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Kecapi Suling (Java) | 01. | Kecapi Suling (Java) 9:40 | |
'Bacha' Nagila (Ukraine) | 02. | 'Bacha' Nagila (Ukraine) 11:26 | |
Kudan - as performed by Ikuta-Ryu (Japan) | 03. | Kudan - as performed by Ikuta-Ryu (Japan) 7:10 | |
View of a Village (China) | 04. | View of a Village (China) 12:01 | |
'Butterfly' Jig (Ireland) | 05. | 'Butterfly' Jig (Ireland) 12:09 | |
Total Playing Time: 52:26 |
Kecapi Suling (9\'40\") - this is based on traditional Javanese Gamelan. The suling soloists are Simon Shaheen on Oud, and Yaki Reuven on Mandolin. As part of the ensemble we had Rene Izquerdio, Matthew Rohde. Chinnawat Themkunkwan, Victor Main, and Adam Levin on prepared guitar using tac, chopsticks, paper clips etc, Bridget Kibbey on Harp, Will Knuth on Violin, Jim Davidson on Electric guitar with effects, Badi Assad on guitar and voice, and Scott Borg conducted and played Bass and 8 String Guitar. The piece is in 4 sections and starts with the Oud and Mandolin presenting to traditional solo \'Suling\'. The next section is the typical Gamelan texture with a strict transcription notational-wise. Section C we move to commentary on the industrialization and removal of the forests, represented by distortion, guttural grunts and growls, Badi making multiple animal noises, and various percussive effects on the instruments of the ensemble. The composition finishes with a more subdued representation of Section B. The lower bass notes, which in Javanese belief represents an earthly pulse slowly fade out showing the fragility of nature.
Bacha Nagilia (11\'26\") - As the title suggests, this is a combination of Bach and the Hava Nagila, but this is so much more. This crazy recomposition is a fusion of Portuguese Fado, Flamenco, Rumba, with some little homages to ACDC! This version of Hava Nagila is not like anyone has ever heard it before. On this track we have Derek Gripper (Guitar), Silviu Ciulei (Flamenco Guitar), Yaki Rueven (Mandolin) and Badi Assad (Voice), and Mike Block (Cellist and Director of the Silk Road Ensemble) taking a majority of the solos. The rest of the band is Matthew Rohde, Jim Perona, Victor Main, Jim Davidson, and Adam Levin on various types of guitars, and the rest of the Maharajah Flamenco Trio of David Cobb on Bass and Ramin Yazdanpanah on percussion and didgeridoo, and Scott Borg conducted and played 8 string guitar. It is a WILD ride! Although every note was notated, the final product incorporated significant improvisation from the source material.
Kudan for 2 Kotos (7\'18\") - This is a 1-minute, 2-line piece that Scott Borg expanded out to 10 minutes and 9 lines! Many effects on the guitar are used to create the essence of Japanese Koto. The lead roles are Bridget Kibbey on Harp and Will Knuth on Violin. The rest of the counter voices interweave in a unique way, highlighting the prepared guitars of Rene Izquerdio, Matthew Rohde. Chinnawat Themkunkwan, Victor Main, and Adam Levin on prepared guitars with tac, chopsticks, paper clips, etc. Jim Davidson on Bass, and Scott Borg played 8-string guitar and conducted.
View of a Village (12\'01\") - loosely based on a Chinese melody, this is the largest ensemble piece of the album, and uses everyone at one time or another taking a leading role. Texturally this is the most dense which the 10-minute piece leads to an enormous highpoint which also represents the climax of the album. Featured on this piece Derek Gripper, Victor Main, Matthew Rohde, Jim Perona, Silviu Ciulei, Adam Levin on Guitar, Jim Davidson on steel string and slide guitar, Badi Assad on vox and guitar, Mike Block on Cello, David Cobb on Bass and Ramin Yazdanpanah on percussion and didgeridoo. Scott Borg conducted and played 8-string guitar.
The \"Butterfly\" Jig (12\'09\") - To conclude the album we have a lively Irish Jig! This Jig, however, consists of 6 separate Jig\'s interlays on top of each other. Derek Gripper is the main theme of the \"Butterfly\" which starts the piece. Slowly but surely, different musicians start to sneak in performing their own Jig. Later, the Butterfly interrupts and becomes slowly incorporated in the piece, until finally at the end all the musicians get on board with a rounding rendition of the Butterfly. Performers include Derek Gripper, Victor Main, Matthew Rohde, Jim Perona, Silviu Ciulei, Adam Levin on Guitar, Jim Davidson on steel string and slide guitar, Mike Block on Cello, David Cobb on Bass and Ramin Yazdanpanah on cajon and didgeridoo.