Ramin Rahimi & Tapesh, Iranian Percussion (ARC, 2009) This is all percussion, as the title suggests, so it will only appeal to certain people. It is a great CD for those who like drums, however, with more variety than you might expect. Tapesh is a large drum ensemble, so all but one of the 12 pieces have a number of players and some featured solos. The exception is "I am the Tombak", which is an amazing solo piece by Ramin Rahimi on that goblet-shaped drum. Other traditional drums used include the circular wooden-framed daf, the cylindrical double-headed dhol and the darbuka. Different rhythms and drum combinations are used on the tracks, which range from 46 seconds to nearly 10 minutes in length. They are done with a musical feel, with changes in volume and speed to add interest in the compositions. The drums are used as parts of an orchestra, so the sound is more akin to a marching band than to a sequence of solos, although there are some sections of call and response. This CD has a sound and feel that will be different and interesting to those who like percussion. |
Rambles.NET review by Dave Howell 30 January 2010 Agree? Disagree? Send us your opinions! |