Photos: Rudy Lu

Chief Baba Neil Clarke (Chief Baba Neil) is a master percussionist based in Brooklyn, NY. He has been a jazz percussionist in Randy Weston’s band for 30 years and is a scholar and educator on African drums. With Duke Ellington’s 125th birthday on April 29th, the afternoon’s performance was a celebration of the Duke’s birthday.

The instrumentation for the band was unorthodox, consisting of hand percussion/ drums (Chief Babba Neil) , violin (Gwen Laster), bass (Rachiim Ausar Sahu)and vibes(Bryan Carrott). The opening song “Caravan” seemed appropriate. This exotic tune exudes the feeling of traveling through an exotic land.

As if they were challenging the concept that they could play only exotic music, the big band standard “Take the A Train” followed. Chief Babba Neil’s percussion and Rachiim’s bass provided the musical equivalent of subway train in motion while Gwen and Brian provided the melody representing the riders and stops.

Gwen Laster’s original “Keeper of the Flame” was a meditation on the importance of keeping music and traditions alive.

The mellow “Sophisticated Ladies” followed, the violin and vibes dominated and painted the impression of the subject.

Bud Powell’s musical portrait “Thelonius” represented complex music for the musical genius most known for composing and playing “outside yet accessible compositions.

“In a Sentimental Mood” presented Ellington’s contemplative side..

Rashiim’s tribute to Latin percussionist Mongo Santamaris, “To Mongo” closed the concert.

In Chief Babba Neil’s words, “ The music played today will never be played the same way again”. That is the nature of much of the music called jazz.

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