Notes:
All my life I've loved the rhythms of South Asian folk music - the folk music from northwestern India and Pakistan, that is the basis for much of what is today called "Bollywood" film music, Qawwali, Bhangra. All of these are styles of South Asian music that GROOVE with hypnotic high energy, danceable rhythms...much the same as the African-American gospel that is the basis of so much ppular American music. In South Asia, as on the South Side of Chicago, "charismatic music" - music that builds to an emotional and many would say spiritual climax - is at the core of traditional culture and the basis for much in popular culture...simply put Punjabi folk music is to India what gospel is to America - Funky, fun, danceable and spiritual.

In a time when it is all to easy to assume that all South Asians are angry somber terrorists in the making, it is so so important to see that this music is joyous, fun and hip. And just as so many jazz musicians (Grant Green, Cannonball Adderly, Joe Zawinul to name just a few) embraced the groove of gospel music, so I embrace the groove of my heritage...thanks to all of the musicians who help create this vision, the collective of musicians we call the Flat Earth Ensemble. (Fareed Haque)


Artist Roster:
Fareed Haque: Guitars
David Hartsman: Sax and Flute
Rob Clearfiedl & Willerm Delisfort: Keyboards and Piano
Alex Austin & John Paul: Bass
Cory Healey & Jason Smart: Drums
Subrata Bhattacharya, Jim Feist & Salar Nader: Tabla
Kalyan Pathak: Dhol and Sticked Percussion
Indrajit Banerjee: Sitar
Ganesh Kumar: Kanjira
Kala Ramnath: Hindustani Violin
Elihu Haque: Djembe and Voice


Track Listing:
1. Big Bhangra
2. The Chant
3. Uneven Mantra
4. Blu Hindoo
5. Bengali Bud
6. Fur Peace
7. The Hanger
8. 32 Taxis
9. North
10. South
11. West



Reviews:

While there’s no doubting Haque’s instrumental abilities, Flat Planet is no mere chops display. Throughout the eleven tracks Haque focuses firmly on compositional value. Each arrangement is balanced by complex ethnocentric harmonics and flavorful melodies, where pre-constructed exposition provides plenty of group and individual improvisation. Haque’s songwriting vision is effectively exhibited on multi-tiered conception “The Four Corners Suite”: three parts (“North,” “South” and “West”) are included on the compact disc, while “East” can be downloaded online at most major MP3 sites. The opus has a Greg Osby-esque unpredictability. “North” is a prog/fusion feast that evokes The Mahavishnu Orchestra and some of the Tony Williams’ Lifetime late sixties material. “South” also has a heavy-rock velocity that could be rough on sensitive ears. The “Four Corners Suite” finishes with “West,” an easygoing escapade that is the album’s balmiest affair and gives the 76-minute undertaking a positively heady end. On Flat Planet, Fareed Haque and the Flat Earth Ensemble furnish an exhilarating song collection of pan-ethnic elements brimming over with entwined instrumental prowess, democratic interplay, and abundantly engaging music. - DOUG SIMPSON Audiophile Audition

Haque's artistry comes full circle, and full throttle with this excursion into a music he has had in his head for years, and now we finally get to experience it first hand. It is a unique project deserving its own singular place in the ethnic fusion world.- MICHAEL G. Nastos All Music Guide