79 Results for : percussive

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    Palace Troubadour
    Palace Troubadour, Debu's acclaimed fifth offering, is a musical feast straight from the Royal Court! This 15-song album reflects Debu's versatility and international appeal, featuring songs in English, Spanish, Italian, Turkish, Arabic, Indonesian and Chinese. "DEBU's sound is a heady mix of Middle Eastern strings, thumping drums, flutes, violins, a harp and other Indonesian instruments picked up during the band's travels through this vast archipelago." (AP Jakarta) DEBU PROFILE AND HISTORY DEBU fuses East and West, traditional and contemporary, acoustic and electric. This award-winning world music ensemble is known for playing anything from funk fusion to classical Turkish, then blending these various styles and rhythms to create something new and exciting. DEBU's percussion section consists of Indian, Peruvian, Persian, Arabic, Turkish and Western drums. Add violins, Turkish baglama, oud, Iranian santur, Middle Eastern qanun, acoustic guitar, keyboard and a 6-string bass, and the result is a mini world music orchestra. It is only fitting that this diverse and talented group also sings in nine different languages. DEBU's inspirational multilingual lyrics, written by Shaykh Fattaah, convey the message inherent in the shaykh's Sufi poetry of universal love of the one True Love. Most of DEBU's music is composed by Mustafa Daood, who is also their lead vocalist and arranger. Currently residing in Jakarta, DEBU has topped the charts in Indonesia since the band formed in 2000. DEBU's first album Mabuk Cinta (Drunk with Love), released in 2003, achieved instant success with it's hit single "Cinta Saja," played on MTV Asia daily. The next year, DEBU captured the attention of MTV Asia and worldwide Link TV with "Mazhab Cinta," from their second album Makin Mabuk (Even More Drunk). DEBU soon learned the ropes in the recording studio and decided to build their own studio in Jakarta, where they have produced, mixed and mastered their next five albums. These include three Indonesian albums - Nyawa dan Cinta (The Soul and Love), Gubahan Pecinta (A Travel Guide) and Dianggap Gila (Mad?), a Turkish album entitled Hep Beraber (Let's Say It Together), and their Persian album Soorinaas (A Celebration). Countless performances in a variety of settings, from intimate gatherings to corporate galas, and many television appearances (including several award-winning series featuring DEBU's poetry and music, relief benefits and daily Ramadan specials) have made DEBU famous throughout Indonesia. DEBU's music has attracted global attention - live, through album and digital distribution, and on the internet. DEBU has toured Indonesia, Malaysia (including participation in the renown Rainforest World Music Festival in Borneo), Turkey, Singapore, Iran and Canada. They continue to be invited to events worldwide and are currently working on new releases in English, Spanish, Arabic and Indonesian. 'They have as much fun as Natasha Atlas. They're as suave as Cheb Mami. They're as fresh-faced and sincere as any of the Sami Yusufs and Dawud Wharnsby Alis of the modern Islamic music scene, and they're about to take the Muslim West by storm, a dust storm, in fact. 'DEBU' - which means 'dust' in Malay and Indonesian - has already gone gold in the Archipelago.' Isla Rosser-Owen, Emel Magazine 'The songs DEBU sings - in Indonesian, Turkish, English and Arabic - are mostly about love and peace, and the band members exude goodwill and equanimity. They clearly revel in the opportunity to reach more and more people through their music.' David Kennedy, Jakarta Post 'DEBU's popularity rose quite a few degrees higher at the Rainforest World Music Festival this year, and although many in the audience knew them as stars already, they easily won a large new following.' Randy Raine-Reusch, Artistic Director, Rainforest World Music Festival Music from the heart, to the heart! BAND MEMBERS AND THEIR INSTRUMENTS Kumayl Mustafa Daood Born: July 9, 1981 Place of Birth: Oregon, USA Position: Composer, Arranger, Lead Vocalist, Oud, Glama and Harmonium Mustafa is the musical director and arranger of all of DEBU's music. As he is proficient on many different instruments, it is not uncommon for Mustafa to single-handedly create a demo song in the studio using most of DEBU's pieces. During a live performance, however, he generally plays up to three instruments: Oud: Also known as the lute, this