DESCRIPTION:
a composition by david bindman with rhythms from the adzohu dance drumming of the fon and eve peoples of west africa, played by the blood drum spirit ensemble, saxophonist david bindman, bassist wes brown, pianist art hirahara, and drummer royal hartigan.

this work is inspired by adzohu (also known as adzobgo), a multisectional warrior spirit dance and music whose rhythms can be felt in an extended time cycle, 24/8 in western terms with a dotted quarter 8-beat foundation. within the 24-pulse span there are layers of time played by traditional drummers and brought here to the ensemble.

this is art hirahara's piano solo, beginning alone, then with bass and drums joining, inside adzohu ago rhythms in a 24-pulse bell cycle. we bring layers of time and accents over this structure, with art cueing the final phrases to complete his solo.

permission for educational non-commercial online use by master artist c.k. ladzekpo and mr. bindman.

recorded by weihua zhang at the aha! new bedford festival in new bedford, massachusetts, on 14 august 2014.