Rafiq Bhatia & his Swart Atomic Space Tone

Swart AST JAZZ MP3s click for Full RB Photo
Rafiq Bhatia on the Swart AST

""While the sound of an overdriven Atomic Space Tone is rapidly becoming the stuff of legend, I can't get over how complex and original the clean sound is! The AST produces warmth that rivals the finest vintage examples, all while showcasing the character of the instrument and the details of the player's touch. And in a world of replicas and reproductions, the AST stands alone, with a unique sound that holds it's own alongside other great designs of the past." - Rafiq Bhatia

I have to say that at only 22 years of age, Rafiq Bhatia exhibits a maturity, touch, and feel for the guitar that makes one wonder if he played in a past life, living more down than most thrice his age, this experience manifesting itself in style and substance mated with feel. Rafiq brings a soulfulness to these recordings below, merging jazz tradition with his own forays into the experimental.

Georgia abridged                1:35
       Rafiq Solo ~ Illustrating AST Cleans (H. Carmichael)

Beautiful Love                     6:06
       Trio ~ Jackson Hill • Bass / Alex Ritz • Drums (V. Young)

You Are My Sunshine            :56
      Rafiq Solo ~ Tube Tremolo (J.H. Davis/C. Mitchell)

Once                                   8:25
        Trio ~ Jackson Hill • Bass / Alex Ritz •Drums (R. Bhatia)

Over the Rainbow                 3:58
        Rafiq Solo ~ utlizing loops highlighting dynamics (H. Arlen)

Try                                       6:32
    Trio ~ Jackson Hill • Bass / Alex Ritz • Drums (R. Bhatia)

*Tack Info

When I saw he was gigging with legendary drummer, Billy Hart, this at a mere 20 while still a student at Oberlin, I asked him to send something with a traditional bent, merging the past with the present and beyond. Rafiq did not disappoint, with a compelling mixture of traditional standards along with his own compositions, each one showcasing his tastefulness and touch with the AST's richness of tone, harmonics, tremolo, and dynamics.

Rafiq loves his AST, adding to the above quote:

"Working as a musician, I always found myself having to sacrifice the brilliance of tubes for the clarity and portability of high fidelity solid-state amplifiers. I favor a dynamic and responsive sound, but could never bring myself to lug a vintage Princeton Reverb through the crowded public transportation systems of major cities like New York. I bought the AST with the intent of running it stereo with an Acoustic Image in the studio, but have often found myself using it alone on the gig. With its compact, featherweight construction, the Atomic Space Tone is the perfect amplifier for the gigging musician looking for a distinctive tube sound."

- Rafiq Bhatia on the AST

I encourage you to listen to each of these numbers, brought to you in full. Indeed, I often listen to them back to back, doing so at this very second. Keep an eye out for Rafiq. As Billy Hart noted, this guy is one to watch. Check out his BIO below with links to the latest. - kh ~ swartamps online

Rafiq Bhatia Bio & Links

Rafiq Bhatia is a 22-year old East-African Indian American guitarist/composer seeking to synthesize a genre-bending musical lexicon informed by the traditions of his transmigratory heritage. A first-generation American, Bhatia is currently completing an interdisciplinary honors degree in economics and cognitive science at Oberlin College. He is also associated with the world-renowned Oberlin Conservatory, where his concept quickly caught the attention of prolific drummer Billy Hart, who featured Bhatia in his new project, The Billy Hart Laboratory. Besides apprenticing under Hart and Cleveland-based drummer Paul Samuels (Greg Osby), Bhatia is the artist-in-residence at The Feve, an Oberlin mainstay, where his group has attracted a loyal fan-base and critical acclaim for their weekly performances. He also frequently returns to New York, performing with the Rafiq Bhatia Collective and studying with Downbeat magazine's "Rising Star Jazz Pianist/Composer" Vijay Iyer.

Track Info

Equipment
Swart Atomic Space Tone, Artinger Custom Semi-Hollow, Line 6 DL-4, TC Electronic Nova Reverb, Analog Man/Ibanez TS-9 (808/Silver mod), Acoustic Image Clarus R/Evans JES200 (blended on "Once" & "Try" only).

Solo Guitar
• Over The Rainbow (H. Arlen): loops
• You Are My Sunshine (J.H. Davis/C. Mitchell): tube tremolo
• Georgia On My Mind (H. Carmichael)

Trio
• Beautiful Love (V. Young)
• Once (R. Bhatia)
• Try (R. Bhatia)

Rafiq Bhatia ~ guitar
Jackson Hill ~ bass
Alex Ritz ~ drums

Recorded and mixed by
Noah Weiss
860.933.7475
NoahAWeiss@gmail.com

With legendary Jazz drummer, Billy Hart
click for full view ~ above & below