Gravity - GANESH

Gravity
Gravity est une performance interdisciplinaire à laquelle collaborent
le danseur/chorégraphe japonais Hideo Arai (Tokyo) ainsi que le
duo canadien GaPa composé des percussionnistes/compositeurs
Ganesh Anandan et Patrick Graham (Montréal).
Gravity is an interdisciplinary performance project with Japanese
dancer/choreographer Hideo Arai (Tokyo) and Canadian duo GaPa,
made-up of percussionists/composers Ganesh Anandan and
Patrick Graham (Montreal).
Gravity présentera Hideo Arai, un spécialiste du mouvement,
reconnu au Japon pour ses chorégraphies uniques et ses
performances basées sur une discipline particulière nommée
Noguchi Taisou. Son approche de la danse est articulée autour des
mouvements retrouvés dans la nature, mettant de l’emphase sur
l’attraction que la gravité exerce sur le corps. Le travail de Hideo Arai
a conquis les critiques. « Un festin dont se régalent nos sens » disait
Paula Citron, du Globe and Mail; Shinichiro Matuskawa, du Dance
Art, affirmait que c’était « touchant et sincèrement beau ». Quant à
la création fLight elle reçut les hommages de Susan
Walker, du Toronto Star : « [fLight] opère un charme
puissant pour lequel on peut remercier les
organisations qui subventionnent les créations
interculturelles ».
Gravity will feature the movement specialist Hideo Arai, known in
Japan for his unique choreography and performances based on a
discipline called Noguchi Taisou. His approach to dance is built
around movements found in the natural world and especially
highlights the pull of gravity on the human body. Coupled with his
theatrical sense, the resulting pieces are truly unique. Hideo Arai’s
work has garnered critical praise: “A bountiful feast for the senses”
from Paula Citron, The Globe and Mail, and “Touching and truly
beautiful” from Shinichiro Matsukawa of Dance Art. The Toronto
Star’s Susan Walker, commenting on the collaborative
piece fLight, says it “works a powerful spell” and
“makes one grateful for cross-cultural granting
organizations.”
Gravity nous fait également découvrir la
musique originale du duo GaPa, écrite par
Ganesh Anandan et Patrick Graham,
percussionnistes et compositeurs. Utilisant une
large variété d’instruments, GaPa s’inspire de
styles traditionnels, notamment la musique sudindienne, irlandaise et japonaise. D’une
actualité tranchante, un certain sens de l’humour, des
instruments inventés, des percussions tant vocales que mélodiques,
voilà un portrait qui reflète bien cette fusion culturelle. Ils ont été
qualifiés de « maîtres de leur métier » par John Beck de Percussive
Notes, tandis que leur musique a été décrite comme « stimulante »
et « profondément organique » par Rupert Bottenberg du Mirror de
Montréal. Quant a Yves Bernard du Ici de Montréal, il avait ceci à
dire à propos de ces deux artistes : « Une exploration brillante du
langage de la main, de la paume
jusqu’au bout des doigts ».
Ce projet est le résultat d’une rencontre fortuite entre les trois
artistes pendant le Fringe Festival of Independent Dance Artists
(FFIDA) de Toronto en 1999. La connexion fut immédiate et c’est à la
suite d’une invitation faite par Dena Davida, directrice artistique de
l’espace de danse Tangente de Montréal, que Hideo Arai, Ganesh
Anandan et Patrick Graham jouèrent ensemble pendant trois ans. Ce
qui les mena à cette co-création internationale qui sera présentée
pour la première fois au Canada en mars 2002. Succédant à des
performances à Toronto et à Montréal, ce projet sera aussi présenté
au Japon pendant une tournée de trois semaines en mai 2002.
Gravity will also feature the original music of
GaPa, a duo comprised of Ganesh Anandan
and Patrick Graham, percussionists and
composers. Employing an extensive array of
instruments, GaPa draws inspiration from styles
and traditions as varied as South-Indian, Irish,
and Japanese music. A modern edge, a sense of
humour, invented instruments, vocals and melodic
percussion round out this unique, cross-cultural fusion. John
Beck, in Percussive Notes, called Ganesh Anandan and Patrick
Graham “masters of their craft”. Their music has been described as
“Invigorating, thoroughly organic” by the Montreal Mirror’s Rupert
Bottenberg, and “Brilliant explorations of the language of the
hand, from the palm to the tip of the fingers” by Yves Bernard, of
Ici Montreal.
