This CD is a culmination of our artistic approach towards teaching and performing Afro-Cuban music and culture at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. The evolution of these works began in 2008 with the creation of the Afro-Cuban Folkloric Ensemble as part of the World Percussion Program. Within three years the musical quality of the ensemble had reached an exceptional level, winning first place in the 2011 International Percussive Arts Society World Music competition. The caliber of the ensemble’s performances has remained at the highest level ever since, and among the many factors that contribute to the ensemble’s artistic excellence are the nature and sophistication of its musical arrangements.
Afro-Cuban folkloric music is rich with sonic palettes and tonal variety. But rarely does one have the opportunity to appreciate this diversity of sounds and textures together in a traditional setting, because each genre is customarily performed separately. Our creative intent is to explore the musical and cultural connections that exist beyond traditional boundaries, connections that can be missed when performing each folkloric genre as a stand-alone piece. To this end, we combine and adapt these folkloric forms into extended musical arrangements and sequences. This allows for unique and innovative ways of presenting the traditional material, as well as providing an opportunity to feature our personal perspective on a trans-cultural synthesis of the music of the African diaspora. Although this album’s foundation is primarily rooted in Afro-Cuban folkloric rhythms and songs, the arrangements draw from a variety of musical landscapes beyond the folkloric. In addition to the traditional percussion and vocals, these contemporary suites incorporate marimbas and orchestral percussion, Brazilian and African percussion instruments, steelpans, woodwinds, brass, and strings. Each suite is a unique musical configuration as parts are re-voiced, patterns are played on non-traditional instruments, and songs and rhythms from different parts of the African diaspora are juxtaposed against each other. Each piece tells a musical story and is comprised of multiple interrelated sections, building a kaleidoscopic musical exploration around a central thematic focus.
We have chosen three particular suites from the Afro-Cuban Ensemble’s last decade of performances to record for this project. Two of them come directly from the sacred contexts of Afro-Cuban music, while the third is entirely secular in nature and is our homage to Carnavál in the Americas. These works are based on specific Afro-Cuban cultural motifs, and those familiar with this music will quickly recognize the construction of the musical narratives.
As we honor the mayores and what they have left us, we also understand that we must explore and expand into the future. After all, folkloric music is a living tradition that grows and adapts with each generation. But, whether in a given moment we are preserving the tradition or advancing it into a new direction, at day’s end…
¡Bákini pa’ gbogbó orichas!
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