Emigre And Exile
New Focus, 2022
9/10
A listen spearheaded by the percussionist, composer and scholar Gregory Beyer, this unique effort focuses on the berimbau, an Afro-Brazilian instrument that resembles the body game of capoeira.
Jeremy Muller’s “Singularity” opens the listen with 4 berimbaus played by Beyer, Raychel Taylor, Ethan H. Martin and Elena Ross all flowing together with much warmth and melody, and Beyer’s “Fios e linhas” follows with Beyer handling berimbau, glockenspiel, vibraphone, marimba ganza, caxixi and cymbals with a soothing intimacy that’s quite mesmerizing.
Beyer’s most bare best work, “Berimbau Solo No. 4, ‘Sakura Park’”, is just his lone instrument finding some very meticulous places to reside, while Matt Ulery’s “Emigre And Exlie” recruits 6 berimbaus and Ulery double bass for an extremely pretty and charming album highlight.
“Repercussio”, by Alexandre Lunsqui, finishes the listen, and brings a dreamy quality into the many berimbaus, as their strings are manipulated with a nearly sci-fi quality.
Beyer’s originals are extremely well done, and the contributions certainly impress, too, on this chamber, folkloric, and world music journey that truly is in a league of its own on so many levels.
Travels well with: Pathos Trio- When Dark Sounds Collide; David Liptak- Brightening Air