Teasley-Poetry, Prose, Percussion & Song (VHS) - Product Information
"A partnership of the colorful dramatic renderings of the rich, classic baritone voice of Charles Williams and the organic and modern percussion systems of Tom Teasley, "Poetry, Prose, Percussion and Song in Performance" is a marvelous essay of vital traditions. Baritone Charles Williams is a seasoned operatic performer with a global portfolio, having also taught music at disparate stops around the world. Tom Teasley has worked extensively in a variety of musical landscapes, from blues to jazz to far-ranging electronic music, in addition to his considerable teaching experience.
The performance rendered here begins appropriately with an excerpt from Langston Hughes' "A Negro Speaks of Rivers", which sets an indelible tone, an invocation if you will, for these are all "ancient, dusky rivers..." which Teasley the percussionist and Williams the narrator/griot are exploring. These "ancient, dusky rivers" range from the traditional West African song of welcome "Funga Alafia" to the various tributaries explored by South African visionary Nelson Mandela in his historic presidential inauguration speech.
Williams and Teasley achieve a true marriage of ancient to the future, of African and the West: ancient world rhythms as rendered by Teasley's Western-bred reverence for the forms and engagement of modern electronics, and traditional African and African-American verse as rendered by Williams the performance artist. Throughout, a distinct partnership permeates this collaboration. These are not two disparate souls rendering their talents in search of a meeting place, rather these are heartfelt collaborators seeking to explore rich and varied tapestries of world and percussion -- the very origin of musical and dramatic expression." - (Willard Jenkins)
The performance rendered here begins appropriately with an excerpt from Langston Hughes' "A Negro Speaks of Rivers", which sets an indelible tone, an invocation if you will, for these are all "ancient, dusky rivers..." which Teasley the percussionist and Williams the narrator/griot are exploring. These "ancient, dusky rivers" range from the traditional West African song of welcome "Funga Alafia" to the various tributaries explored by South African visionary Nelson Mandela in his historic presidential inauguration speech.
Williams and Teasley achieve a true marriage of ancient to the future, of African and the West: ancient world rhythms as rendered by Teasley's Western-bred reverence for the forms and engagement of modern electronics, and traditional African and African-American verse as rendered by Williams the performance artist. Throughout, a distinct partnership permeates this collaboration. These are not two disparate souls rendering their talents in search of a meeting place, rather these are heartfelt collaborators seeking to explore rich and varied tapestries of world and percussion -- the very origin of musical and dramatic expression." - (Willard Jenkins)
Videos and Sound Clips
No multimedia for this product.
