Alwan for the Arts

Invites you

Saturday, February 25, 2006, 9:00 PM

To Music inspired by the shamanic traditions of the ancient and modern world

Grammy Award winning Master Drummer Glen Velez, with his hands of fire, creates a sonically infused sanctuary of shaman inspired rhythms and melodies. He leads his ensemble of virtuoso drummers, Yousif Sheronick, Shane Shanahan and rhythm vocal wizard, Lori Cotler, in an homage to the breathtaking traditions of shamanic drumming and chanting.

Glen’s original compositions integrate the pulsing rhythmic traditions of the Arabic and Mediterranean worlds, along with the fiery syncopations of South India. These influences, plus inspiration from the multi-timbred sound of his primary drum, the Frame Drum, generate a stunning array of melodic and rhythmic tapestries.

The frame drum is used not only in many classical and folk music cultures, but also is the drum of choice wherever shamanistic practices are found. This link between music, spirituality and healing, is an audible thread that runs through his music and performances.

In the ancient Mediterranean world, frame drumming was an omnipresent tool of ritual. Frame drummers are seen in Greek vase paintings, Egyptian wall paintings, Mesopotamian figurines and reliefs, and Roman sarcophagi. Glen has drawn upon the abundant pictorial representations of those drumming ancestors (some as old as 5000 years), to create a bond between their ritualistic sound making and his modern drumming creations.

Extreme virtuosity and imagination ... astonishing sophistication" - Village Voice

" A galaxy of timbres and inflections ... remarkable rhythmic fireworks " - The New York Times

"Velez's music led to the essence of improvisation and composition ... the audience was rapt, absolutely still, except for those dancing in place" - The Village Voice

" Melting pot of rhythms, melodies and sonic textures ... casting the light on the music itself than the barriers it breaks" - Billboard

"Performances of primal exhilaration ... seizing the soul of the music at hand" - The Plain Dealer (Cleveland)

“Acquiesce to its cosmic instructions and discover the remarkable effects of healing sound.” - New York Times

Last updated: 2007-09-21 09:56:02