姓名： MkwajuEnsemble 英文名：- 性别：男 国籍：- 出生地：- 语言：- 生日：- 星座：- 身高：- 体重：-
The tamarind, known as “mkwaju” in Swahili, is a large, adaptable, drought resistant tree native to Sudan and tropical Africa. A dense, durable, insect-resistant wood, mkwaju is used in the production of furniture, wheels, planking, tools, and musical instruments. Prized also for its horticultural, culinary, and medical uses, mkwaju is essential to the life and identity of the Central African grasslands.
Taking their name from the tree whose wood was used to produce some of the very first mallets and marimba, Mkwaju Ensemble’s rhythmic, minimalistic work draws on the region’s music and culture. In a brief six month span, the ensemble combined a wide array of talent and instrumentation to explore syncopation, repetition, and silence in new and ambitious ways.
Many sub-Saharan languages do not have a word for rhythm, or even music. Rhythms represent the very fabric of life, and embody the interdependence of human relationships. Cross-beats can symbolize challenging moments or emotional stress, and playing them while fully grounded in main beats is thought to prepare one to maintain purpose while dealing with life’s challenges. This simultaneous use of contrasting rhythmic patterns lies at the core of Africa’s rhythmic tradition, and is evident in much of the ensembles work. Marimba, vibraphone, bamboo percussion and synth intertwine to create something both traditional and new.
Recording in the spring and fall of 1981 and tied together primarily by the consistent presence of percussionist Midori Takada, Mkwaju Ensemble produced only two albums. A collaboration between Takada, Joe Hisaishi, and Hideki Matsutake, Mkwaju is the more developed of the two. A richer work, Mkwaju combines the strengths of each participant to form a dynamic whole. Though significantly more organic in sound, parallels can be heard between title track "Mkwaju" and Matsutakes Logic, recorded later in the year. Hisaishis composition work is best showcased on "Lemore", which is rich and absorbing despite its repetitive nature.
Though Mkwaju Ensemble is often attributed entirely to Joe Hisaishi due to his production work on Mkwaju, both he and Matsutake were considered guests on the record, as evidenced by a study of the vinyl below. First and foremost, the ensemble was a group of percussionists – primarily Yoji Sadanari and Midori Takada.
The group’s second effort Ki-Motion featured neither Hisaishi nor Matsutake. Recorded over a one month period in 1981, Ki-Motion is slower and more sparse. Where Mkwaju looms dynamically, Ki-Motion focuses on atmosphere. A standout in this respect, “Hot Air” augurs the sound Takada would explore further on her solo album Through the Looking Glass, eschewing electronic instrumentation entirely in favor of organic percussion and woodwinds.
