Merkle Kulturkonzepte

WORLD PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
Worlds of Percussion

Marco Lobo - Brasil
Takuya Taniguchi - Japan
Njami Sitson - Cameroon
Walter Lang - Germany (p)
Sven Faller - Germany (b)

„… That was exactly what made this concert so special: The perfect blend of the special musical features of each continent with European music. Walter Lang and Sven Faller laid the foundation of a new dimension of cultural collaboration: Marco Lobo gently infusing heavy Japanese sounds with his drums, Takuya Taniguchi smoothly moving to Njamy Sitson’s music …”
The finest percussionists of three continents encounter each other in the WORLD PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE. The charismatic master of Japanese Taiko drumming Takuya Taniguchi, the Brazilian magician of percussion Marco Lobo and the enchanted singer and percussionist Njamy Sitson from Cameroon perform alongside European piano master and composer Walter Lang and bass virtuoso Sven Faller. The traditional musical heritage introduced by each percussionist is being carefully and passionately transformed by this unique ensemble into a new style that may rightle be called “One World Music”. The fascination of this unparalleled musical adventure stems from the exciting and colorful performance and highly vibrant music of the WORLD PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE.

Marco Lobo (perc)
The way Marco Lobo embodies the soul of Brazilian rhythm is virtually matchless!
He was born in Bahia, the land of pulsating drums. When Marco was twenty, it was time to move on to Rio de Janeiro from where he has toured all continents.
The collaboration with practically all the great artists of Brazilian music, among them Maria Bethania, Milton Nascimento, Marisa Monte, Ivan Lins, Joao Bosco, Gilberto Gil, Vanessa da Mata, Billy Cobham and many others has turned him into an international star in his own right .

Takuya Taniguchi (perc)
Since 1999 Takuya Taniguchi is musical director and composer of the renowned Japanese Taiko ensemble „Tentyu Daiko“.
In 2002 he won the Vienna Special Award od the Vienesse World Youth Music Festival.
In 2003 he was chosen by the great leading master Eitetsu Hayashi to join his ensemble “Fu-un no Kai”. The special appeal of his performance stems from the range of his artistry from breathtakingly powerful and athletic drumming on giant Odaiko to his gentle and poetic songs.

Njami Sitson (perc,voc)
A composer, singer, multi-instrumentalist, actor & storyteller, Cameroon-born Njamy Sitson has appeared in numerous festivals all over Europe. His voice artistry embraces the whole range of African singing culture. The sudden shift from a powerful chest voice to an almost angelic flute-like head register has become his appealing trademark. His recent CD “African Angel” embodies a music without frontiers where Pygmy chants meet baroque counterpoint and unbound drums are being tamed by classic strings.

Sven Faller (b)
Sven Faller is internationally acclaimed for his unique melodic style on the acoustic and electric bass. Between 1994 and 2000 he lived in New York City where he not only dived deeply into the African-American musical legacy of Jazz but also the music traditions of Latin America. He has performed with a wide variety of artists including Scott Hamilton, Robbie Ameen, Richie Flores, Charlie Mariano, Konstantin Wecker and the celebrated TRIO ELF with Walter Lang and Gerwin Eisenhauer.

Walter Lang (p,comp,musical dir)
“The poet” Walter Lang is a mainstay of the European Jazz Scene and a celebrated star in Japan. Countless concerts with his own groups or in collaboration with artists such as Lee Konitz, James Moody, Chico Freeman or Dusko Goykovich bear witness to his immense versatility and creative force.

His reputation as composer and arranger is outstanding. The renowned Fono Forum writes: “Lang’s appealing compositions have that distinct quality inherent in most truly great music: Entertaining from the first second, they reveal a deeper sense with every listen.”

WORLD PREMIERE AT THE LUDWIGSBURG FESTIVALS 2011
World Percussion Ensemble” with a superb and celebrating performance.
“The WORLD PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE led by Walter Lang was rewarded with standing ovations, screams of excitement from the audience during the entire concert at Kronenzentrum. (…) it was clear from the beginning that the audience witnessed a truly memorable event. (…)
Njami Sitson from Cameroon was the first focus. Dressed in a traditional garb he mesmerized the audience with his falsetto voice immediately. It was not just the individual show of each musician that made this event so special but the way they plunged into music entirely foreign to them, like way Takuya Taniguchi from Japan playfully reacted to an African song.
It must be noted without diminishing any of his fellow musicians that Taniguchi was the audience’s darling. Whenever he took action on his drums on the right side of the stage applause flared up. Too fascinating was the way this incredible Taiko master acted with precision and harmony.
Another high point of the concert was a story that Marco Lobo narrated with sounds only. His countless instruments including a plastic bottle brought to life a steamy summer’s day full of twittering birds in the morning, the pounding of a locomotive. human chitchat or the mood of sunset. Rarely has percussion music been so creative and poetic at the same time.
What followed after the break was the absolute climax of the evening. Gently, accompanied only by the sound of little bells, Takuya Taniguchi emerged from within the audience. He gave an introduction into the tradition of his country through his song alone. Then he positioned himself in front of his giant Taiko drum and started beating with his hands. When he took his sticks and started pounding faster and faster, the audience was swept away. The spectator’s excitement was just as ecstatic as this Japanese drumming spectacle. Walter Lang’s piano sounds were the connecting link bringing out the harmony in Taniguchi’s composition.
That was exactly what made this concert so special: The perfect blend of the special musical features of each continent with European music. Walter Lang and Sven Faller laid the foundation os a new dimension of cultural collaboration: Marco Lobo gently infusing heavy Japanese sounds with his drums, Takuya Taniguchi smoothly moving to Njamy Sitson’s music – an achievement that can only be reached by complete openness to foreign culture.

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