Listed below are various articles by Edward Powell and others. Topics covering many aspects of music and music making... ...ENJOY!

Faruk Turunz - An extraordinary luthier! (by E. Powell 2007)

Several years ago when Ross Daly told me that his "expensive" oud was built by an extraordinary luthier named Faruk Turunz who actually "tunes" his soundboards, my interest piqued because of my experience in India and with Budhaditya and his "system" for tuning a sitar's soundboard which proved to be an infallible method for producing an balanced sounding sitar. Could it be also possible to tune an oud's soundboard and braces and thereby be sure each time, of creating a balanced sounding oud... ...read on!

Genetically Modified Music (by E. Powell 2005)

...in the course of our daily life, how often do we stop to think about the nature of what is around us? For example, when we buy fruits and vegetables in the supermarket, do we take a moment to reflect on the fact that none of the plants we are purchasing and eating are plants which exist naturally in nature? None of them. All vegetables available now were created by scientists in laboratories. When at home with our dogs and cats, or in the country witnessing our farm animals, do we stop and reflect on the truth that these beloved animals which nourish us with love, or as food, also would never be seen today without the existence of bio-experimental science. Pigs, dogs, horses, cows, etc. never existed before in the form we now know and love them.... ...read on!

The philosophy behind the fretless guitar (by E. Powell 2004)

The philosophy behind the fretless guitar is very simple. It is an attempt to go back in time to when music was played "in tune". It may seem a strange purpose; to play an instrument which is so difficult to play in tune, with the idea of being able to actually play more in tune. The reason why the fretless guitar is ideally suited to playing in tune, and the fretted guitar is not, is that although it may seem very easy to play the fretted guitar in tune, this is actually an illusion... ...read on!

A visit with Ross Daly (by E. Powell 2003)"

...on that journey to India, Ross had gone overland via Afganisthan- staying there for extended periods studying Afgan music. After India, back in England, Ross played sitar on the streets and built Celtic harps to earn enough money to travel again. He decided to go to Crete just to travel and have a look around... so off he went. Two days after arriving he purchased a donkey and spent six months walking around the island on foot with his sitar, rabab, and recently purchased lyra on the donkey's back..." ...read on!

what is Indian music? (by E. Powell 2000)

...let's be more specific, "what is North Indian classical music?"
Indian classical music is divided into two major catagories; North Indian classical music (Hindustani sangeet), and South Indian classical music (Carnatic sangeet). The music and culture of North India began to experience significant West Asian influence from about the 13th century onward. Carnatic music, on the other hand, currently retains much more of it's original ancient character, as the invasions of antiquity reached not the southern half of the subcontinent... ...read on!

How I met Indian music, and my teacher, Budhaditya (by E. Powell)

"...further health crises resulted but this time around it was not so easy to drop 'the rock life', as the pay from these gigs was quite good..."
"...I remember very well going to my first sitar concert in Varanasi..."
"...'Who is currently the best sitarist?'...and he responded without hesitation, "Budhaditya Mukherjee".
"...and I must admit that from the very first note until the last, I was absolutely spellbound..." ...read on!

Memories of music and music makers (by G.E. Powell)

Reading Ed's personal history, I am surprised to learn that my own earliest memories of music resemble his. In my case, the instrument observed was not a sitar but a curved soprano saxophone, battered and long unplayed, that had belonged to my grandfather, who had played it and his other saxophones in marching bands in turn-of-the-century San Diego. The only survivor of those old days was this ancient sax, outlasting both my grandfather and his other instruments. When, as an adult, I tried to track down this old soprano, I found that it too had disappeared... ...read on!