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Talking Sticks Trailer is Here!
Vibes and marimba
are the focus of this extraordinary and compelling film
about creativity, culture and connection. Leading
percussionist Arthur Lipner is our journeyman. His
personal experiences and search for fulfillment bring us
to a small village in Ghana, Carnival in the streets of
Rio de Janeiro, a marimba factory in Mexico,
improvisation on an ice xylophone in Norway, and much
more. Talking Sticks includes
a brief history of vibes and marimba, footage of the
instruments being made by artisans in several countries,
and glimpses of the critical role of music in different
cultures. Grammy-winning vibes player Gary Burton, jazz
legend Mike Mainieri, ice musician Terje Isungset
(interviewed in an igloo!) and other top musicians
discuss percussion and music in their lives.
Talking Sticks brings performances,
education and extraordinary locations together to create
a unique and inspiring documentary for all ages. To be
released in 2014. (59 mins).
www.talkingsticksfilm.com
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2013/2014 Happenings
Just returned from an
8-university 11-day tour in Al/GA/MS. Thanks to all my
hosts, the great students I met, and sponsors Musser
Instruments/Mike Balter Mallets. Wrapped it up with a
performance of my concerto Mallet Fantasia at
Jacksonville State Univ in Jacksonville, AL. After that
I attended
PASIC in Indianapolis, where I saw many friends from
around the world and judged the Vibes Competition.
Here's a clip from the August Nanny Assis/Brasilian
Vibes gig at The Blue note in NYC. Check it out!!
To all you APAP 2014 attendees, we will be presenting
three showcases with a special guest, the unbelievable
Brazilian dancer, Joao Gaucho. This will be John's USA
debut. Exciting!!
Here's a video of our band playing live in Sao Paulo on
Programma Do Jo, Brasil's version of David Letterman:
But before that, I'll be performing as guest with the
NYU Music Ed Jazz Ensemble Thurs Dec. 12 8p at the Loewe
Theatre in NYC. We'll be doing two of my compositions
arranged for Big Band by Bob Mintzer. |
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Talking Sticks Almost Finished!
The documentary
Talking Sticks is almost finished!
We will be finished with video and audio post-production
in early May.
Location shooting includes Ghana (small village), Mexico
(Chiapas region where marimbas first landed from the
Africa), Brasil (National Symphony of Brasil and
Carnival) and Norway (where I made an ICE xylophone!).
Interviewees include vibraphone legends Gary
Burton and Mike Mainieri.
Please visit
www.talkingsticksfilm.com to
learn more about this amazing project.
The TALKING STICKS facebook page is the place for news
so please "like" us to stay in touch during this
exciting final phase of production:
www.facebook.com/talkingsticks
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Brasilian Vibes
My latest CD is
BRASILIAN VIBES, available on iTunes. Physical discs are
available at the link at
www.malletworks.com.
There are numerous vocal tracks on this record,
something a bit different for me. It includes jazz
trombonist Wycliffe Gordon (he scats on
"Four Brothers") and Brasilian guitarist Nelson
Faria.
Recorded in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, NYC and CT, I
went back to Rio for 10 days to mix it. On this
recording I reach to my keyboard roots, recording
piano/keys on 3 tracks - along with my Vibes, Marimba
and Steel Drums (1 track). Brasilian Vibes presents my
instruments (vibes and marimba) in a hybridisation of
Brasilian styles. This mixture of pop, jazz and
percussion energy reunites my instruments with their
African percussion roots, Brasilian-style, to present a
cross section of the vast energy in Brasilian music with
funky, grooving tracks including vocals and a few
originals of mine.
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We are in rehearsals now for an upcoming instrumental
jazz release from Unseen Rain Records. This will be a
gorgeous acoustic quintet album, and will feature my
latest compositions. The band includes old friend Jack
DeSalvo (guitars, alto guitar, mandola, cel) with whom I
recorded the duo CD Liquide Stones more than 20
years ago!
A special note: I will
personally sign all CDs of mine bought via the
Malletworks Web site.
- Arthur and team |
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Network with
Arthur Lipner online! |
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