from newEar concert Exotica April 23, 2004 8pm @ Unity Temple on the Plaza Kansas City, MO
The title of this composition describes the musical/instrumental elements contained within: American (western), AfroCuban and Balinese. The work blends not only the sounds of the various sources, but also forms and compositional approaches. The opening is a Balinese double Kawitan, or head, that features kotekan (interlocking figurations in higher gangsas) and angsels (breaks); they have been set atypically in 3/4 time signature. The Cuban elements are actually African in origin. The Batá drum family (Iyá, Itótele and Okónkolo of Nigerian/Yoruba origin) underscore the center portion of the piece, a form called Rezo, which is highlighted by call and response between the western instruments and Gamelan orchestra, accented by a steadily increasing tempo in the rhythmic underpinning while the melody floats unfettered above. The main western influence, along with instrumentation, is harmonization. The Rezo is followed by a fiery Kebyar in Balinese style and closes with the full ensemble joining in a mixing of AfroCuban Rumba/Iyesá, Balinese Gilak and very American sounding harmonies. It should be especially noted that our master teacher, I Ketút Gedé Asnawa, is featured in an improvised Kendang drum solo between the Kawitan and Rezo sections of the work.
I Ketút Gedé Asnawa, Allan Winkler, Marti Wilson, Gary Hearne, Craig McGinty, Jim Wilson, Rick Mareske, Wayne Yockey, Josh Mobley, Bill Solomon, Jeffrey Ruckmann, Greg Mackender, Patrick Alonzo Conway, Nicholas Urbom, Pam Sherrod, Sam Hughes, Mark Gaspard, Yonitika Asnawa, Yunirika Asnawa, Niastarika Asnawa, Putu Oka Mardiani
newEar players:
Dr. Thomas Aber - contra-alto clarinet, bari sax
Mark Cohick - English horn, tenor sax
Jan Faidley - soprano sax, alto sax
Mark Lowry - marimba, percussion
Patrick Alonzo Conway/SyncreticaKansas City, Missouri
Patrick Alonzo Conway is a percussionist, wind player and composer. He has studied with noted master drummers from around
the world and has traveled to Cuba and Bali to study. Pat holds a Masters in Music Composition from the UMKC Conservatory, was a founding member of newEar and works with Chris Hazelton's Boogaloo 7, Matt Hopper's Agora Peoples Liberation Big Band of Greater KC, and BCR....more
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