Okónkolo

Bohemian Trio

Few groups live up to their name as well as Bohemian Trio, whose debut album Okonkolo speaks to the true voice of America: a cacophony of cultures that together forge a new identity that transcends Old World boundaries. Their original blend of classical lyricism, jazz harmony, Latin dance and Afro-Cuban beats reflects their diverse cultural and musical backgrounds. Saxophonist/composer Yosvany Terry and pianist Orlando Alonso were born and trained musically in Cuba, while French-American cellist Yves Dharamraj is also part Trinidadian. Sax, piano and cello? This unique configuration was a conscious choice by the group to eschew traditional instrumentation for an improvising group, and it pays dividends in the sound of Okonkolo, at once refined and edgy. The album’s title track is named for the “baby” or smallest member of the Bata drums used in Yoruba religious ceremonies. The okonkolo traditionally serves as timekeeper while the “father” itotele and “mother” iya drums converse, improvise and entertain. In Terry’s “Okonkolo,” this drumming tradition is both a metaphor for the interaction between saxophone, cello and piano, and a reflection of the cultural diffusion that embodies the Bohemian Trio and its music. Also on the album are works by Pedro Giraudo and Manuel Valera, some of which use Latin and jazz idioms while dovetailing classical sounds and techniques.

Price: $20.98

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