THE VOICE


Holiday shopping from home!

This music will be enjoyed by people who seek the unusual - people who can decide for themselves what they like to hear. The sensual pulsating drum rhythms rooted in Africa and the Caribbean may open up a new world of listening for those with the ability to free themselves of convention. The beautiful and soothing sound of the Kalimba (African thumb piano) will transport ones soul to a place far from everyday life.

DOWNLOAD THE TITLE TRACK FROM JERRY Z'S CD "THE VOICE" FREE IN MP3 FORMAT!

BUY ONLINE CLICK HERE!

This is an independant production. No record company executives will be paid.

Reviews

From The New London Day Sunday Oct. 17,1999

"This is terrific stuff, mind-opening in its variety of evocative sounds. The list of instruments Z utilizes is pretty much as long as the Manhattan phone directory-and a helluva lot more interesting-and the entire record is essentially a musical atlas of the more compelling places in our world. Though it might seem conceptually limited-at least in a world inundated with verse/chorus/verse radio structures-in its inherently rhythm oriented context, "The Voice" is a wonderfully textured record. Veering from nature sounds to seductive beats to exotic instrumentation, "The Voice" is at once lulling, hypnotic, and constantly fresh and entertaining"

INSTRUMENTS YOU WILL HEAR-

MAC users may need SoundApp - available here

  1. THE VOICE This piece is the result of a drumming practice tape in which one could hear different groups of instruments while practicing soloing. I recorded all of the individual parts, mixed them down to achieve a good blend, then dropped out groups in 8 bar intervals. The three sections then became the base for solos alternating between djembe and congas-The Voice was an afterthought (my own voice pitch shifted down a bit). Many cultures believe that drums are living beings. Following this line of reasoning, perhaps the drums themselves are the voice of the ancestors. A practice tape (or CD) for drummers is still a project for the future.

  2. BALAPHONISMO Thanks to my good friend Mr. multitrack recording, There was no need to find several balaphones which played in tune together as they are all the same instrument. Here again, I have traded phrases with myself-this is a result perhaps of my years as a jazz musician. Trading phrases is also very common in African music (call and response). The concept of achieving a perfect balance of rhythm and melody is certainly a valid goal - and a fun game too.

  3. AMAZON KITCHEN Try to imagine some tribal folk cooking up some music during a thunder storm. I have employed the African kalimba ( thumb piano ) as well as the marimbula ( bass kalimba ). The inspiration was simply the sound of the rain, thunder, and birds.

  4. TAMBOUR Y GUIRO A drum amd gourd ceremony is a type of event in the Santeria religion in which the musical accompianment for the songs is played by the members themselves saving the expense of hiring professional drummers. The guiro or shekere is a gourd loosly strung with beads and is popular in almost all cultures that grow gourds. The standard group would include three shekeres, one conga drum, and one metal cowbell (sometimes even a hoe blade or ax head). This piece is not meant to be a replica of this type of music. I have added the Ghanian gankougi double bell as well as the Brasilian gogo bells. I have also added the Brasilian quica ( friction drum ).

  5. PEARL RIVER JAM This piece was recorded after a recent trip to China. During my stay at the Guangdong Dance Academy in Guangzhou (on the banks of the beautiful Pearl River), I had the opportunity to purchase several Chinese gongs and two large Chinese drums. When I started to record, the music almost wrote itself.

  6. TOOTIE FLUTIE A calypso using kalimba, marimbula and pennywhistle? Because I can!

  7. MOZAMBIQUE This Cuban carnival rhythm really hit me on a deep level. The clever way in which the different parts all fit together is very motivating. Hundreds, even thousands of partying people all dance in unison in the style of Congolese tribal celebrations. The pulsating rhythm drives people to complete exhaustion.

  8. CLOUDS / PILLOWS / BREASTS One of my favorite musical instruments is the African thumb piano (predecessor to the modern piano). Long hours of traveling in the band truck in the '70s allowed me time to develop my technique. Multitracking the same instrument gave me a nice even sound without any serious intonation problems. Watch for a CD of mostly kalimba music in the future.


  9. CONGA COLOSSUS If you reduced a mambo or salsa rhythm into its individual components (bass, piano. timbales etc.) then reassigned each part to tuned conga drums the result would be somthing like this. Re-tune the drums to different pitches for soloing, add a big timbale solo and you're jammin'. Sign up for my drum class and I will teach you the whole thing (except for the solos).

  10. CEMETARY SOIREE This is based roughly on the Haitian Banda rhythm. One of the most recognizable characters in Haitian Vodou is Baron Samedi-a spirit associated with the dead. While wearing his customary black hat, sunglasses (often broken), and tuxedo jacket, he usually playes the trickster. Baron will show up uninvited insisting on being given food and drink. He will act in a rude manner trying to embarass people while dancing, smoking, and telling dirty jokes. Everyone puts up with the pranks and apeases him knowing that when you die you don't want to be on his bad side. Papa Doc Duvalier took advantage of Vodou believers (almost everyone in Haiti) by adopting the persona of Baron Samedi. While not meant to be an actual representation of this rhythm, it is based on the music and dance of the Baron.

  11. TRANCE DANCE Just close your eyes, make sure you have enough room and let the music take your body. Everyone has a lineage to ancient times-a time before prudish morality, before society dictated our behavior, perhaps even before the concept of "cool". This music evokes in some people a sense of tribalism. Based again on African traditional music, I have recorded using no click track, and no guides other than the spirit of a drummer. Please be careful if you think you are trance-prone as I assume no responsibility for anything. Experiment with a friend you trust. It is possible that you may discover a hidden passion you didn't know you had. I would love to hear about any unusual experiences.

DOWNLOAD THE TITLE TRACK FROM JERRY Z'S CD "THE VOICE" FREE IN MP3 FORMAT!

BUY ONLINE CLICK HERE!

currency conversion - or here (multilingual)

$13.50 US includes packing and two day priority mail delivery anywhere in the US - outside US please add $2.00

SEND TODAY! I still have a few copies - 

Jerry Z
Connecticut College box 5282    
270 Mohegan Ave. 
New London, ct. usa   06320

This is an independant production. No record company executives will be paid.

HOME

E-MAIL ME

This page hosted by GeoCities Get your own Free Home Page


Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1