The project is the result of a chance meeting between the three
artists at Toronto’s Fringe Festival of Independent Dance Artists
(FFIDA), in 1999. The rapport was immediate, and upon invitation
from Dena Davida, artistic director of Tangente dance theatre in
Montreal, Hideo Arai, Ganesh Anandan and Patrick Graham began
three years of planning that would lead to this international cocreation premiering in Canada in March 2002. Following
performances in Toronto and Montreal, the project will also be
presented in Japan during a three-week tour in May 2002.
HiDeo Arai
danseur et chorégraphe
« J’ai commencé à danser en 1987. Ma clé pour danser est une
sorte de gymnastique appelée Noguchi Taisou, développée par
le professeur japonais Michizou Noguchi. Cette gymnastique
est basée sur la voie de la nature : la gravité. Les vagues, les
courants, les nuages ainsi que les vents n’ont pas de muscle,
mais ils bougent de façon énergique. La gravité les fait bouger.
Je me suis inspiré de ces mouvements. Mon professeur de
danse est Mère Nature».
L’approche de Hideo Arai vis-à-vis la danse est basée autour
de mouvements observés dans la nature et souligne
spécialement l’effet de la gravité sur le corps humain. Né au
Japon, habitant Tokyo, Hideo Arai a plus de dix années
d’expérience professionnelle derrière lui et a créé au-delà
d’une douzaine de chorégraphies originales. En plus d’être le
fondateur du Dance-Lab KARADAKARA, il a dansé et collaboré,
entre autres, avec Goro Namerkawa, Mari Osanai et Gerry
Graduer. Il donne des performances et enseigne à travers le
Japon et est régulièrement invité à donner des ateliers de
Noguchi Taisou. Hideo Arai a donné des performances en
Hongrie et au Canada dans le cadre du Fringe Festival of
Independant Dance Artist de Toronto en 1997 et en 1999. Sa
participation la plus récente dans une projet multimédia
remonte à fLIGHT, une collaboration avec le
chorégraphe/interprète Peter Chin, le compositeur/interprète
Mika Shibue ainsi qu’avec la photographe Cylla von Tiedmann
dans le cadre du 2000 Shared Habitat Festival of Art and the
Environment à Toronto.
En 2001, les projets sont nombreux et les premières sont au
rendez-vous. Notamment avec le percussionniste Patrick
Graham au Ikachi International Performance Festival et au
Earth Celebration Festival de Sado
Island. Il collabore également avec le
joueur de shakuhachi, Christopher
Yohmei. Les projets d’Hideo Arai ont
reçu l’appui de The Tokyo International
Foundation, du Japan-Canada Fund et
de Japan Foundation.
P H O T O K E N Z I H O S O K A WA
dancer and choreographer
“I started to dance in 1987. My key to dance is a sort of
gymnastics called Noguchi Taisou, founded by professor
Michizou Noguchi in Japan. It is based on the voice of
Nature: Gravity. Waves, streams, clouds, and winds are
lifeless and have no muscles, but they can move
energetically. Gravity makes them move. I’ve been inspired
by their motions. My dance teacher is Mother Nature.”
Hideo Arai’s approach to dance is built around movements
found in the natural world, and especially highlights the pull
of gravity on the human body. Born in Japan and based in
Tokyo, Hideo Arai has over ten years of professional
experience to his credit and has created over a dozen
original choreographed pieces. He is the founder of DanceLab KARADAKARA, and has performed and collaborated
with, among others, Goro Namerikawa, Mari Osanai, and
Gerry Graduer. He performs and teaches throughout Japan,
and is regularly invited to conduct Noguchi Taisou-based
workshops. Hideo Arai has performed in Hungary and in
Canada at Toronto’s Fringe Festival of Independent Dance
Artists in 1997 and 1999. His most recent Canadian
appearance was in the multi-media project fLIGHT in
collaboration with dancer/choreographer Peter Chin,
composer/performer Mika Shibue and photographer Cylla
von Tiedemann, as part of the 2000 Shared Habitat Festival
of Art and the Environment, Toronto.
