The Forest

The Forest’s (D)ruminations is percussionist Andrew Drury’s homage to Ed Blackwel, who he studied with from 1983 to 1992. Played by five younger New York-based drummers, the four-part title track is spelled by contributions by veteran reedist J.D. Parran and includes a short track composed by Warren Smith, another drum master, who was an M’Boom founding member.

Initially throughout all the parts of “(D)ruminations”, it seems as if the idea is to discover how many diverse percussion tones can be hit, clanging, bounced, crashed and extended from idiophones ranging from bells, marimba and glockenspiels to bass drums, conga, bongos and djembes. But once metal bar resonations with flute slurs kicks into high gear, the faux-exotica beats give way to expositions that balance stylist percussion flaunting to constructing reflective, almost refined narratives.

Especially crucial are the elaborations expressed with “(D)ruminations Part 2” and “(D)ruminations Part 4”. With a piano motif –  likely played by Drury – that introduces “Part 2” and returns frequently during that sequence, it seems as if the group is on the cusp of replicating a Hard Bop combo. This is further manifested as keyboard textures are joined by Jazz-suggesting hi-hat clangs and press rolls plus alternating harsh flute and irregularly vibrated saxophone tones. At the same time when the percussionists – who are Gustavo Aguilar, Leah Bowden, Lesley Mok, and Michael Wimberly as well as Drury – outline thicker beats that could come from tympani, thunder sheets and metallic stretches move upfront, cadences are mixed with clamor.

Pivots to intensification as the backbeat is punctuated by asides include bell and maracas shakes and chalumeau register smears from the alto clarinet, lead to the defining “Part 4”. Subdivided into sections, the group comes to terms with the melodic during a clarinet-vibe sequence, but doesn’t give up its identity as a percussion ensemble. That’s because expansive idiophone scratching,  gong resonation and metal bar resonations are also part of the program. But before a percussion crash that signals the finale, speedy interaction among a regularized piano exposition, vibes coloration and rat tata tat drumming confirms the Jazz-improv underpinnings of the suite as a proper salute to Blackwell’s rhythmic invention.

By refusing to be limited by beats and groove The Forest defines itself as more than a percussion ensemble. But at the same time the members command of various drums and idiophones, means that the compositions include a definite rhythmic underpinning that an equivalent suite wouldn’t possess.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. (D)ruminations Part 1 2. (D)ruminations Part 2 3. (D)ruminations Part 3 4. (D)ruminations Part 4 5. Elements of a Storm

Personnel: J D Parran (bass flute, contra-alto clarinet, soprano saxophone, bamboo saxophone, wood flutes); Warren Smith (timpani, gongs, bass drums, triangle); Gustavo Aguilar, Leah Bowden, Andrew Drury, Lesley Mok, and Michael Wimberly (drum set, marimba, vibraphone, glockenspiel, timpani, gongs, concert bass drums, conga, bongos, djembe, aux. percussion, body percussion, shakers, piano, wood flutes, whistle, voice)