round-bodied instrument is the guitar of the Middle East. It is said to be the grandfather of the guitar. Mustafa uses a Turkish oud, an Egyptian oud and an electric oud that he had custom-made in Indonesia. Glama: This Turkish long-necked lute, also known by some as the saz, is commonly used in central Asia, the Near East and the eastern Mediterranean. Harmonium: Also known as peti or baja, the harmonium is a European instrument that was introduced into India in the 19th century. It is a small organ that has bellows and is pumped by hand through free reeds to produce sound. A lever at the base of the harmonium can adjust it's scale. The keys and their intervals are the same as that of a piano. Muhammad Saleem Born: December 15, 1986 Place of Birth: Oregon, USA Position: Wind Instruments, Vocalist Although Saleem's main role in DEBU is playing wind instruments, he occasionally plays percussive instruments like the Arabian tambourine (riq). Saleem does not limit himself to one specific wind instrument. He has a large collection from around the world. Some of his favorites include: Turkish Ney: This reed flute is one of the most commonly used instruments in Turkish classical music. It has six holes on the top and one on the back, which is covered by the thumb. Sound is produced by blowing on the rim of the ney. Sundanese Flute: This bamboo flute is used in traditional Sundanese music from Indonesia. It's scale is not Western, but rather a traditional Sundanese scale. It has 6 holes and is blown from the top. Fife: Originally found in medieval Europe, this high-pitched flute is held at the side and blown from the top. Like many flutes it uses a standard 6-hole system. Though generally played in a 2-octave range, it can be played up to 3 octaves. Daood Abdullah Born: September 28, 1988 Place of Birth: Texas, USA Position: Drummer and Percussionist Daood mainly plays the darbuka, drumset and cajon. He is, however, proficient on many other percussion instruments like the Persian daf and tombak. Daood is known for his unique playing style. He takes techniques used on various instruments, such as the flutter of the flamenco guitarist, and incorporates them into his playing. The combination of playing the drum set and the handheld darbuka at the same time is another one of his distinctive talents. He has studied music and played percussion with great musicians from around the world like Gilang Ramadan, Tanmoy Bose, Dwiki Darmawan, Sadao Wantanab, Bilen Isiktas, Onur Nar, Yuyun George and Kousik Dutta. Darbuka: Known by many names (such as the dumbek, goblet drum and chalice drum), the darbuka is played in many Middle Eastern countries. It has a thin head that can be made of skin, plastic or even fiberglass. The middle of the head is hit with the hand to produce a low "DUM" sound and the rim is hit for the higher "TEK" sound. Daood uses an Egyptian darbuka, although he favors the Turkish style of playing. Cajon: This Afro-Peruvian percussion instrument is a wooden box with a hole cut out of the back. The player sits on the box and hits the face of it, usually made of plywood, with his hands. Drum Set: This western instrument is a combination of drums and percussive instruments collected and set up around the drummer. It is played using drumsticks and foot pedals. Daood personally prefers to have double foot pedals on his kick drum and he never performs without using his Mapex snare. Ali Al-Mujahid Abdullah Born: November 10, 1978 Place of Birth: Michigan, USA Position: Bass, Sound Technician Mujahid oversees all set up and technica
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    Unless
    This is Russ Glenn's Debut CD on the AIRecordings label. Featuring the talents of Todd Phillips on Percussion and Drew Garcia on Bass, the album features 14 tracks: Some are funky, some are mellow, all are original in both lyric and music. Funky-percussive guitar is tempered with finger-picked melodies to create beautiful, original music. From the melancholy catchiness of 'Blind' to the funk of 'Space' and on to the slow beauty of 'Beautiful World' it is an album worth owning. Russ plays all guitars (except lead on 'Space' played by Josh Dyer)and his talents on the digeridoo are showcased on the track 'I'll Never Leave You'. Tracks from his two previous albums STARSHELL and EVERGOLD are found on the enhanced portion of the album in MP3 format. Also in this section are 3 live tracks (including Stove Top Suffing!) and lyrics for the album. Enjoy The Music!
