhythm section and the delicate sound of Robin's guitar immerse the listener in a pleasant swing. The following tracks intensify this feeling. As it progresses, a reggae vibe appears and becomes a pervasive element of some of the tracks to follow. Gulabi's voice often converses with male voices (Bruno El Gitano, Farid, Roberto Saadna 'Yakeen,' Saway Nath 'Neem,' and 'Rumba de India'), making the music more complete. Tensions subtlely rise and fall down. Paradoxically the most ascetic track 'Bichu Rap' draws the greatest attention. It is a kind of a dialogue between a woman and a man or even a quarrel. It is overflowing with emotions: joy, anger, grief are expressed in a theatrical way, to leave no one indifferent to what is being sung.

"Shadi ke badh" comes back to the mood of some previous tracks. Robin's first solo reminds us that it is their common achievement, even as he devotes it almost entirely to Sapera. In his previous work the instruments he played - oud, bouzouki or guitar - were always in the forefront. This time is different; his instrument is still important but is played consciously in the background to expose what is most valuable in this project, Gulabi Sapera's voice.

Rakhi is not so directly appealing as Gitans or other earlier works. But it is uniquely successful, fully linked to the previous achievements of the artist and a continuation of his chosen path. The sense of artistry and authenticity makes the album undoubtedly worth listening. - Piotr Pucylo

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