Pandora introduced us the other day, and I’m so glad for that. I liked you so much that I even gave you your own station. I watched a few of your videos. I wondered if the only thing that set you apart from Feist and Regina Spektor was that charming accent you’ve got. But after hearing your whole album (released in the US in January ‘08), Made of Bricks, I’m kind of sweet on you. In fact, you’re stupidly cute. Not like you’re stupid, but you make me stupid because you’re so cute. I mean, seriously, just take a look at you:
DIBBLE DIBBLE. DOPP DOPP. According to Dr. Seuss’s Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? that’s what rain sounds like. Sometimes when I read books like that to the 20-month-old for whom I babysit, it makes me happy to know that he’s learning in creative and constructive ways. If only Mr. Brown could hear the sounds that Rony Iwryn can make with water.
On Saturday night, I attended a concert by the Idan Raichel Project. For many reasons, the concert was fantastic (lots of energy, great audience, and excellent musicianship by a talented and earnest multi-national band) but Uruguayan percussionist Iwryn stole the show—by using water.
Iwryn used two wooden bowls, one large and filled with water, the other, slightly smaller, and empty. He started by using his hands to create various sounds on/in/with the water (a microphone was responsible for making sure we could all hear this) and after a minute or so of splashing, dripping, and smacking sounds, he began using the second bowl as a drum, turned upside down on top of/in the water. I wish I could describe the sounds to you, but I’m not nearly as onomatopoetic as Dr. Seuss. The first 40 seconds of this video show how it works, but the video does absolutely NO justice to the way it sounds live.
I’ve been inconsistent about attending live shows in the past few years, but a performance like this really makes me wish that I hadn’t skipped so many. There are some really amazing artists out there, and from this day forward, I plan to make a more conscious effort to support more of them.
The Idan Raichel Project is performing at the Fillmore in New York this evening (11/19/07). If you’re lucky enough to notice that they’re coming to your neighborhood sometime soon, make a point to go. The tickets aren’t cheap (they were $35 at the sold-out show at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston), but they certainly are worth it.
EMILY
