Swart AST ARTIST
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's is currently recording for an upcoming fall release with such compelling artists as Billy Hart, Vijay Iyer, the International Contemporary Ensemble, with Bjork/Feist producer Valgeir Sigurdsson.  He's playing live with a host of leading edge musicians including the Rafiq Bhatia Quartet, featuring:

Rafiq Bhatia - guitars, samples, processing
Jeremy Viner - woodwinds, processing
Jackson Hill - bass
Alex Ritz - drums, processing

Stay tuned for more from the talented Rafiq.  Hoping to get some of his latest work in this space in the next few months. 

rafiqbhatia.com/live/
Rafiq @ Twitter

-kh

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  below Rafiq Bhatia & (A)SYNCHRONOUS REEL$ @The Stone, NYC