Percussionist Richie Barshay, most noted as a member of the Herbie Hancock Quartet since 2003, has established himself as a prominent musical voice of his generation. Regarded as "a player to watch" by JazzTimes magazine, he maintains a busy international touring schedule with some of today's top artists including Hancock, the Klezmatics, and many others. In September of 2004 he was named an American Musical Envoy by the U.S. State Department, along with the renowned Latin-Jazz ensemble Insight. Now based in New York City after 5 years on the Boston music scene, Richie began playing Jazz and Afro-Latin music during his youth and has expanded his focus to Indian rhythmic concepts and tabla, inspiring his 2005 recording debut "Homework" and the launching of his new band, The Richie Barshay Project.
On their debut recording "Homework" The Richie Barshay Project explores the common ground between Jazz and a variety of world rhythms. Inspired by studies of Indian tabla drumming, with a foundation in Jazz and Latin-American music, the new full-length CD explores these influences in an improvisational setting. With special guests including the legendary Herbie Hancock, the listener is taken on a journey through a range of exotic musical textures, experiencing a fresh rhythmic approach to World Jazz fusion.
In an effort to stretch the boundaries of world rhythms, "Homework" incorporates different percussion instruments in new combinations. Using rhythms from across the globe, including India and Latin America, the Richie Barshay Project creates a unique musical setting for improvisation over original grooves. On Barshay's composition - the title track "Homework" featuring special guest Herbie Hancock on piano and synthesizers - the band interprets the Indian rhythmic concept of tihai combined with a contemporary Jazz instrumentation, creating a fresh approach to groove-based playing. The sound is unique in it's elegant use of percussion, surprising the listener with rhythms not normally heard in a Jazz setting, bringing the euphoric groove to the forefront.
Homework personel
Richie Barshay, drum set, tabla, congas, cajon, kanjira, shekere, shakers...
Daniel Blake, tenor and soprano saxophones
Jorge Roeder, acoustic and electric basses
with special guests:
Herbie Hancock, piano (1,2,7), keyboard (2)
Reinaldo de Jesus, congas, djembe, bell (3,6,11)
Aoife O'Donovan, voice (10)
Michael Winograd, clarinet (10)
Carmen Staaf, accordion (10)
Josh Feinberg, sitar (4)
Produced by Richie Barshay
Recorded and mixed by Bill Winn
Recorded at Q Division Studios, Somerville, MA, August 4, 5, 13 & 14 2004
and at the Hancock residence, Los Angeles, CA, September 1, 2004
Mixed at Mix One Studios, Boston, MA
Mastered by Mark Donahue at SoundMirror, Jamaica Plain, MA
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