Projects in 2001 include premieres of two new works with
Canadian percussionist Patrick Graham at the Ikachi
International Performance Festival and at the Earth
Celebration festival, Sado Island, as well as a collaboration
with shakuhachi-player Christopher Yohmei. Hideo Arai’s
projects have received support from the
Tokyo International Foundation, the
Japan-Canada Fund and the Japan
Foundation.
[email protected]
www.h3.dion.ne.jp/~hideo-a
GaPa
duo de percussion
percussion duo
GaPa est le nom utilisé par le duo de musiciens Ganesh
Anandan et Patrick Graham. Localisés à Montréal, ils
travaillent étroitement ensemble depuis les cinq dernières
années. Ils développent ensemble de nouvelles techniques
ainsi que des stratégies de percussion, ayant pour emphase
le style de finger-drumming.
GaPa is a duo comprised of musicians Ganesh Anandan and
Patrick Graham. Based in Montréal, Ganesh Anandan and
Patrick Graham have been working closely together for the
past 5 years, exploring new techniques and compositional
structures for percussion with a special emphasis on fingerdrumming styles.
Présentant des compositions de ces deux artistes et utilisant
une grande variété d’instruments, comme le bodhran, le
kanjera, le riqq, le tar et le taiko, GaPa s’inspire de styles et
de musiques traditionnelles variés telle la musique
japonaise, arabe et irlandaise. Le son de ce duo est aussi
teinté par des rythmes karnatak du sud de l’Inde. Ajoutez
une sensibilité moderne, un sens de l’humour, des
instruments inventés, des percussions tant vocales que
mélodiques, voilà un portrait qui reflète bien cette fusion
culturelle. Le résultat organique et interculturel est un
mélange qui dépasse toute classification.
Featuring compositions by both artists, and employing an
extensive array of instruments, such as the bodhran, kanjera,
riqq, taiko and tar, GaPa draws inspiration from styles and
traditions as varied as Irish, Arabic, and Japanese music. In
particular, the complex South-Indian, or karnatic, rhythmic
system permeates the duo’s sound. Add a modern sensibility,
a sense of humour, invented instruments, as well as vocals
and melodic elements to round out this unique musical
fusion, and the result is an organic, cross-cultural mélange
that defies classification.
C’est en 1999 que GaPa compose, fait les arrangements et
interprète la musique pour la production I Still du
chorégraphe/interprète Motaz Kabbani. Cette performance
devient le spectacle à voir pendant le Fringe festival of
Independant Dance Artist in Toronto (1999).
In 1999, GaPa composed, arranged and performed the music
for the production I, Still, by choreographer/dancer Motaz
Kabbani. The piece garnered praise as one of the “must-see”
shows of the 1999 Fringe Festival of Independent Dance
Artists in Toronto.
PHOTO PIERRE RENAUD
La collaboration entre GaPa et d’autres artistes est fréquente,
comme ce récent concert avec le maître percussionniste Glen
Velez (1999), Ramesh Shotham (2001) ainsi qu’avec Carlo
Rizzo (2001).
GaPa often collaborates with guest artists, including recent
concert appearances with noted percussionists Glen Velez
(1999), Ramesh Shotham (2001) and Carlo Rizzo (2001).
Ganesh Anandan
musicien et compositeur
musician and composer
Ganesh Anandan est un musicien/compositeur/inventeur qui
démontre une approche artistique unique et personnalisée. Il
est reconnu dans les communautés de nouvelle musique pour
sa fusion entre la musique traditionnelle du sud de l’Inde et
sa passion pour la composition, l’improvisation et sa
recherche perpétuelle quant au développement de nouveaux
instruments et de nouvelles techniques. Il est le fondateur du
trio FingerWorks et est le co-fondateur de
l’installation Espace Shruti avec le sculpteur
Pascal Dufaux. Il a donné des performances en
compagnie de La Nef, Robert Lepage, Michel
Cusson, Carlo Rizzo, Glen Velez, Oregon,
Debashish Battcharya, Bob Brozman et Omar
Sosa. Anandan œuvre aussi dans le monde de
la danse, ayant travaillé en étroite collaboration
avec des artistes comme Roger Sinha, Motaz
Kabbani, Lin Snelling, Peter Chin, Hideo Arai et
Jo Lechay.