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    Mystery of Viburnum
    Kim Lamothe with the assistance of Brendan Whipple on upright bass and Eric Hastings on percussion makes The Kim Lamothe Tree-Oh. A funky, rhythmic dynamic tree-oh crossing genres of folk, rock and groove. Kim Lamothe is a organic gardener with a integrated ability to match poetic lyrics with progressive guitar. Finger plucked ballads and driving rhythms make her songs dynamic and her shows imploring. Brendan's techniques of bowing and drumming on the bass add to her percussive approach. Add Eric Hastings tight grooves and sensitivity to vocal delivery and the sound becomes exultant. The Providence Phoenix says about 'mystery of viburnum' Tiverton-based singer/songwriter/guitarist Kim Lamothe doubles as a full-time organic gardener and owner of Greenlion Design, and her new sophomore release, Mystery of Viburnum, provides the perfect landscape for the Kim Lamothe Tree-Oh to fully bloom. The follow-up to her '08 solo debut Philodendron, Mystery of Viburnum (available at cdbaby.com and iTunes) captures a coolly confident and engaging musicians with a vocal approach that exudes 'a pleasant tension of emotion, expression, and range,' as accurately summed up in the bio. Lamothe loves her some Joni Mitchell and, like contemporaries Ani DiFranco and Regina Spektor, she can brighten the room while breaking your heart. Viburnum is a 2010 must-have, hands-down one of the year's best local releases.
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    Harpsody-Contemporary Music for Two Harps
    The Los Angeles-based Harpsody duo (Tomoko Sato and Kaffee Mimun) has been performing together since 2003. We explore a wide and intriguing range of harp duo repertoire from Baroque to Modern, as well as our own arrangements and compositions. This album features the original harp duo pieces by B. Andres, J-M. Damase, and Carlos Salzedo, in addition to rarely performed, yet beautifully composed pieces by L. Otten and D. Argento. Not only you will hear the rich sonority of the harps, but also the modern effects that are discovered in 20th century by experimental composers- percussive use of the instrument, tapping on the soundboard, xylophone effect, snapping and hitting strings, fingernail glissando and harmonics. Harpsody perform throughout Southern California. The past year Harpsody has been awarded a Grant from the Co-op Press Commission Assistance Grand Program for composer, Sy Brandon, a professor emeritus of music from Millersville University, Millersville, PA, to write a work for two harps. Tomoko and Kaffee would love to hear your feedback. Email us your questions and opinions!
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    51 Strings
    'It is a glorious and almost unfathomable truth that it only takes 51 strings (four on the violin and 47 on the harp) to produce immensely beautiful music. While violin soloists often have a piano or an entire orchestra to serve as accompanist, the lone harp in the Kent / Shulman Duo does a fantastic job of uplifting and supporting her counterpart in a more sonically unique fashion. Violinist Peter Kent and harpist Amy Shulman have played extensively apart and as a duo worldwide for a number of years. Both imbibe a true appreciation for the music they play and that sensitivity is evident in each piece. Throughout '51 Strings' the violin takes the lead melody with it's resonance and sustain qualities while the harp becomes the delicate percussive instrument keeping each piece flowing while hopefully getting a brief shining moment to run through a glissando. The opening number is Camille Saint-Saëns' "Fantaisie," which runs seamlessly through a series of different moods with each episode ebbing with the violin rubatto and then urged along by the harp. Both instruments have exquisite tone and sound most impressive in the higher registers at quiet dynamic levels. Kent and Shulman form an excellent musical team by intertwining their respective strings in a matched timbre. Continuing in the impressionist style with a more ethnomusicology flair, the duo performs Manuel de Falla's "Spanish Dance No. 1" from the opera La Vide Breve. After expertly plucking along the Latin countryside, the duo journey to the English moors with a masterful arrangement of Ralph Vaughan Williams' "The Lark Ascending." The succulent, passionate tune captures the air of rural life in the British Isles, similar to the composer's "Six Studies in English Folksong" for cello and piano, however the combination of violin and harp is sweeter. Jumping back to the European mainland is French composer Jules Massenet's sensual "Méditation" from the opera Thaïs displaying beautiful harmonics. In classical music there is no