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diversions
World
beats give something to shake to
By Ryan Ritchie
On-line Forty-Niner
A packed house
at the Daniel Recital Hall saw a performance by the
World Percussion Group at Cal State Long Beach Thursday that
was nothing short of spectacular.
The first half of the concert featured a performance by the
CSULB Steel Drum Orchestra that was fun, energetic and very
professional. The 33-minute set included seven songs, one
of which was the Bob Marley classic, "No Woman, No Cry."
The orchestra opened the concert looking timid and nervous
but quickly loosened up halfway through the first song. Band
members wore bright, colorful shirts to accompany the happy,
upbeat sounds of the Caribbean.
The band swayed back and forth to the rhythms of the songs
and grew more comfortable as each song passed. By the middle
of the set, every musician had a smile from ear to ear and
was bouncing off the walls with excitement.
The crowd responded to the band's enthusiasm by dancing in
their seats, cheering mid-song and clapping louder and louder
after every song. During "Pan in A Minor," the audience
was treated to the abrasive sounds of the steel drums. The
band showed how the instruments could be loud but still melodic
when played harshly and aggressively. The next song, "Cryin',"
was a polar opposite to "Pan in A Minor." "Cryin'"
began smooth and mellow and ended the same. The dynamics of
the middle of the song caught everyone by surprise and seemed
to encourage the band to play harder and stronger.
The second half of the concert featured music and dancing
from Africa. Before the band came out, CSULB professor Kevin
O'Sullivan performed "Togo Atsia for Drumset," an
invitational dance created by the people of Togo. Using a
five-piece kit, O'Sullivan soloed a song designed for at least
five performers and condensed the song without simplifying
it. Simply put, his playing was phenomenal and would be extremely
difficult for another drummer to duplicate.
The final three songs featured the World Percussion Group's
interpretation of African music and dance. The band played
songs with bass lines and melody using only percussion instruments
while other students were led in dance by CSULB professor
Lisa Silva. The dancing was far from perfect, but these were
musicians, not dancers. The effort was there and the attempt
to perform difficult dance routines was enough to entertain
the audience.
The concert ended with the dancers inviting the audience on
stage. Some members volunteered while others needed persuasion,
but everyone had a good time in the circular dance.
People pay big money to see high-quality music played by top-notch
musicians. CSULB's music department may not include any big
name talent (yet), but the performance by the World Percussion
Group was equal if not superior to any of their professional
contemporaries.
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Christine
Shin/On-line Forty-Niner
World Percussion members step in unison to their
African beats.
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