Welcome to Pictures at an African Exhibition. Please enjoy the art work by David Emmanuel Noel as you listen to the music.
First Sunrise- First sunrise represents the dawn of humankind. The central figure is a woman accompanied by her partner and child as they look towards the welcomed power of the sun. The opening theme representing humankind is a fanfare that can be heard at throughout the entire thirteen piece work.
Migration- This work tells of our ancestors migration out of Africa, braving the unknown, and persevering through trials and tribulations to follow their curiosity. The opening theme is played in C, the key of the earth, and starts on its journey as it goes through various changes, never fully returning in it’s original form.
Ubuntu- Ubuntu is an African philosophy that essentially means "I am who I am because of who we are." The artwork is an interpretation of the Ubuntu symbol, embracing rich and vibrant colors associated with the continent. Luques begins the tune with a bouncy bass line that can be heard throughout this playful tune.
Stories from the village elder- A simple melody paints the picture of members of a small village gathering around a fire at night to listen to the stories of the past by the village elder, thus continuing the tradition of passing on their history to the next generation. Zaccai begins the piece with an ostinato figure while using the sustain pedal to mimic the sound of a kalimba.
Ominous nightfall- Ominous night fall brings the darker side of humanity to the forefront. We hear the melody from First Sunrise undergo a metamorphosis into a darker sound as it changes from major to minor. The artwork, with colors changing like the leaves in autumn, reflect this change in sound. The ambivalent central figure gives us a sense of uncertainty as to what it is, much like the nature of humankind.
Hunting Natives- The title of this work, in a sense, is a double entendre. We have the hunt between man and animal and at the same time there is the hunt between man and man who is perceived as less than a man. The crucifix image with the American flag backdrop serves as a reminder that the hunt is still on to this day.
The Birth of Swing- The birth of swing tells the story of Africans coming to America. It opens up with the sound of the ocean waves which leads into a simple slow blues based off the opening theme in First Sunrise. Wayne Smith J.R. is playing the chains on this track to mimic the sound of the slaves walking in chains, while Nasheet Waits, swinging on his ride symbol, represents the birth of the art form we have come to know as jazz.
Echoes of Ancient Sahara- Here the music and art pay homage to all the lost civilizations whose stories have been lost in time. The echo is the ghostly presence of lost civilizations that have left no traces behind. One can only feel the weight of the thousands of years of history in this landscape.
Genocide March- This piece is dedicated to the victims of the Rwandan and Sierra Leone genocides, and genocide victims all over the world. As humans we share bonds of knowing love, as well as bonds of knowing pain and loss. Wayne starts out this piece playing a march that represents the army approaching a small unarmed village, and music layers as the army draws closer. The melody comes in and reveals a majestic village in all it's beauty. The free improvisation that ensues depicts the genocide as the village is decimated. Afterward, the march returns as the army marches on and Nasheet's solo depicts this tyrannical army celebrating their massacre before fading out of sight.