one more perfect than Johánn Sebastian Bach. These two stellar musicians perform the third and fourth movements from his Violin Sonata in E Major, the "Adagio" and "Allegro" respectively. The final selections on this wonderfully diverse album are from the 20th century Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich. Two preludes are featured originally written for piano from his 24 Preludes, Op. 34. The first is a jumpy, humorous piece in A-flat Major with the harp carrying the left hand piano part adroitly as the violin jovially takes the melody. In the second, a musically inclined ear may pick up a snippet of the main theme from Gustav Mahler's Fifth Symphony in C-sharp minor. Lastly, rich in traditional Soviet drama and melancholy is "Romance" from the film The Gadfly. '51 Strings' not only demonstrates a more unique and aurally pleasing pairing of instruments but it also boasts a diverse assortment of musical styles sure to please any classical music lovers palette.' Review by: Kelly O'Neil Rating: 5 stars (out of 5) 'Peter Kent and Amy Shulman are each accomplished artists unto themselves. Harpist Amy Shulman, a graduate of Juilliard, has performed with numerous orchestral, chamber and contemporary music groups. She has also been heard in motion pictures, on television and on recordings by such greats as Frank Sinatra, Placido Domingo and Aretha Franklin. Violinist Peter Kent is a concertmaster in several orchestras in the Los Angeles area, and has performed on recordings by artists such as Michael Feinstein, Fiona Apple, Mariah Carey, Cracker and Shirley Horn. Beginning in 1982, the pair formed the Kent/Shulman duo, and has toured nationally to critical and popular praise. In 2012, the Kent/Shulman duo released their debut album 51 Strings. 51 Strings strikes it's first chord with Camille Saint-Saens' 'Fantaisie', a beautiful marriage of harp and violin that is subtly cast and sublime. Kent creates a beautiful framework from through which Kent's violin may dance. 'Spanish Dance No. 1' (Manuel de Falla) is a delightful turn, full of amazing energy and brilliant rhythmic counterpoints between Kent and Shulman. In contrast, the lyric beauty of Ralph Vaughan Williams' 'The Lark Ascending' is absolutely breathtaking, with Shulman providing subtle textures to highlight Kent's soaring melody lines. Johann Sebastian Bach gets fair time with "Adagio" and "Allegro". 'Adagio' mixes texture and lyricism, with each player carving out their own musical geography. There are moments of simple grace blending into sublime beauty here that captivate the listener's attention. Kent and Shulman build their resolutions slowly, leaving listeners on the very edges if their seats. 'Allegro' is a much more manic experience, with Kent bowing his way through undulating lines. 'Thais Meditation' (Jules Massenet) is contemplative and sweet, with a quiet vibrancy running underneath. The violin lines here are nothing short of gorgeous, most especially the high resolution with about 30 seconds to go. 'Berceuse' (Gabriel Fauré) finds Shulman as the perpetual 'yes, and' in a vibrant story told on four strings. It's a moment of beauty almost perfect in it's nature and mien. ?? Kent and Shulman close things out with three numbers from Dmitri Shostakovich. 'Prelude No. 1' plays off a vaguely Middle Eastern theme but quickly moves to a more classic Italian sound. The violin is vibrant here, while the harp is the glue that holds everything together. 'Prelude No. 2' is 93 seconds of quiet grace in song, with a subtle melody line that dances and lilts as if it were the air itself. Kent and Shulman close with 'Romance', with the harp marking off time as Kent tells a love story on violin. Peter Kent and Amy Shulman don't have much to prove at this point. As musicians they are acknowledged as some of the finest in their respective crafts. Yet on 51 Strings they find a way to move together beyond simple mastery into fine art. The ability to play notes with precision and a certain amount of grace is the mark of a master. The ability to breathe life through your instrument into a composition and bring it to life is the mark of an artisan. Both Kent and Shulman exhibit that ability in significant measure on 51 Strings. This is pure chamber music, much too expressive and full of life to ever be relegated to the background.' Review by: Wildy Haskell Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)? An excellent album this. Violinist Peter Kent and harpist Amy Shulman have put together a varied and colorful program that plays to the strengths of their unusual combination of instruments. Musical variety is achieved through subtle gradations of dynamics, and through a wide range of tone colors. Peter Kent is clearly a versatile