column
by Genevieve Williams
An online acquaintance from Finland recently made a few observations about the onset of autumn in his home country. What made this so interesting was that it was early August, far earlier than most of us in the U.S. even think about autumn. For me personally, it has always had an unbreakable connection with the beginning of school, and thus with September, even if school for me begins at the very end of September this year. I mention this because it highlights the fact that the seasons, like most things, are not as sharply defined as one might think -- get to the boundary and the edges blur; wake up one morning and discover that it's fall.
The music I bring you for this column, likewise, blurs the edges between genres, cultures and languages. From lands crossed by the Silk Road comes The Rain, courtesy of the ensemble Ghazal; Sámi yoik singer Wimme returns with Instinct; Kultur Shock, one of my favorite local bands, is back with Kultura-Diktatura; rhythm fans can look forward to a couple of stunning CDs from percussionist Joji Hirota; and on the pagan front, Pisces Projekt has released Opera.
Readers of Earth Tones have long benefited from my habit of occasionally being willing to drop cash on a CD I've never heard, just because it looks intriguing. Thus is how I discovered Kayhan Kalhor and Shujaat Husain Khan, the duo who form the core of the ensemble Ghazal. Their CD, The Rain (ECM), is a lovely set of improvisations on Persian and Indian themes. The three pieces together last almost an hour and take the listener on evocative voyages through the natural world, as suggested by their titles. The first, "Fire," begins slowly and then picks up speed, often changing dynamic or tonal direction with surprising speed, much as fire does. "Dawn" is similarly evocative; those who drag themselves out of bed early enough to watch sunrises know how it advances slowly, the light gradually brightening until the sun comes up all at once. Perhaps paradoxically, "Eternity" opens rather more intimately than the previous two pieces, at least to this Westerner's ear. The improvisatory nature of these pieces means that they tend to wander a bit, but the performers' expertise gives the music momentum and direction. The Rain has, on the whole, a peaceful, meditative quality; but there is something dance-like about it too (courtesy, perhaps, of tabla player Sandeep Das). It's like nothing else I've heard this year.
Last year I reviewed Wimme Saari's cross-cultural collaboration Bárru (NorthSide). For 2004, he returns with a more traditional, but still modern, collection of Sámi yoik, titled Instinct (NorthSide), a collection of solo performances of this unique singing style. Not as accessible as Bárru, Instinct nonetheless has its appeal. To some degree, chant is chant, and yoik bears a resemblance to certain forms of Native American tribal chants that most of us have probably heard at one time or another; but it is also a distinctive form in its own right, with its own stylistic variations and modern re-interpretations. Wimme is capable of some astonishing vocal feats, of which the most remarkable is probably his ability to make his voice sound like a didgeridoo. It's worth mentioning that while much of the material on Instinct is traditional, some of it is not, in the sense that it is of recent composition and deals with more modern subjects -- though in the tradition of the specific style Wimme performs, each song has only one subject. Lyrics of the original pieces are provided and are helpful, since most of the familiar auditory cues used by Western listeners to gain a sense of subject, mood and emotional content are absent from this genre of music. As a result, yoik is something of an acquired taste for listeners outside the culture, which is probably why Wimme's recordings in the past have included Western touches and arrangements drawn from jazz and electronica. Instinct is a different creature, at once more intimate and less accessible. Some clues may be found on the CD itself, which, if played on the computer, has some enhanced content. This includes a few videos that allow the music to be heard in context and gives some hints as to its original inspiration. It may also make you want to visit Norway.
