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Downward Facing Dogs En Ninguna Parte Middle Age Music Having picked a favorite posture from the world of hatha yoga for a moniker, you might guess that the Downward Facing Dogs are a particularly flexible consort. It's true, the mature troupe of strummers, rhythmatists and wind players are focused at least half of the time on spontaneously improvised modal relaxation. But they are also about melding international flavors from as faraway as Mexico and India, in generating instrumental pieces that are easy on the ear yet stand up to numerous textural inspections. The whole is an interlocking Café World style menu of homemade dishes laced with humor and pathos. The percussion partnership of Ross Holtz and Tom Parker are the driving force behind DFD. Bongos, tabla, congas, shakers, claves, blocks, bells, gongs, and kitchen implements are just the beginning of a deep global tool bag used to color many different spaces. Joined by keyboardist Kevin Zucker, DFD form a basic trio who frequently create an atmosphere of mystic hovering or safe oblivion into which their various guests are invited to speak or decorate. Zucker is a vital element who charts firmly unpredictable lines like a sleepwalking Moldavian Keith Jarrett. His uniquely tuned piano and accordion ambling favor the minor keys on four of ten originals and sets the principal mood on En Ninguna Parte. Supported by bassists Richard Crafton and Dave Maswick, DFD never noodle, overplay or search ill-advisedly, but have an unmistakable pulse, economy and point in each creation. Into the subtle unfurling tapwork appear several solo contributors. Trumpeter & flugelhornist "Buzz Wow" brings an urbane melodic component to the ensemble. In these multi-culti settings his elegant, unrushed and often muted lines evoke the spirit of Don Cherry. Flautist Stanford Lessans is featured in pieces like opener "Hecho A Mano" and "Six Beets", and brings a touch of the native American southwest. Notable too is Ross Holtz's various guitars, especially the deliciously drowsy work in "Spaghetti Western", and in the bright runs and riffs of the ju-ju derived "Afrotap". And how can I forget the hilarious and upsetting ektar on "Discounting Crows"? Steeped in the joys of informal jam circle and wizened elder wit, the predominating sentiment that reigns here however is uncertainty. This unresolved quality appears in "Jadida's Lament" and the musically satisfying nightride aboard "No.4 Kaharbaville Train". But nowhere is this somber quality more palpable than on the album centerpiece, the hypnotically sad 9+ minute epic "En Ninguna Parte". Here, a weary, haunted shuffle becomes a short story when it concludes with an unexpected kalimba solo, like waking up from the indigo abyss to find a sunlit vision of Bali chartreuse. World music veteran Tim Gregory (aka Nada Brahma) adds his didjeridoo and Sarah Strahorn her siren moaning to what is the climactic set piece. In the open age of post-world music, "En Ninguna Parte" borrows whatever spices it needs from the world's timbre pantry. The DFDogs make a music that does not rely so much on melodic development as it does on steady grooves, shifting textures and building colors. The results are idiosyncratic, friendly, yet risky. Most importantly, they feel local - unpretentious and unassuming. There is a lot of homage to world fusion tradition built into this music. Scads of influences come to mind; from the anonymous hippie times of tone assembler Steve Tibbetts, to the recent provincial Americana of Bill Frisell, Ry Cooder's Mexico days, the shaman artmusic of Rain Tree Crow or TUU and even perhaps ethno-jazz groups like the Indica Project. But DFD have their own characteristic pace and mix and it will likely not resemble anything you've ever heard. If you like your music well seasoned and closer to the earth, you might try these imaginary slide show soundtracks from the great town of Nowhere. Steve Taylor Contributing writer to RootsWorld Magazine Tom Parker and Ross Holtz went to high school together in Baltimore,Maryland back in the early age of rock'n'roll and played in a jazzy little band. Soon after high school they lost track of each other, Tom playing drums in country rock bands,Ross playing guitar in his living room. They re-met twenty some years later. Tom had developed a side interest in congas, Ross had studied tabla, hand drums of India. Along with other fun ethnic instruments[like the udu on our cover], they started laying down intricate rhythms where one would play between the other's beats, creating a woven rhythm for others to play over. Cuts 2,4,7,8,9 and 10 are live improvs with Kevin Zucker on piano or accordion. We then went to the computer and added other musicians' performances on instruments that enhanced whatever geographic direction Kevin was leading us toward during the jam. Thanks for your interest. Track List: 1. Hecho A Mano 2. Spaghetti Western 3. Six Beets 4. #4 Kaharbaville Train 5. En Ninguna Parte 6. Afrotap 7. Discounting Crows 8. Jadida's Lament 9. Cheese Moans 10. Danza Hermosa Suggested CDs:Other Genres:
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