violinist, and he knows exactly the tone to go for to complement the harp. Amy Shulman is also capable of varying her timbre as the music demands, through differing percussive levels in her attack, and by allowing the reverberation of the strings to overlap and mix into each other's harmonics. Most of the works on the program are arrangements, but the first piece, Saint-Saëns' Fantaisie, is a violin and harp original. And what a wonderful piece it is. The composer makes adventurous use of the harp, employing it as a full duo partner and never as mere accompaniment. His use of repeated note effects is particularly effective, as are his endlessly varied broken chords. And most importantly of all, he conjures some magical melodies, ideally suited to both instruments. In Manuel de Falla's Spanish Dance No. 1, the harp takes the role of the flamenco guitar, providing the ideal Iberian flavor and gentle propulsion throughout. The Lark Ascending is well-known in a wide range of settings and transcriptions, but the advantage of the harp here is that the violin does not have to compete to be heard. Even in it's original orchestral form, the piece presents a paradox: how can the soloist float on the breeze when the orchestral backing dem
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    Mystic Gypsy
    HarmonicEarth is a solo project by Matthew Thoma, Executive Producer at Lotus Temple Productions. HarmonicEarth's music blends the songs and sounds of the natural world with world beats and voices of cultural rich instruments such as the Sitar from India, Native American wood flute, Mayan/Aztec clay flutes, Celtic harp, Gypsy violin, Acoustic guitar, Bass guitar, and many different percussive instruments from around the world. Influenced by Asian and Native American cultures, the music of HarmonicEarth reflects those culture's respect and reverence towards the Natural world and all of It's children. Matthew Thoma formed HarmonicEarth in 2006 as an outlet for his musical writing and compositions. Having played bass guitar since the age of 12 in various bands and recording projects, Matthew yearned for the chance to really express himself fully. That dream became a reality when Matthew discovered the Native American flute and almost simultaneously the Sitar from India. Those two instruments blended together give HarmonicEarth it's soul and identity. Along the way, Matthew added the Celtic harp and Gypsy violin to his collection of instruments. Combining music composed from the heart with the songs of the natural world, HarmonicEarth's music creates an ambient soundscape that relaxes, soothes, and nourishes the soul. Whether it is background music for complimentary art forms, or just for listening pleasure, HarmonicEarth strives to bring balance and peace to the listener. Experience the world of HarmonicEarth for yourself with the newest CD, "Mystic Gypsy".
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    Si EMI Ilu
    Si Emi Ilu is the debut album by Irish percussion outfit 'Cachimbo'. The recording is based on traditional Cuban and Brazilian drumming forms with other influences being introduced into this highly energetic mix . The bands percussive sound is complimented by mandolin, guitar, bass, piano, saxophone, trumpet and trombone. The drums however play a leading role throughout the CD. The Journey begins in Cuba and takes us on to Brazil, while stopping off in Ireland in between. Traditional rhythms and songs are mixed together in a unique approach, while the melodies of ancient Orisha songs are played on the different melodic instruments. Overall a very enjoyable mix of Drumming traditions with Cachimbo's own unique stamp !
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    Layopasana 1: Rhythmic Voyage
    About the CD: Recorded in a single take, the critically-acclaimed solo for mridangam-- the ancient South Indian drum-- is an original composition specially set in the traditional Indian time cycle of 2 kalai Adi Tala, which consists of 16 repeating units. Equally improvised and precomposed, the solo features a wide display of rhythmic intricacies, including elaborations in complex subdivisions of 3, 4, 5, 7 and 9, and highlights the stunning tonalities of the mridangam. Blending the rich percussive styles of a host of Indian drums like the tabla, tavil, and khanjira, as well as the legendary techniques of past masters of Indian percussion, Rohan creates a refreshing and inimitable style on the mridangam. Reviews of Layopasana 1: 'Spine tingling rhythmic fireworks from a young expert in the art of South Indian drumming.' - Grammy-award winning framedrummer Glen Velez. 'His style is very mature and reflects that of senior mridangists, particularly the legendary C.S. Murughabhupathy.' - World-renowned Indian slide guitarist Chitravina N. Ravikiran. 