Almost startling in its contrast is the new release from Seattle world fusion-punk rockers Kultur Shock, whose latest album, Kultura-Diktatura, has just been released by Kool Arrow. With its third release, Kultur Shock is both more mainstream and more out-of-this-world than ever before. Having started several years ago as a more-or-less traditional eastern European folk act (the original ensemble and current core members hail mostly from Bosnia and Bulgaria), the band added punk-rock aesthetics, an on-again off-again horn section (the only current wind player is highly-regarded Seattle saxophonist Amy Denio) and a passion for challenging musical boundaries. At the same time, the music world has embraced this kind of experimentation, so that the warning to radio DJs on Kultur Shock's first CD, Live in Amerika ("If you play this album on the air, you may lose your job!"), no longer holds true, if in fact it ever did. However, whatever goes on in the musical mainstream, Kultur Shock have consistently proved that they're way ahead of the curve, and Kultura-Diktatura is no exception. I recommend it unreservedly -- and also insist, while I'm at it, that as good as this CD is, there is no substitute for the experience that is a Kultur Shock live show. (See upcoming shows at the end of this column.)
If you like drums, then Japanese taiko drummer, percussionist and composer Joji Hirota has not one, but two treats for you. The first is a straightforward project featuring Hirota and fellow drummers in an ensemble that has been performing together around the world for years, titled Japanese Taiko (Arc Music). It consists of nine pieces, eight of which Hirota composed (the ninth, a traditional piece, was arranged by him), and all of which are rousing, energetic performances. The liner notes include English translations of the Japanese titles, as well as descriptions of their inspiration and development. Perhaps not surprisingly, many of the pieces on this CD were inspired by natural phenomena. The first, called "Harvest," is eminently suitable for Mabon, but there are sounds and rhythms for all seasons here. The second CD is a collaboration with percussionist Pete Lockett, who has worked with everyone from Björk to Evelyn Glennie, titled Taiko to Tabla (Arc Music). As the title implies, the tabla (an Indian drum made famous by Zakir Hussein) is prominently featured, but between them Lockett and Hirota play just about everything but the kitchen sink (and possibly that as well). Taiko to Tabla is also the name the pair use to go on tour, and if you crank up this CD you can just about imagine what it would be like to experience this stuff live. In the meantime, if you're looking for a strongly rhythmic sonic backdrop to just about any ritual or event, either of these CDs will suit just fine, and they're great just for listening, as well.
Opera (Unicorn 1) is the debut release from Pisces Projekt, a husband-and-wife duo who, as their promo materials point out, are both Piscean. This perhaps explains the watery evocation of this album, an emotionally weighty piece of work that rests on a foundation of sweeping arrangements that are orchestral in scope, if largely electronic in execution. The music is composed and performed by Zakhuur Diliiza, who also does vocal duty along with his wife Sinari. Musically, Opera lives up to the grandeur implied by its title, and pagan listeners will find a great deal to like about the CD. It feels a bit mean-spirited to voice my one major criticism of this album, which is that some of the lyrics could use work on form and style. Pisces Projekt so clearly and obviously are speaking from the heart with this CD that I hesitate to bring this up, but the sentiments they express are so worthy, and the musical and vocal performances so strong, that at the end of Opera I found myself wishing they'd stretched themselves a bit more, both lyrically and stylistically. Perhaps they will; they do have the chops for it, and all in all Opera shows great promise. If you have trouble finding it in your local store, you can order it online from www.cdbaby.com. They've also been featured on the Bardic Circle at www.witchvox.com.
Upcoming concerts of interest: Kultur Shock is at the Crocodile in Seattle October 8. Also on October 8, Seattle's own Gaia Consort performs at Bellevue's Meydenbauer Center. September 23-25 is the annual Shake the Shack Rockabilly Ball at the Tractor Tavern. Niamh Parson and Graham Dunne are at the Conor Byrne Pub September 30. Zing Go the Strings: Fantastic Fiddling Showcase is at Seattle Town Hall October 1. The Early Music Guild presents Fretwork at Town Hall October 11.
Genevieve Williams is a Seattle freelance writer and drummer. She can be reached at rimrun@drizzle.com with feedback, suggestions or recommendations. Local musicians and pagan groups are encouraged to submit material for review and show listings.
Copyright © 2006 by the article's author