The People (yana, 2017)
Recording of The People, recorded in Derby 2016; released 2017. Corey Mwamba (vibraphone), Dave Kane (double bass) and Joshua Blackmore (drums). Presented with permission from Two Rivers Records.
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It is autumn, and I am playing with my brothers. I grab the case divider and place it flat across the bars; I play near the ends (1ʹ26ʺ) because I want to be a marimba. After a number of short flurries, I play a short pattern and then use my nails on the surface of the divider to create a high-pitched scratching sound, breaking the wood (3ʹ11ʺ). I play a chant: I am a crowd, pressing into each bar and striking off-centre (3ʹ38ʺ). We all fall in together, playing around the chant we are building up pressure. someone keeps saying “mm” in the cycle; it’s not me (I say “ah”) and it’s not Dave; Joshua is always inscrutable. someone out there is really feeling this I finally release the tension (5ʹ41ʺ) and play a line. A moment’s rest as Dave and Joshua keep applying momentum and pulse; then Dave contrasts (6ʹ15ʺ). I call Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross. I want to float above the bustle (6ʹ29ʺ). Joshua’s snares bring us back to the chant (7ʹ06ʺ). We don’t land together but we are together in our choice to go back to the chant. Dave and I laugh together. Joshua smiled. We attack more; and then we contrast again. I play a small generative figure on the off-centre of the keys (7ʹ25ʺ); then Dave leads the chant, but in an expanded sparse way. I shadow him. I am aiming at the centre of the key. Dave and Joshua somehow communicate to each other to swing (8ʹ31ʺ), which I take up they are really swinging here! I need to exhale (8ʹ58ʺ) in order to breathe deeper; the groove is so much. And now I want to literally scream (9ʹ11ʺ). I hear Dave’s final note and finish the chant (9ʹ46ʺ).