About this product

Product Identifiers

ProducerDavid Chevan

Record LabelHmg Records, Hmre

UPC0786626105021

eBay Product ID (ePID)7046073555

Product Key Features

Release Year2004

FormatCD

GenreJazz

ArtistWarren Byrd

Release TitleThis Is the Afro-Semitic Experience

Dimensions

Item Height0.40 in

Item Weight0.13 lb

Item Length5.76 in

Item Width5.02 in

Additional Product Features

Number of Discs1

Number of Tracks8

Country/Region of ManufactureUnited States

TracksEliyahu Hanavi, Tashlikh, Sha Shtil, Better Get Hit in Your Soul, Nefesh, Aalafiya/Shir Lashalom, Water from An Ancient Well, Waters of Babylon

Notes'The Byrd/Chevan alliance becomes all the more provocative.... and essential. Reflecting the spirit of this ensemble, the music is an alchemist's brew of traditional Jewish songs, pieces by African and African- American artists, and Chevan compositions or arrangements . . . a recording rich with the spirit of shared experiences and true brotherhood in it's execution, noble and thought provoking in it's construction' --Willard Jenkins, from the liner notes Willard Jenkins is a regular contributor to JazzTimes, Down Beat, Jazz Report, Jazz Education Journal, and Africana.com. He is a producer- broadcaster for BET Jazz, WPFW radio in Washington, DC, and XM Satellite Radio. African-American pianist Warren Byrd and Jewish-American bassist David Chevan continue their exploration of the musical and spiritual nexus with a blazing new collection of original pieces and interpretations of classic pieces from the Jewish and African diaspora. On this, their third outing, pianist Warren Byrd and bassist David Chevan have released a CD that expands their vision of Jewish-American and African-American dialogue in ways that could hardly be expected. This album introduces not only a new conceptual approach for Chevan and Byrd but a new band, The Afro-Semitic Experience. Here the artists present a collection of music that embraces the secular along with the sacred experiences of their people. The eight pieces on the album expose the musicians to a wide range of pieces and genres from the blues to klezmer to sacred song. The Afro-Semitic Experience is a collective ensemble of musicians dedicated to preserving, promoting and expanding the rich cultural and musical heritage of the Jewish and African diaspora. Imagine a band that understands and can present interpretations of music from traditions as rich as Gospel, Klezmer, Nigunim, Spirituals, and Swing and you have the Afro-Semitic Experience. This is a group that is as comfortable playing a freylakh as they are swinging a blues, that knows how to play either a bulgar or some funk. Multi-cultural soul. The band began performing in late 1999 as an off-shoot of the creative work of African-American pianist Warren Byrd and Jewish-American bassist David Chevan. This album represents a continuation of the work of Chevan and Byrd, but it also marks the first chapter in the story of an exciting new band. On this recording the Afro-Semitic Experience includes: Warren Byrd--piano David Chevan--bass Will Bartlett--tenor sax, clarinet, and piccolo Alvin Carter, Jr.--drums and percussion Baba David Coleman--percussion Richard A. McGhee III--alto and soprano saxophone Mixashawn.com--tenor sax Stacy Phillips--lap steel guitar, violin, and Harlow resonator guitar Ben Proctor--trumpet Since many of the pieces on this album come from traditional sources we've included these notes to help explain the meanings behind the music. 1. Eliyahu HaNavi This is a traditional Jewish song that dates back to the 11th century. The song is about the prophet Elijah who, it is believed, will announce the coming of the Messiah. It is sung during the Passover Seder and the end of the Sabbath. We've updated the harmonies and added a few little melodic twists mostly at the ends of phrases to give this more of an Afro-Semitic flavor. 2. Tashlikh Tashlikh is a ritual performed by Jews on Rosh HaShanah--the Jewish New Year. You are supposed to go to place where there is running water-- a river or a stream, etc. and take whatever is in your pockets (traditionally bread) and cast it out on the waters. These represent your sins, which you cast away as you repent and cleanse yourself for a new year. You can recite Psalms and other biblical verses as well. The word tashlikh literally means to 'cast off.' This piece incorporates a traditional African-American song form, the blues, with a melody that employs the ahavoh raboh mode, an ancient synagogue scale. Some of the traditional blues chords have been altered, especially in the la