Musician/composer/inventor Ganesh Anandan’s artistic
approach is highly personal and unique. Anandan is known
in the New and World music communities for his fusion of
South-Indian musical tradition with improvisation,
innovative techniques, a passion for composition and the
research & development of new instruments. He is the
leader of the FingerWorks ensemble and is the co-creator of
the installation Espace Shruti with the
sculptor Pascal Dufaux. He has performed
with La Nef, Robert Lepage, Michel Cusson,
Carlo Rizzo, Glen Velez, Oregon, Debashish
Battacharya, Bob Brozman, and Omar Sosa,
among others. Anandan is also a frequent
collaborator in the realm of dance, having
worked extensively with artists such as Roger
Sinha, Motaz Kabbani, Lin Snelling, Peter
Chin, Hideo Arai and Jo Lechay.
[email protected]
www.cam.org/~tala
PHOTO JACQUES SICOTTE
Patrick
musicien et compositeur
Percussionniste et compositeur, Patrick Graham explore les
nouveaux instruments ainsi que les nouvelles techniques. Il
est reconnu pour les différentes fusions qu’il effectue avec
plusieurs styles de percussion. En plus d’avoir une formation
de percussion classique occidentale et d’avoir étudié des
styles variés comme le frame drum avec le percussionniste
Glen Velez, Graham a approfondi ses connaissances au Japon
sous la tutelle de Taichi Ozaki. Il a collaboré
avec plusieurs artistes japonais, incluant trois
tournées canadiennes avec le Nishikawa
Ensemble. Il interprète et enregistre
régulièrement avec des artistes et des
formations comme Catherine Lambert, Norouet,
Ramasutra et le Trio de guitare de Montréal. Il a
également travaillé avec des danseurs, soit
Motaz Kabbani et Hideo Arai et a été invité
comme artiste solo par le Trinity Irish Dance
Company en 1999.
Graham
musician and composer
Patrick Graham, percussionist and composer, is an explorer
of new percussion techniques and is known for his fusion of
diverse drumming styles. In addition to a background in
western classical percussion and studies of various frame
drum styles with noted percussionist Glen Velez, Graham
has studied percussion in Japan under Taichi Ozaki. He has
collaborated with Japanese artists, including three Canadian
tours with the chamber-music group the
Nishikawa Ensemble. He records and
performs regularly with artists and groups
such as Catherine Lambert, Norouet,
Ramasutra and the Montreal Guitar Trio. He
has worked with dancers Motaz Kabbani and
Hideo Arai, and was a guest soloist with the
Trinity Irish Dance Company in 1999.
P H O T O E S M É E VA N D E R O Y E
[email protected]
September 15, 2000
Autumn 1998
DanceArt
T
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FingerWorks Have
the Situation in Hand
Playing percussion is essentially beating drum
skins with or without sticks. On second thought,
percussionists rarely use their hands to play
with, let alone their nails! There are, however,
musical traditions that use the full potential of
the hands. Tomorrow and Saturday at Théâtre La
Chapelle, four specialists in digital techniques
(in the literal sense of the term) will present an
extraordinary aural and visual spectacle.
FingerWorks, under the leadership of Ganesh
Anandan, originally from South India, brings
together Irish (Patrick Graham) and Québecois
(François Taillefer) influences, not to mention
the skills of American master frame drummer
Glen Velez. Velez, who is perhaps best known for
his work with composer Steve Reich, will be
teaching two frame drum workshops at Théâtre
La Chapelle, beginners on Saturday and
advanced players on Sunday.
Originally from Bagalore in the South Indian
province of Karnataka, Ganesh Anandan has
spent most of his life honing his digital
techniques. He returns to India regularly for
further studies with his master T.N.
Shashikumar. A resident of Quebec since the
beginning of the 80s, Anandan doesn’t limit his
playing to traditional Indian music. His music is
a hybrid of various styles and influences.
