VIDEO GALLERY

A Lesser Evil

A Lesser Evil is an intermediate to advanced solo for riq, a type of tambourine used as a traditional instrument in Arabic music.There are two grips, cabaret and soft position, that are used throughout the piece. Both grips explore the use of several extended techniques for the riq. Some of these techniques include, rim hits, Glen Velez fast fingers (jingles and drum),backwards and forwards shake, side to side shake, and split-hand technique

Broken Things

Broken Things is a trio for conga, cajón, and djembe. Like much of the music I write, this piece brings together three Non-Western percussion instruments not commonly heard together. While these instruments have different histories, it is interesting how similar the playing techniques are for each drum. In addition to the drum parts, there are optional ankle and pedal instruments that may be implemented to add to the overall effect

Obscure Diversity

Obscure Diversity was composed out of my long-time passion for non-western percussion instruments. I wanted to write something that combined drums from various parts of the world, but also have melodic content. Having performed Randy Gloss’s More like Chutney in my undergraduate studies, I knew immediately that I wanted my melody to come from the jal tarang, an ancient instrument of the Indian subcontinent made from ceramic or metal bowl tuned with water.
The groove behind the melody is set-up using djembes from West Africa, a riq from the Arabic speaking world, a tar from the middle east and North Africa, and a combination of percussion instruments commonly used in western music; bass drum, cymbal, gong, shaker, and triangle.
Once the composition was completed, I remember thinking it was obscure to have such a diverse instrumentation....hence the name Obscure Diversity.

Necessary Endings

Featuring various non-western instruments, this piece tells the story of being in a volatile relationship that's difficult to get out of, but must end.