Drums & Voices, A Collage of Negro Spirituals is a collaborative work between Seattle based percussionist Jeff "Bongo" Busch, and Gospel singing sensation Patrinell Wright, founder of the internationally acclaimed "Total Experience Gospel Choir".
Their recording is a beautiful collaboration - a reunion of African American Spirituals and the drum, and features some outstanding percussion work by Thione Diop, master drummer from Senegal, Brazilian percussionist Daniel Carvalho, Peruvian conguero Edsson Otero, and percussionists Frank "Fullmeal" Anderson, and Denny Stern from the U.S. Together they are the "Drummers from the Neighborhood", and the grooves are splendid!
As Jeff recalls, "I had recently moved to Seattle from Brazil and was extremely motivated to write and record. The musical spirit of Brazil was tremendous, inspiring and full of creativity. There was a huge sense of community, and such musical power in numbers. I hadn’t really experienced anything like it here in the States until I first heard Gospel music". The power of voices singing in harmony is something marvelous to behold. The same is true about the power of rhythm, and a unified drum ensemble. "I asked Pat if we could bring the two together and she knew it was a natural fit"!
The Spirituals were the obvious foundation, our starting point. They are in fact an integral part of American music from which countless other styles of popular music have grown...namely Gospel, Blues, Jazz, Soul, and Rock 'n' roll. They evolved a cappella, unaccompanied by the drums and the driving rhythms that can be heard throughout the African influenced music of South America and the Caribbean. Oppressive times in America meant a ban on drumming, and all that was culturally African.
Pat made a list of Spirituals that she’d sung since childhood, and we met in her church, and began experimenting with possible rhythms that would best suite each melody. After organizing our selections, we invited the drummers into the studio and laid down the songs. Pat sang all of the material straight down, one after the other, each song in one take! It was an exciting time!
Pat Wright grew up in Carthage, Texas and was already singing in her daddy’s church by the age of three. They had no microphones so he taught her how to project her voice to the back wall of the church. As you will hear, she can still project! Her voice is an incredible gift...a gift that has carried her and her choir to all corners of the world. She is not only an amazing singer, but a wonderful actress and playwright. She is Pastor of Seattle’s Oneness Christian Center, and is also the star and musical director of Seattle’s Black Nativity for the eighth year running. Pat has worked in the public school system, has been an advocate for underprivileged children and the homeless. She is as busy as anyone I know, musician or otherwise...and at 62yrs. that is truly inspirational!
Percussionist Jeff "Bongo" Busch is an exuberant, and passionate musician himself, who has been active on the Seattle scene for the past eight years. He works regularly with local Gospel, Jazz and Latin groups. He is the drummer at Seattle’s First AME church, as well as at St. Therese parish. He is a member of the Seattle based Cuban bands Mango Son, and Tumbao, and is also the percussionist with Brazilian pianist Jovino Santos Neto. In 2004, Jeff played on Jovino’s recording "Canto do Rio" which was nominated for a Latin Grammy. In addition to performance, Jeff is also an educator, and artist. In 2004 he recorded "colors in Between", his first jazz album of original compositions which was released last year. He is currently musical director of the play "Katrina; We Too Are Worthy", written by Dante Felder. The play will feature some recent jazz compositions by Jeff, as well as spirituals sung by Pat Wright. The play is opening in Seattle at the Langston Hughs Theatre, March 8th 2007.
You can reach Pat Wright and Jeff Busch at their respective websites: www.totalexperience.com. And, www.jeffbusch.net. Enjoy the music!
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