“Indian percussion,” explains Anandan, “uses
the whole hand. We have different techniques
for the palm, the fingers and the nails. Other
traditions of percussion use a similar range of
techniques. Frame drums come from all over: the
Rik in Egypt, the Daff in Azerbaijan, the Tar in
North Africa, the Bodhran in Ireland, and of
course the Indian Kanjera.”
Anandan explains that he has applied Indian
rhythmic solfège to instruments outside of the
Indian tradition. ‘Each syllable of the rhythms
can be sung, and corresponds to a position on
the Kanjera’.
Ganesh Anandan has composed numerous
pieces for FingerWorks, but improvisation also
plays an important role for the group, as their CD
reveals. Their debut album will be on sale at the
Théâtre La Chapelle concerts.
And the next step? “We’d like to see what we
can do with a bass player,” says the composer
and percussionist. “That’s how we cross musical
frontiers.”
LA PRESSE, Montréal, 18 mars 1999
Alain Brunet
LA PRESSE, Montréal, 6 avril 2001
(English translation on reverse)
T
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Ganesh Anandan’s
Light Fingers
Philippe Renaud
WHILE MOST Western drummers play using
sticks, percussionists from the Indian tradition
play directly with their fingers – a fascinating
spectacle. While Western drummers surround
themselves with an array of cymbals, drums and
paraphanalia, Indian drummers seem to get the
same range of sounds out of a simple skin
stretched over a wooden frame and their own
ten fingers.
To spend an hour with percussionist Ganesh
Anandan is to discover the complexity of his art
and with it the rich and colorful palette of
sounds he creates. Anandan makes his drums
speak with his palms, his fingertips and even
his nails. He creates glissandos and short sharp
tempos. He plays the skin, the rim and mentions
the importance of jingles… He sings his rhythms
too (keeping within the rules of kirtana, the
raga in South Indian music) playing in 9/4 or
5/4.
Ganesh Anandan has been a Montrealer for
the past twelve years, and before that he lived
in… Jonquière! He also lived in Toronto for a
time, en route to the west coast to plant trees.
S
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“I had to earn money to return to India for
further studies with my master,” he explains
over a bowl of café au lait. His last trip took
place a year ago and he stayed for five months.
He forsees a lifetime of study before becoming a
master in his own right.
Tonight, expect to be fascinated. Ganesh
Anandan presents a concert entitled
FingerWorks and Guests, as part of the Portraits
de musique nouvelle series at Théâtre La
Chapelle. The concert includes Anandan’s trio
FingerWorks, playing music from the album of
the same name, followed by pieces from his
second demo, Ganesh Funk, a mix of airy
percussion and liquid funk. Special guest Carlo
Rizzo, expert in the Italian tambourine, will
accompany Anandan on traditional and
invented instruments.
A small detail: tonight, no sitars or tables,
instruments common to the North Indian
Hindustani musical tradition. Ganesh Anandan
plays South Indian Karnatak drums such as the
Kanjera, as well as the Goumki and the
Bodhran.
Pardoxically, although it is being presented
in a series of new music, the Indian fingerdrumming tradition is at least 1200 years old!
“My work has been to transpose traditional
Karnatak techniques onto alternative surfaces,”
explains Anandan. “I like to explore different
textures, as well as integrating contemporary
T
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music, such as funk, into my playing. I also
invent and build my own instruments.”
During his last stay in India, Ganesh
Anandan concentrated his effort on transposing
his playing onto different instruments. The
fruits of his inventiveness are seen in his
collaborations: Ramasutra Project with DJ Ram,
Omar Sosa’s Cuban quintet, American jazzfusioners Oregon…
“What fascinates me with Indian music is
that even if its rules are complex and its
techniques demanding, the result is very
accessible and universal. I think that’s part of its
appeal. First came Ravi Shankar and Zakir
Hussain in the 70s, with John McLaughlin’s
Shakti – all North Indian Music. Representing
the south, violinist L. Shankar became known.
Today there’s a whole scene of musicians
established in London (Talvin Singh, Badmarsh
and Shri…) whose work is contemporary but
influenced by Indian music. Our musical
structures, once you understand them, are
relatively easy to learn and offer inspiration to
musicians working in jazz, in electronica, etc…”
“The challenge for me it to take a rhythm in 7
or 9 and make it accessible. It’s got to flow, to
groove, without being square or jarring!”