SWP064

Ferrari Safari

by Michael Baird and Pino Basile, recorded 2019

Percussion duets by Michael Baird - drumset, bongo’s & roto-toms, cymbals & bells, shakers, kankobela lamellophone, and Pino Basile - tamburello, tambourine, log drum, djembé, cymbals & bells, gongs, karimba lamellophone, cupaphon. 

Michael Baird (GB) was born in 1954 in Lusaka, Zambia, resident in Holland since he was thirteen. Pino Basile (IT) was born in 1969 in Zürich, Switzerland, but hails from Puglia in southern Italy. They met in 2018. Michael grew up with African music, started playing drumset in a blues-rock band, then latin, jazz, free impro, afro, creating his own ‘Voodoo-jazz’ style. Pino is a wizard on the tamburello, a classically trained percussionist, a jazz musician, a circus performer, inventor of the cupaphon. Together their music reaches into the relatively unchartered realms of African abstractions & Mediterranean modernisims.....

Tracklist: 1. Allatatto Al Seno, 2. Carrozzeria Non Graffiata, 3. Login.com, 4. Free Parking, 5. Funky Cramp, 6. Desert Dessert, 7. Karimba & Kankobela, 8. Eco Slow March, 9. Zim Zam, 10. Desert Dessert 2nd Helping, 11. Il Monstro Svizzero, 12. Karimba & Kankobela Part II, 13. Carburettor Dance, 14. Captain Sheep, 15. Cupa Mall. Total time: 57'36. 6-page digipac foldout.

Dyolo 2020 (F): "Amis du rythme, amis du groove pointus, amis de la batterie… bonjour ! Quelle rutilante introduction ! Mais il faut dire que pour une Ferrari comme celle dont on va vous parler, il fallait au moins ça ! Oui, Ferrari Safari c’est bien une œuvre de percussionnistes ! Des percussionnistes qui se parlent, se tournent autour, se jaugent, qui élaborent un langage percussif nouveau." "Friends of rhythm, friends of sharp grooves, friends of the drumset...hello! What a sparkling introduction! But I have to say for a Ferrari like the one we are talking about, that is totally justified! Yes, Ferrari Safari is a real oeuvre for percussionists! Percussionists talking to each other, circling each other, gauging each other, they have created a new percussive language."

Jazzflits 2020 (NL): “Op het duo-album ‘Ferrari Safari’ horen we sterke muzikale verhalen die het tweetal ontlokt aan een drumstel, allerhande ‘log drums’, duimpiano’s, djembé’s, bongo’s en zelfgemaakte instrumenten. Het is hen duidelijk niet om te doen om makkelijk te imponeren met vingervlugheid of andere oppervlakkige virtuositeit. Ze leggen diepzinnige, Afrikaans aandoende grooves neer.” “On the duo-album 'Ferrari Safari' we hear strong musical stories told by them both with drumset, all kinds of 'log drums', thumb-piano's, djembé's, bongo's and selfmade instruments. They clearly are not interested in easy dazzling with speed or other shallow virtuosity. They lay down profound, African-like grooves.”

Songlines 2020 (GB): “Hop in this Ferrari for a percussive tour of the world! It starts with a magnificent track of polyrhythmic Afro-jazz drumming. Other tracks explore a variety of percussive textures and soundscapes. Some are clearly influenced by African rhythms, while with circular patterns on multiple gongs, bells and lamellophones, there is a suggestion of Indonesian gamelan.”

Vinile 2020 (IT): “C’è qualcosa di misterioso in queste tracce, di ipnotico, i tamburi di Pino Basile accompagnano, dominano, e inseguono le percussioni e i ritmi di Baird, dando vita ad atmosfere ancestrali, sottolineando tramonti e vibrazioni antelucane.” “There is something mysterious about these tracks, something hypnotic, the drums of Pino Basile accompany, dominate, and follow the rhythms of Baird, creating an ancestral atmosphere, punctuating sunsets and vibrations of the dawn.”