'His tani avartanam (solo) for Adi Tala with imaginative permutations and combinations in the different nadais, the flawless beats, meetus, chappus, arai chappus, etc., played with appreciable clarity and the crowning rhythmic finale, has the seal of quality. Rohan is a natural and is bound to go far in his chosen art form of percussion.' - The Hindu, Chennai (India) About Rohan: Acclaimed an "international performer and promoter" of the South Indian pitched drum, the mridangam, by USA Today, Rohan Krishnamurthy is today considered a young musical ambassador in the Indian music scene. Having initially received mridangam training with Damodaran Srinivasan over a telephonic setup in the U.S. and continuing advanced training from the mridangam maestro Guruvayur Dorai in India, Rohan has performed in hundreds of concerts in North America and India since the age of nine with leading Indian musicians like Prof. T.N. Krishnan, Dr. N. Ramani, R. K. Srikantan, Chitravina N. Ravikiran, S. Shashank, T. M. Krishna, S. Sowmya, etc. He has been invited to perform for ten consecutive years during the celebrated December Music Season in Chennai, India and has spearheaded numerous cross-musical ventures with well-known symphony orchestras, jazz ensembles, and distinguished musicians including Grammy Award-winners Glen Velez and Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Anoushka Shankar, and Ayano Ninomiya. He recently presented a weeklong performance of "Echoes," a novel concerto for mridangam and string orchestra, with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, an event that attracted nearly 13,000 schoolchildren from across Michigan. "Echoes" has since been programmed by several professional orchestras in the U.S. Rohan has presented numerous Indian percussion summer camps, workshops, academic lecture-demonstrations, and ambassadorial events throughout the U.S. and India, and is the recipient of several awards, including USA Today's "All-College Academic Second Team," "Young Artist of India" by Bharat Kalachar (Chennai, India), Thomas Siwe Scholarship from the Percussive Arts Society, and "Prodigy in Performing Arts" by the Indo-American Center in New York City. An innovator, Rohan has redesigned the ancient mridangam to make it more user-friendly and durable. His work resulted in a publication in the premier music journal, Percussive Notes, last year. This past summer, Rohan conducted acoustical research on his new design at Coe College, Iowa, and was invited to present his work at the Acoustical Society of America's annual conference in New Orleans, where his presentation received the "Best Student Paper" award. Rohan's multifaceted accomplishments earned him a one-on-one meeting and performance for the President of India, Dr. Abdul Kalam, at the presidential office and estate in New Delhi. The President commented, "You an expert in your field and are doing wonderful things to bridge cultures through music. You have a very bright future!" This fall, Rohan will be entering a graduate program in ethnomusicology at the prestigious Eastman School of Music as a Provost's Fellow.
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    Piano Music for Ballet & Character Dance
    Reviewers praised Josu Gallastegui's debut American release for it's 'brilliant, focused, percussive sound,' and former New York City Ballet soloist George Lee called it 'a stunning new standard for music in this field.' With 20 selections for standard ballet class and an additional 16 selections for character class, this collection is an extraordinary--and extraordinarily beautiful--resource for teachers, dancers, and studios alike. The standard ballet class contains music by Beethoven, Liszt, Mahler, Lecuona, and Gallastegui himself. The character CD includes mazurka, tarantella, jota, bolero, and much more. Gallastegui has been an accompanist for American Ballet Theater, Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Gelsey Kirkland Ballet Academy, Mark Morris Dance Group, School of American Ballet, and Madrid's Real Escuela de Danza in Madrid. He has worked with leading dancers and choreographers including Mikhail Baryshnikov, Cynthia Gregory, Cynthia Harvey, Susan Jaffe, Allegra Kent, Gelsey Kirkland, Rudolf Nureyev, Anna Sokolow, and Ross Stretton among many others. In 2010, he performed with legendary ballerina Maya Plisetskaya at a gala in her honor. Dancer/choreographer David Parsons has said that Gallastegui has "goldfingers" while Susan Jaffe describes his work as "deeply creative, wonderfully musical, and completely enjoyable to dance to." Mikhail Baryshnikov has called Gallastegui "a superb musician with a remarkable sensitivity for ballet."
