Aruán Ortiz with Andrew Cyrille & Mauricio Herrera: Inside Rhythmic Falls

A heady brew of piano and percussion awaits the open-hearted listener on Inside Rhythmic Falls, a project teaming Aruán Ortiz with Andrew Cyrille & Mauricio Herrera. Pianist Ortiz, who composed all the songs except for Para ti Nengón, the Cuban folk song that ends the set, is joined by a fellow Cuban, percussionist Mauricio Herrera and the great Andrew Cyrille on drums. The opening track adds vocalists Emeline Michel and Marlène Ramirez-Cancio, who join Ortiz in presenting his original poem Lucero Mundo in overlapping voices. It functions as an introduction to Ortiz’ vibrant world of sound. It’s a great world to get lost in, what with Ortiz’ lush pianism and boundless imagination. Then there’s the masterful Cyrille, one of the great responders in improvised music, whether he’s with Coleman Hawkins (1961), Cecil Taylor (starting in 1965), Oliver Lake & Reggie Workman in Trio 3 (starting in 1992), or recently with Bill McHenry and Bill Frisell. Cyrille’s skills remain fresh and his playing thoroughly engaged. Just listen to Conversation With the Oaks or the lively Argelier’s Disciple. Marimbula’s Mood intertwines Cyrille’s laid-back drums, Ortiz’ flights of fancy, and Herrera’s marimbula. It’s an instrument common in Cuba’s changüi style, the source of the jumpy and funky Golden Voice (Changüi), an 8 minute chase by piano and various drums. The meditative and subdued De Cantos y Ñáñigos (Ñáñigo is one name for an Afro-Cuban men's secret society) is next. The sublime opening has Ortiz exploring the bottom end of the piano with Cyrille on brushes. It gets better from there. The title track is divided into two parts. Inside Rhythmic Falls, Part I (Sacred Codes) is a brisk excursion into ecstatic percussion, with Cyrille’s tom-toms leading the way. Part II (Echoes) features an especially assertive and Ortiz charging forward with considerable energy for the first half before settling down to an introspective colloquy with the percussionists. Inside Rhythmic Falls is a magical encounter, happily recommended. Intakt CD 339; Aruán Ortiz (p, vcl) Andrew Cyrille (d) Mauricio Herrera (marimbula, changüi bongoes, catá, cowbells, vcl) Emeline Michel, Marlène Ramirez-Cancio (vcl on*); Lucero Mundo*/ Conversations with the Oaks/ Marimbula’s Mood/ Golden Voice (Changüi)/ De Cantos y Ñáñigos/ Inside Rhythmic Falls, Part I (Sacred Codes)/ Argelier’s Disciple/ Inside Rhythmic Falls, Part II (Echoes)/ El Ashé de la Palabra/ Para ti Nengón; 49:22. www.intaktrec.ch