Dissidenten

Last updated
Dissidenten
Origin Berlin, Germany
Genres World music
Years active1981–present
MembersFriedo Josch
Uve Müllrich
Marlon Klein
Past membersMichael Wehmeyer
Hamid Baroudi
Website https://www.dissidenten.com

Dissidenten are a German rock band known for their collaborations with Middle Eastern, African and Indian musicians. In a 1988 article for The New York Times , music critic Stephen Holden acknowledged the band as being among the leaders of what he termed "the 'world beat' movement ... in which ethnic styles are contemporized with electronic dance rhythms". [1]

Contents

History

Around 1981, "Embryo's Dissidenten" were founded in India by Friedemann "Friedo" Josch (b 21 July 1952, Mainz, wind instruments, keyboards) and former Embryo band members Uwe "Uve" Müllrich (b 7 December 1947, Rügen, bass, oud, guitar, vocals) and Michael Wehmeyer (keyboards, piano). Still in 1981, Marlon Klein (b 13 December 1957, Herford, drums, perc, keyboards, vocals) replaced Wehmeyer, and the band renamed themselves to Dissidenten. [2] [3] 1982/83, they founded their own record label Exil in Berlin. [4]

Following a one-year tour of Asia, the group decided to stay in India to produce their first album Germanistan, with the help of the Karnataka College of Percussion, female singer R.A. Ramamani and percussionist Ramesh Shotham. The live line-up was joined by Indian pianist Louis Banks and American saxophonist Charlie Mariano. Concerts in Calcutta, Madrid, Casablanca and Stockholm are documented on the live album Germanistan Tour 83.

They then moved on to Morocco to record Sahara Elektrik in 1982 at the Palace of Abdesalam Akaaboune in Tangier with the help of friend Paul Bowles and local sha'abi band Lem Chaheb. The track "Fata Morgana" became a dance hit in Europe (especially Spain and Italy) and Canada, and the group toured worldwide [5] .

In 1986 the Dissidenten moved to Spain, producing Life At The Pyramids and began to receive recognition in the US and UK.

In 1989 they moved back to Morocco, recording Out Of This World with the Royal National Orchestra of Morocco, and other leading North African musicians including Cherif Lamrani and other members of Lem Chaheb. The album was released worldwide and the band toured around the globe to promote it. In 1991, the album Live In New York was released, and the following year The Jungle Book was recorded, weaving recordings of Indian life into dance tracks [6] .

In 1995, Klein stayed in the US to work as producer for two albums by singer Gary Wright, featuring George Harrison. In 1996, the group reunited to produce the album Instinctive Traveler, their first album with mostly English-language songs sung by Müllrich's daughter Bajka, which was followed by a tour of international festivals. Two years later they appeared at the Glastonbury festival and released their second live album, Live in Europe.

In 2000, with American composer Gordon Sherwood, video artist Stefanie Seidl and the Bratislava Orchestra under Petr Feranec they created The Memory of the Waters, a "documentary opera" about the River Danube, debut performed at the International Danube Music Festival in the city of Ulm. The following year, they issued an album of remixes, A World Beat Odyssey, which they then performed live with accompanying DJs.

In 2005, the opera "La Memoria de las Aguas" with the choir and orchestra of Pamplona under the direction of conductor Tomas Garridoand was broadcast by the Spanish National Radio at the Navarra Festival. In 2006 the group worked on a new Moroccan project, The Tanger Sessions, with the legendary Moroccan cult group Jil Jilala.

In 2007, Dissidenten toured North Africa with Jil Jilala. Between concerts they worked together in Tangier and Casablanca to complete The Tanger Sessions. Also in 2007, the band composed and arranged the musical program for the final party of Germany's spectacular CREOLE-Award for World Music. French/German TV ARTE and German TV WDR broadcast a lengthy feature about Dissidenten's Moroccan experiences, "The Hippie Trail".

In 2008, The Tanger Sessions was released and they toured Europe and North Africa. The first gig of the tour was broadcast live and online by German National Radio SWR in April 2008. Since summer 2008, Dissidenten & Jil Jilala performed live in Europe and North Africa. 2009 sees them again at various festivals around Europe/Northafrica and North America.