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    Chasing Light
    Mark Knippel: Marenje* The following note is provided by the composer: "Marenje is a traditional welcoming song of the Shona people of Zimbabwe. My composition is based solely on the opening material of the original song. The entrances of the first two guitars are exactly what would be played on the mbira [traditional African instrument consisting of a wooden soundboard with 22 to 28 metal keys] and marimba. One of the techniques of Shona music that I employed is having the same material played on two instruments offset by one eighth note. This idea permeates my composition, as it is one of the ideas of their music that I found especially striking." Marenje, begins as a whispering, euphoric murmur, as if you are walking into a bustling street market, taking in the sights, smells, and sounds. A minute into the piece, all four guitars crescendo into a fully-blossomed, gently-jiving, jovial sonic soundscape that grows in intensity, and culminates in a quasi-percussive, exuberant, upper register ostinato played by one guitar, fluttering over the other three like a liberated bird-of-paradise. Garry Eister: Chasing Light* Garry Eister writes the following note for Chasing Light: "Chasing Light uses a grab bag of techniques, including irregular meters, meant to evoke the rhythmic feel of Eastern European dances. The outer movements are in E minor. The middle movement is in E-flat minor, which, by it's 'sinking down' a half step below the movements that surround it, helps impart the feeling of isolation and stillness that it's title indicates. The final movement is meant to convey a sense of urgency, of running or driving as fast as possible toward the Western horizon in an attempt to delay the setting of the Sun." Throughout Chasing Light, a sense of combative harmony pervades. Each guitar is autonomous, yet interconnected with the others. Through coherent use of imitation, unison, accent, textural variation, and overlapping melodic lines, Eister creates a robust quartet in which each guitar is of equal importance, fighting and playing with one another in an ecstatic cloud of sound. Mark Knippel: Attained Elusiveness* Unlike Marenje, Attained Elusiveness possesses none of the effervescent giddiness that permeates the former. Instead, it features Steve Reich-like transient sonic fractals that flash and evaporate as snowflakes on a windowpane, elusive, yet, for a fleeting moment, attained. Darin Au: Chasing Dragons The most straightforward composition on the album, Chasing Dragons soars in a self-assured, flowing arc. There may be dragons, but they are observed in transit, as if from a hangglider. Punctuated by raspy rasgueados, spiky accents, and icy harmonics, an ominous nether world is hinted at, yet never entered. A great distance is traveled over a brief period of time. Christopher Gainey: Flowing Through: Rhapsody on a theme of Egberto Gismonti* Christopher Gainey shares the following note: "I have always loved [Brazilian composer Egberto Gismonti's] Agua e Vinho, and I was fascinated by how different performers used it as the basis for very individual embellishment/improvisation. In essence, Flowing Through is a set of variations on Agua e Vinho, with one exception, when the theme comes in at the end of the piece, it is placed together with material from the first variation that reconfigures the original theme into a ternary form (Agua e Vinho forming the 'A' section, while it's variation forms a 'B' theme). The notation fluctuates between precisely notated music and much more flexible, somewhat indeterminate, methods of notation that allow the ensemble some interpretive freedom." Karol Szymanowski: Mazurkas, Op. 50, Nos. 1 and 3 Arranging solo piano works for guitar quartet is, at first glance, counterintuitive. The luminescent sonority of the piano is markedly different than the brighter sound of the classical guitar. However, the two mazurkas that guitarist Patrick O'Connell selected and arranged transfer strikingly well to four guitars. The hushed dynamics (rarely exceeding mezzo-piano), combined with rich, colorful modal layering, allow opportunity for the guitars to explore hues and colors beyond the scope of the original piano. Through the use of idiomatic guitar techniques, such as artificial harmonics, and through exploitation of the guitar's broad timbral palette, new insight into Szymanowski's music is gained. Andrew York: Pacific Coast Highway Like Lotus Eaters, Andrew York's Pacific Coast Highway is melody-centered and harmonically stable. A self-confident first guitar both plays with and battles against the remaining guitar "trio." The first half of the piece is placid, daydreamy, the second half intense, excited. Evocative of the seemingly infinite Californian Pacific Coast Highway, the musical terrain is ever-changing, winding, rocking, and rolling. Andrew York: Lotus Eaters Andrew York's Lotus Eaters was written for the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet (LAGQ), and possesses the carefree charm of a late summer backyard barbecue. Through harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic constriction, it gains a spatial freedom, with evocations of Wes Montgomery, Ali Farka Touré, and Al Di Meola flickering like fireflies throughout the piece. As an added bonus, SFGQ has added two minutes of infectious improvisation to the original. Clarice Assad: Bluezilian Clarice Assad describes Bluezilian as follows: "I wrote Bluezilian for LAGQ, in 2005, as an encore piece. At the time, I had just broken a foot and was unable to walk or get out much. Feeling a bit down and constrained, I decided to work on a piece that would be light and fun, almost cartoonish-something that, in certain spots, would make me want to giggle. I purposely made the decision to use and abuse musical clichés. The piece is a musical satire that draws connections between American popular styles and Brazilian rhythmic and harmonic sensibilities. All parts, as simple as they may be, are filled with nuances to be explored, and the parts themselves communicate between one another." Bluezilian is a highly-caffeinated, animated whirlwind trip: accents kick, glissandi jolt, trills zap, and chords smack. It sounds as if a cartoon volcano was erupting in a harmonic kaleidoscope of plucks and strums. But it also sings and dances, swells and spins. Rarely has a such a short piece contained so much exuberant energy. Liner notes by Patrick Durek * Premiere recording and dedication to the San Francisco Guitar Quartet.
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