La Barbera-Danza del Fuego-M

Danza del Fuego for solo marimba by John La Barbera was originally written for classical guitar and was featured on his CD entitled "In The Labyrinth" in 1998. It was recorded with percussionist Yousif Sheronick from Ethos, who added a great dumbeck part to it on the recording. Sheronick introduced the piece to percussionist Joseph Gramley. Gramley was the first to approach La Barbera for a marimba transcription of the piece. La Barbera feels the marimba arrangement not only opened it up to an entirely new audience and gave the piece a new life. Both Joseph and Yousif have recorded it on their own CD's. It appears on Yousif Sheronick's CD, Silk Thread and Joseph Gramley's CD, Global Percussion.

Danza del Fuego was inspired and influenced by Flamenco and Mediterranean music including North African and Arabic modes. Having both Sicilian and southern Italian roots, La Barbera feels very connected to the qualities which that music brings out. The piece is based in a 6/8 grove with sections in 5/8. Although the piece was not specifically written as a choreographed work it has been choreographed by several dance companies.

Instrumentation - Marimba (5 octave)
Difficulty - medium-advanced (large spreads in both hands)

As a composer, La Barbera has won several awards and commissions. From The Jerome Foundation he was commissioned to write a work for the ETHOS Percussion ensemble, The Marimba Ba Suite for percussion, which premiered in 2001 and released on their CD Sol Tunnels; in 1996 by Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, The Martin Gruss Foundation and the New York State Council on the Arts in New York, to compose The Dance of the Ancient Spider, which premiered at Alice Tully Hall; Funding from the New York State Council on the Arts and meet the Composer; commissioned by the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York City to compose the Opera: Stabat Mater-Donna Di Paradiso. His music has been recorded by various artists including percussionists; Yousef Sheronick and Joseph Gramley with Danza del Fuego for Marinba and Dumbeck; Jazz harmonica artist Enrico Granafei together with Fred Hirsh, Alan Nussbaum and Mark Johnson, who recorded Waltz for Waiting. He has received numerous composer awards from ASCAP and his song Sun Goes Down was awarded Jazz finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition. He is the author of Southern Italian Mandolin and Fiddle Tunes, Mel Bay Publications.