Ethnic Fusion by Big Black

10 May

Written by Mark Keresman
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Back in 1981, not only was the world younger and slightly less expensive, but the concept of "world music" was pretty much non-existent as both a "genre" and a marketing concept. Oh sure, many musicians have always worked at combining various kinds of ethnic music with rock, jazz, Anglo-American folk, whatever, but it was somewhat "isolated" - it wasn’t common, hip or trendy. (There was Oregon, Sergio Mendes, Paul Winter Consort, Don Cherry and not a whole lot else.)

In 1982 percussionist Big Black (who’s played with Jack Costanzo, Randy Weston and Harvey Mandel) and acoustic guitarist Anthony Wheaton got together in a studio in Berkeley, CA studio and played, each bringing to the table their own experiences: BB, his rolling, thundering Afro-Cuban/Caribbean rhythms, Wheaton, Spanish, Caribbean, Brazilian and classical, each doing a give-and-take, call-and-response. Wheaton’s playing has a haunting, minor key sound to it that recalls trad UK folk practitioners like John Renbourn - it’s most evident on the beautifully simple/simply beautiful "Pavan."

BB is a commanding presence on the congas, tumbas and bongos - too much so, as he overwhelms Wheaton in the mix. You may find yourself turning down the parts with BB solos and turning up Wheaton’s, depending on your orientation (acoustic guitar person vs. drum person), but it's worth it as both are superb players. This offering, originally released on the legendary Bay Area indie label 1750 Arch, is recommended chiefly to percussion fanatics and those seriously interested in the evolution of world-fusion musical styles.