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Press Quotes & Reviews
“Baljinder Sekhon has written for a wide variety of ensembles and is much in demand amongst musicians. Bajinder Sekhon is clearly a skilled craftsman when it comes to the complex world of percussion, and the music here is never less than intriguing.”
-Music Web International, May 16, 2018, Dominy Clements
(Review of Places and Times, portrait ablum, Innova Recordings)
“Highly evocative and atmospheric, Sekhon makes a compelling case for putting percussion in the spotlight.”
- Art and Culture Maven, August 23, 2018, Anya Wassenberg
(Review of Places and Times, portrait ablum, Innova Recordings)
"Sekhon proves to be very skilled in incorporating rhythmic crescendo into rigorous formal systems, subjecting thematic-rhythmic materials to complex games of combination, permutation, and dynamic variations. There is no shortage of episodes of contemplative, mysterious beauty, also by virtue of timbral explorations of great charm and ingenuity. A very interesting addition to the increasingly rich contemporary repertoire for percussion."
- Kathodik, August 27, 2018, Filippo Focosi (original in Italian)
(Review of Places and Times, portrait ablum, Innova Recordings)
"…guitar holding its own against a battery of percussion instruments, through delicate passages and thunderous sections, is particularly captivating...the combinations provide a very broad spectrum of sound and range.”
- The Whole Note, June 5, 2018, David Olds
(Review of Places and Times, portrait ablum, Innova Recordings)
"There are many takeaways from Baljinder Sekhon’s Places and Times, but perhaps the biggest one is how much it brings into sharp relief exactly how much sonic plenitude percussion ensembles like the ones featured are capable of generating. Further to that, supplemental techniques are often deployed to bolster the music's presentation, a case in point Line Upon Line Percussion's performance of Sun where hands, fingers, knuckles, and fingernails are used to extend the sound possibilities afforded by the group's gear."
- Textura, June 2018
(Review of Places and Times, portrait ablum, Innova Recordings)
“If percussion is your thing, you’re in for a treat with this album of kinetic compositions by Baljinder Sekhon. This is very ambitious, clever and accessible.”
- Jazz Weekly, July 12, 2018, George W. Harris
(Review of Places and Times, portrait ablum, Innova Recordings)
“[SUN] will guarantee to keep an audience engaged. This album is well crafted, including works of great experimentation as well as traditional elements. Its inclusion of guest instrumentalists creates new sonic soundscapes that should motivate more of us to collaborate with those outside of our instrument family.”
- Percussive Notes, July 2018, Kyle Cherwinski
(Review of Places and Times, portrait ablum, Innova Recordings)
“Baljinder Sekhon has delivered quite an interesting album of percussion music. His music is consistently spontaneous and organic in its syntax and development. Sekhon’s inquisitive nature as a composer is infectious – his desire to explore a different process and sound world in each pieces makes for exciting listening.”
- American Record Guide, September/October 2018, Faro
(Review of Places and Times, portrait ablum, Innova Recordings)
“Having achieved the symbiosis of unusual compounds, Sekhon was based on sound landscapes and magical insinuations, often taking off for these 60 minutes and esoteric mystery paths often caught up with aggressive noise… For these reasons, music is pictuously complex, exploring many possibilities of practical means of hitting and jerking in music application, while not neglecting the conventional means of minimalistic obligations… brings emotional moments that are embedded in the album's name as a didactic demagogic slogan of "places and times" by which Sekhon cunningly plays on the map of artistic exhibitions in which he has, believe, both space and time to experience the subtle transcendental progression.”
- Terapija, July 17, 2018, Horvi (Original in Bosnian)
(Review of Places and Times, portrait ablum, Innova Recordings)
“Places and Times is a complete artwork, thoughtfully constructed to create an enlightening and engaging experience for the audience from start to finish. These five percussion-based compositions present a plethora of complexity, beauty, and strength. Places and Times is a must-add for percussionists and new music lovers alike.”
- I care if you listen, September 20, 2018, Younglove
(Review of Places and Times, portrait ablum, Innova Recordings)
“The album Places & Times of American composer Baljinder Sekhon, recorded in 2014 to 2017 in California, Florida and New York, belongs to those really magical, and even mysterious, moments. It is an album not only full of excitement, but also philosophical subtext, dual possibilities, inspirational compositional processes, in its combination and uniqueness. It is a friendly listening.”
- Kulturni Magazin, September 2018, Slaby Z. K. (original in Czech)
(Review of Places and Times, portrait ablum, Innova Recordings)
“Perhaps steelband arrangers should incorporate such innovations in their offerings…”
- Trinidad Guardian, 2016, Wesley Gibbings
(Joshua Watkins performance of Regeneration)
“Sekhon’s Gradient is a delightfully kenetic work of the repeated pattern type, where the sounds of the alto saxophone and the piano are gradually manipulated through extended techniques, especially percussive sounds, to blur the distinctions between them. [The pianist] accomplishes some extraordinary technical feats, not least in the demanding seskhon score. This is fascinating stuff, and connoiseurs of new music for saxophone will not want to miss it.”
-Fanfare Magazine, 2016, Ronald E. Grames
(Heisler Duo recording of Gradient, AMP Records)
“There are world music influences and extended techniques in his “Drifting Seeds.” It is very effective.”
-The Whole Note, November 2015
(Couloir recording of Drifting Seeds)
“Sekhon’s however doesn’t let anything outstay its welcome, continually coming up with new textures to provide contrasts. …and would be a crowd-pleaser live as there is a lot of theatricality written into the score.”
-DailyClassicalMusic.com, London, UK
(McCormick Percussion Group recording of Twelve Virtues)
“Sekhon’s work takes thorough advantage of pitched percussion for a harmonic exoticism along with rhythmic motility. The soprano part is alternately whimsical and dramatic.”
-Gapplegate Classical-Modern Music Review
(McCormick Percussion Group recording of Twelve Virtues)
“Of the three pieces, “Twelve Virtues” is the most enjoyable. The percussion writing is not only extremely idiomatic, it is sensitive and well thought-out.”
-Percussive Notes, July 2014, Marcus Reddick
(McCormick Percussion Group recording of Twelve Virtues)
“Clearly knowing the power of sonority.”
-Philadelphia Inquirerer
(2010, Doug O’Connor and Michael Mizrahi’s performance of Gradient)
“Honest and energy packed.”
-Austin-American Statesman
(2006, Line Upon Line performance of LOU)
“Still, mysterious, animated, haunting, and peaceful.”
-Epoch Times
(2009, Cabrillo Festival Orchestra performance of Ancient Dust)
“Loaded with intensity.”
-El Economista
(2010, Eastman BroadBand performance of Fanfare)
“Full of magic and charm.”
-Kathodic
(2012, McCormick Percussion Group recording of LOU)
“Invasively dramatic textures, beautifully kaleidoscopic timbrel shades.”
-FlagstaffLive!
(2012, Northern Arizona University performance of Colored Windows)
“Rhythmically alive, dizzying array of sounds.”
-Audiophile Audition
(2012, McCormick Percussion Group recording of LOU)