Chicago-based drummer and composer Gustavo Coritñas is a restless experimenter. His music often includes Latin American folk influences, sociopolitical awareness, and thrilling spontaneity. On The Drum Also Sings, Cortiñas joins forces with two other unique and stylistically very different drummers, Dave King and Isaiah Spencer, to explore the drum kit's lyricism.
For instance, the three-part group improvisation, “Dialogue with the Ancestors” features a definite spirituality. Its chant-like refrains and fiery yet haunting rhythms build an exalted homage to the gods of the past and the primal world itself. Here too, the contrasting styles of the three drummers add another captivating dimension to the piece. King’s exuberant percussion with touches of whimsy, heard on the right, complements Spencer’s darkly hued thundering beats on the left. While Cortiñas, in between his bandmates, adds a contemplative, almost meditative aspect to the collective drumming. Despite the individuality of each musician, the result is delightfully cohesive, stimulating yet never jarring.
The theme of transcendent mysticism runs through the entire album. On “Etinel skotol t'ixt'unel” Mayan spoken word artist Angelina Suyul recites her own poem in her ancestral tongue. A paen to the eternal and the integration of humanity within the universe, Suyul’s performance moves with the hypnotic cadence of her words. Their meaning is almost instinctively understood even before reading the Spanish and English translations.
Chilean vocalist La Paula Herrera delivers Cortiñas’ song “Tu Resiliencia Es Resistencia” with emotional resonance. Her sublime artistry and eloquence amplify the hopefulness and the poignancy of the lyrics. Meanwhile, the intimacy of her voice and the fluidity of her singing enchant and mesmerize.
On “Añay Pachamama” Argentinian musician Maryta de Humahuaca interprets her compatriot, María Farfán Caparros’ ode in the Quechua language. The track glorifies the natural world in a pantheistic tone. The title translates to “Gratitude Mother Earth”, and de Humahuaca imbues it with an appropriate balance of the sacred and the primal. It is simultaneously a joyous and somber religious ceremony.
This conceptual framework continues with vocalist and clarinetist Anget Bat Dawid, who transforms “Psalm 23” into a powerful, impassioned plea. Her thrillingly dissonant clarinet and her bluesy shouts make this biblical verse into a life-affirming protest anthem. It also serves as the perfect conclusion for this intriguing and provocative work.
On the surface, a recording made up primarily of drumming, with little other instrumentation, may sound daunting. Coritñas, however, has made it evocative enough to entrance his audience. Far from mainstream, The Drum Also Sings stirs open-minded listeners to their core.
0 comments:
Post a Comment