Discography

Albums

YearTitleLabelNotes
1982GermanistanExile/Indigo, GermanyWith the Karnataka College of Percussion
1983Germanistan TourExil, GermanyLive recording with the Karnataka College of Percussion
1984Sahara ElektrikExil Musik, GermanyFurther releases: Amok Canada (1986), Materiali Sonori Italy (1987)
1985Life at the PyramidsExil Musik, GermanyFurther releases: Dro Spain & Materiali Sonori Italy (1986), Melodie France (1987), Amok Canada (1988)
1986Sahara Elektrik / Life at the PyramidsExil Musik, GermanyCD release; further releases: Globestyle UK (1989), Exil Germany/World (1990)
1986Arab ShadowsNuevos Medios, SpainFurther release: Materiali Sonori Italy (1987)
1987Dissidenten & Lem ChahebMexicoCollaboration with Lem Chaheb
1990Out of This WorldSire / Warner Bros. WorldCD release
1990Life at the PyramidsExil Musik Germany/WorldCD release
1991Live in New YorkExil Musik GermanyCD release, live recording
1992The Jungle BookExile/Indigo
1992GermanistanExil Germany/WorldCD release
1993The Jungle BookExil Germany/WorldCD release
1997Instinctive TravelerExile/IndigoCD release
1998Live in EuropeExil/IndigoCD release, live recording
2005La memoria de las aguasExilCD release, with Orchestra & Choir Pamplona
2008Tanger SessionsFuego/ExilCD release, with Jil Jilala
2013How Long Is Now? Unplugged Live in BerlinFuego/ExilCD release, live recording
2014The Memory of the Waters (Live at Brucknerfest)Fuego/ExilCD release, live recording with Gordon Sherwood
2017We don't shoot!ExilCD release, live recording with Mohamed Mounir
2022Live Series - Zurich/Fabrik (12/1984)FuegoLive recording
2022Live Series - Berlin/Fabrik (10/1984)FuegoLive recording
2022Live Series - Amsterdam/Melkweg (04/1984)FuegoLive recording
2023Live Series - Rome (05/1985)FuegoLive recording
2023Live Series - Festival San Pedro de Alcantara (1982)FuegoLive recording
2024Live Series - Göttingen (06/1987)FuegoLive recording
2024Live Series - Bari (05/1987)FuegoLive recording
2025Live Series - Barcelona 'Fiesta de la Mercè' (09/1986)FuegoLive recording

Compilations and EPs

YearTitleLabelNotes
1985CasablancaExil Musik, GermanyEP
1985Fata MorganaGinger, SpainEP; further releases: Golden Denia France & Materiali Sonori Spain (1986), Sigem Brazil (1987), l'escargot France (1988)
1986Special CompilationExil, GermanyCD
1986InshallahGinger, SpainEP; further release: Materiali Sonori Italy
1987Hits CollectionGlobo, Brazil
1988Polo Mix/AlbumGinger, Spain
1994Love Supreme RemixExil Germany/WorldCD
1994Jungle Book remixe-que, WEA WorldEP
1996Mixed Up JungleExil/Indigo
1997Mixed Up JungleExil Musik, Germany/WorldEP
2001Dissidenten Remix.ed: A Worldbeat Odyssey / 2001: A World Beat OdysseyExil/IndigoCD
2003Dissidenten Remx.ED 2.0: A New World OdysseyExil/Indigo
20032003: A Worldbeat OdysseyExilCD
2022Live Series - Barcelona/Angel-Casas-TV-Show (11/1985)FuegoEP; live recording

Soundtracks

YearTitleLabelNotes
1988Sassa Ricando TV Globo, Brazil
1989Wild OrchidWarner Brothers
1991Great JourneysBBC
1992Pankuj ParaharLouis Banks Bombay
1993Dissidents - Live in IndiaVOX TVLive recording
1995Air India Air India
2007The Hippie TrailARTE TV
2016Haja CoraçãoTV Globo, Brazil

Videoclips

YearTitleLabelDurationNotes
1985Telephone Arab - CairoExile Music3:50
1985A Worldbeat Odyssey - BerlinExile Music7:00
1989Out of This WorldSire/Warner Bros.4:15
1989Live in New YorkExile Music45:00Live recording
199020 Minutes from the Life of DissidentsExile Music20:00
1991Live at the Pow WowExile Music5:00Live recording
1995Jungle Book RemixExile Music4:00Remix
2000The Memory of the Waters - UlmExile Music10:00Live at Brucknerfest
2005La memoria de las aguas - PamplonaExil Musik15:00
2008Morock'n RollExile Music6:00Collaboration with Jil Jilala
2008Gun FactoryExile Music7:00Collaboration with Jil Jilala
2009Truth is the only ReligionExil Musik6:00Collaboration with Jil Jilala
2025Live Series - Barcelona 'Fiesta de la Mercè' 09/1986Fuego61:07Live recording

References

  1. Holden, Stephen (April 27, 1988). "The Pop Life". The New York Times . Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  2. Charlie Mariano Tribute | Bands & Leaders
  3. Musikvideos, News & Interviews - MTV.de Archived June 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  4. Biography at www.dissidenten.com
  5. Michael Hann about Sahara Elektrik - theguardian.com
  6. Interview with Uve Mullrich by Jay Dobis (April 2022) - furious.com