Silk Road Ensemble visited Kodak Hall in Rochester on Wednesday, March 26. Locally, the early Spring rain was relentless, soaking the city streets. Nationally, and globally, relentless chaos reined down. Spirits were dampened but not broken, and the crowd entered the gorgeous theater ready for an uplifting rejuvenation through the celebration of music.
From the moment the eleven Silk Road Ensemble musicians danced onto the stage, coming from the rear through the aisles and from the side of the stage, until the moment they danced off behind the curtains hours later, that is exactly what was delivered. Aptly titled, “Sanctuary: The Power of Resonance and Ritual,” the program was a melting pot of joy, with deep reflections buried within every crevice.
Each musician brought their unique culture, talent and history. Each contributed their individual sound to the greater whole. Like the color changing patterned backdrop behind them, rich tapestries were developed throughout the evening, changing vastly from song to song, and even shifting generously within. What started in West African village might travel to a New Orleans street corner and the Italian countryside within a matter of minutes. Other moments found the disparate elements coming together to create something completely new, defining new cultures in real time.
Joining Giddens, were Shawn Conley on upright bass, from Hawaii; Sandeep Das, from India, on Tabla; Haruki Fujii, from Japan, on percussion; Maeve Gilchrist, from Scotland, on Celtic harp; Lebanese-Armenian Karen Ouzounian on cello; American Mazz Swift on violin and vocals; Niwel Tsumbu, from The Congo, on guitar; Francesco Turrisi, from Italy, on accordion; Mauro Durante, also from Italy, on frame drums; and El Mehdi Nassouli, from Morocco, on Guembri. Each was given a chance to show off their boundless talents throughout the night, each wow-worthy in their own right. But the conversations being had between and within, evoking broad infectious smiles from musician and audience alike, was the key.
Instruments and sounds were combined in countless and novel ways. Just one would have made it a concert to remember. But as they developed song after song after song, a whole new library of possibilities was presented to the audience. Guembri groove crossed with Italian vocals. Frame drums dueling with Tablas. Banjo intermingling with accordion. There was no interpretation needed, music, like love, is universal.
To fully tap into the spirit of the evening, the audience needed to join into the mix, and was given many opportunities with rhythmic clapping, call and response and coordinated dances. And it ended with one final participation to carry long after, as the band walked off the stage they led the crowd in chanting, “We can take care of we, our beloved community.”
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