Ches Smith's Ensemble 'We All Break At WJF' Out 1/12

We All Break is the unveiling of drummer Ches Smith's 15-year study and engagement with the rich music and culture of Haitian Vodou. Of his instantaneous attraction to the music, Smith speculates, "this probably had something to do with the fact that the things that occur in the various music I play-polyrhythm, (massive) tension and (occasional) release, improvisation, polytonality, extended timbral awareness, channeled aggression, power, and (most importantly) surprise-I found again in this traditional form. I kept my study of the music somewhat of a secret, not because of any misgivings about the often-misunderstood religion. Quite the opposite actually: because I eternally felt like a novice, I grew up as an outsider to the culture, and I was weary of the long history of sketchy behavior regarding appropriation by persons of my 'demographic.'"

Ches Continues, "It slowly dawned on me, however, that my silence was a little problematic. Refusing to acknowledge the music I was spending greater and greater amounts of my time on was in fact denying Haitian Vodou's influence on my playing, and how it was changing me. From a composition standpoint, however, I was hearing an approach that on the surface might sound more "out," but in reality draws on the totality of elements I have observed playing Vodou ceremonies and in folkloric settings, and from countless hours listening to recordings.

I wanted these ideas-lead/chorus song structure, polytonal relations among the singers and drums, conversations between the drums, kase ("breaks")-to focus each piece, with the traditional drum rhythms and their spiritual, political and visual associations simultaneously providing a foundation for the material and an inner logic from which the compositional content springs. The music on this recording is the new "ground level" for whatever comes next."

To post a comment, you must register and login.