Ensembles

Nominated 2015 ZMR MUSIC AWARDS — “Best World Album” 

Nominated 2015 ONE WORLD MUSIC RADIO AWARDS — “Best World/Global Fusion Album”

Randy Armstrong & Volker Nahrmann

Beyond Borders

Featuring Randy Armstrong & Volker Nahrmann

 

World Fusion | Contemporary Jazz Ensemble

Randy Armstrong has been creating a fusion of jazz, western classical and folk music with musical traditions and instruments from around the world for four decades. He co-founded the pioneering Do’a World Music Ensemble, which welcomed classical and jazz bassist Volker Nahrmann from Hamburg, Germany on their fifth album, World Dance. This launched an enduring musical collaboration for Volker and Randy and the subsequent release of their Hand In Hand CD on the Global Pacific label as Unu Mondo in 1994.

“Ridiculously talented…”—Metroland

Inspired by their love of music and cultures, they tour and travel extensively, drawing inspiration from the world’s diversity. Their compositions take you on a global voyage, from the streets of Havana and Rio de Janeiro, the evocative traditions of India and the Middle East, to the romantic café and cinema music of France and Italy, the haunting sounds of the Native American pow wow, and the worldbeat rhythms of West Africa and the Caribbean, all blended with contemporary jazz, western classical, and folk music influences.

The dynamic BEYOND BORDERS OCTET brings world-class musicians to the stage for a mind-blowing global voyage in music. Core members feature Armstrong & Nahrmann with Dummer/Percussionist, Jose Duque; Charlie Jennison on Saxophones/Winds; Theo Nii Martey on West African Drums & World Percussion;  Greek vocalist extraordinaire, ERINI; Nick Phaneuf on Guitars & World Strings/Percussion; and Jiri Nedoma on Piano/Keyobards. Other musicians to grace the stage with BEYOND BORDERS are Jazz vocalist, Tayor O’Donnell and Keyboardist, Ben Cook. Special guests also include Marty Quinn on North Indian Tabla/World Percussion, Brazilian Drummer, Henrique De Almeida, German Drummer/World Percussionist, Bertram Lehmann and Master Drummer, Namory Keita on Djembe.

Their self-titled album, Beyond Borders on the UMP Records label features several songs and tributes to jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie, sitarist Pandit Ravi Shankar, and Beatle George Harrison. The songs also feature many former members of Do’a and Unu Mondo, joined by outstanding world-class musicians from many countries. Five years in the making, Beyond Borders is a “Magnum Opus” for Armstrong and Nahrmann, a collection of songs composed over a 40-year span of creative output, dedicated to the belief that music has the power to uplift the human spirit and be a catalyst for change in the world.

Book the BEYOND BORDERS OCTET today.

 

Grant Funding Available

Beyond Borders Musicians and Vocalists

Randy Armstrong

Volker Nahrmann

Jose Roman Duque

Theo Nii Martey

ERINI

Jiri Nedoma

Charlie Jennison

Nick Phaneuf

Taylor O’Donnell

Henrique De Almeida

Marty Quinn

Namory Keita

Ben Cook

Bertram Lehmann

Black Thunder Singers

Shamou

Art in Health Care

Randy Armstrong uses music for healing and as therapuetic practice for a wide variety of learning disabilities and physical and emotional illnesses.

Scoring

Find out more about Randy Armstrong’s scoring for film, television, theatre and dance.

Keynote Speaker & Event Performances

Randy Armstrong keynote speaking engagements cover topics on unity, diversity and the healing aspect of music.