Adrian Freedman "Kindred Souls" coming out this Friday the 18th of June!!

Updated: Jun 15, 2021

“Adrian’s music is truly wonderful”

H.H. Dalai Lama

Kindred Souls is a new music project led by Adrian Freedman featuring international musicians from five continents, a series of online and live community events, and a new album to be released on June 18th, 2021.

Adrian is a Yorkshireman who became deeply immersed in the tradition of the Japanese shakuhachi flute. He lived for 7 years in Japan, immersed in music and meditation in the Zen temples of Kyoto. He then became drawn into a very contrasting world of healing music for South American forest rituals and spent three years living in communities in Brazil.

The ‘Kindred Souls’ of this new project are the musicians that Adrian has encountered and collaborated with on his travels around the world. Musicians like him who have been drawn to all forms of music from various traditions and cultures, and that have been called to play instruments from outside their own native cultures.

These collaborators include Eosh and Ema from the Japanese group Yurai, playing didgeridoo and Chinese erhu; Adriano Machado from Brazil who plays the North African Bendir; Adnan al-Mari from Syria on saz; Neo-shamans Darpan from Australia and Kuauhtli from Mexico; young virtuoso handpan player Pavel Sedlacek from the Czech Republic; singers Ayla Schafer and Susie Ro from the UK; Maureenji from Ibiza; Tao from Turkey and Yao from Japan; Elina Rodevic and Sigmund Vatvedt from Norway on violin and dilruba; Ravi Freeman on West African Kora; Hiroki Okano on kalimba, Arjun Magee on Indian dholak, Misha Mullov Abbado on double bass, Sam Lee on shruti and Nick Barber keyboards and programming. The album also features a unique duet between a Nightingale and the shakuhachi flute.

The Kindred Souls project is a celebration of music as the universal language of the heart, transcending time and space and cultural boundaries. It explores questions about the musician’s quest for identity and expression within healing and sacred music traditions, and about finding the balance between respecting tradition whilst allowing innovation to flow. It gives a platform for established world music artists as well as young musicians and others waiting for a wider platform to share.

“Inspired sonic odes full of mystery and mastery that transport the listener to a celestial place where the imagination runs free and the heart knows no limits”.
Nigel Williamson, The Times

“Adrian’s music has fluidity, space and delicacy. The trouble for me with so much music there are far too many notes. With these pieces there’s space for the resonances which are just as valuable as the notes themselves. When coupled with the wonderful nuances the shakuhachi brings (literally giving sound to human breath) it’s something quite special”. Verity Sharp, Late Junction, BBC Radio 3

‘Kindred Souls’ Track List & Credits:

1. Astral Dawn

2. Mystic Flight

3. Awakening Peace

4. Alhuriya

5. Hijos Guerreros Do Sol

6. April Fortune

7. Nightingale Soul Call

8. Tryambakam

9. Desert Dream

10. Deep Space Blue

11. Tranquilidade

ASTRAL DAWN
Words and Music by Adrian Freedman
Adrian Freedman - voice, guitar, percussion
Ayla Schafer - voice
Susie Ro - voice
Ravi Freeman - kora, guitar
Arjun Magee - dholak
Misha Mullov Abbado - double bass

MYSTIC FLIGHT
Music by Pavel Sedlacek & Adrian Freedman
Pavel Sedlacek - omana handpan
Adrian Freedman - shakuhachi

PEACE AWAKENING
Words and Music by Darpan and Adrian Freedman
Darpan – voice & Shruti Box

Adrian Freedman - shakuhachi
Sigmund Vatvedt – dilruba

Maneesh de Moor – Percussion & Programming
Elina Rodevic - violin
Endre Hareide – bass

Nils Olav Lausund - Synth

ALHURIYA

Music by Adrian Freedman and Adnan Agha

Adnan Agha – Buzhug

Adrian Freedman - shakuhachi,

HIJOS GUERREROS DEL SOL
Words and Music by Kuauhtli Vasquez
Kuauhtli Vasquez - voice, guitar
Tao Txana - voice, guitar
Tavo Vazquez - charango
Adrian Freedman - shakuhachi, guitar, percussion

APRIL FORTUNE

Music by Yoshiyuki Matsumoto, Hiroki Okano & Adrian Freedman

Yoshiyuki ‘Yao’ Matsumoto - balafon

Hiroki Okano - kalimba

Adrian Freedman - shakuhachi

NIGHTINGALE SOUL CALL

Music by Adrian Freedman and Sam Lee

Nightingale - birdsong

Sam Lee - shruti

Adrian Freedman - shakuhachi

TRYAMBAKAM

Words and Music Traditional

Maureenji - voice

Nick Barber - keyboards and programming

Adrian Freedman - shakuhachi

DESERT DREAM

Music by Adriano Machado & Adrian Freedman

Adriano Machado - bendir

Adrian Freedman - shakuhachi

DEEP SPACE BLUE

Music by Esoh, Ema & Adrian Freedman

Esoh - didgeridoo, percussion

Ema - erhu, voice

Adrian Freedman - shakuhachi